‘Towards a Pollution Free Planet’

Presentation for the EMG

Growth and the pollution paradox

Pollution today is pervasive and persistent

Overall, the world has achieved impressive economic growth but the overall improved well-being is

accompanied by increased pollution. If consumption and production patterns continue as they are, the

linear economic model of “take-make-dispose” will seriously burden an already polluted planet

Pollution is not a new phenomenon

it is largely controllable and often avoidable, but considerably neglected.

Pollution can have disproportionate impacts on women and men, and

particularly on the poor and the vulnerable

such as the elderly, children and the disabled, affecting their rights to health, water, food, life, housing and

development.

Responses by governments, business and citizens to pollution exist,

but they remain limited in scope and scale

Major forms of pollution and key sectoral sources identified

Environmental Media

AIR FRESHWATER MARINE LAND ALL

Particulate Matter

Black carbon

Nitrogen oxides

Sulphur dioxide

Ozone

Heavy metals

Nitrates

Nutrients (phosphates)

Hazardous chemicals

Endocrine disrupting chemicals

Heavy metals

Pharmaceuticals

Nitrates

Toxic waste

(including oil, plastics)

Nitrates

Heavy metals

Pharmaceuticals

Polychlorinated biphenyls

Persistent organic

pollutants

Perchloroethylene

Tetrachloroethylene

Radioactive waste

Pollution Sources

Waste E-waste, food waste; wastewater; municipal solid waste; open-burning; plastics; hazardous; construction

and demolition

Transport Fuel use and supply; engine emissions; road: tyres, surface; shipping; aviation

Energy Combustion plants; fossil fuels; biomass

Service Tourism; hospitals; water; retail

Industry Chemicals; Pharmaceuticals; Extractives; Agriculture; Forestry; Fisheries

Urban Buildings; households; mobility

MEAs and Pollution actions

• The Multilateral and Regional environment agreements provide a framework for time bound

actions, and some include compliance related actions, monitoring and reporting.

• They provide for the exchange of resources and information, for the sharing of technologies and

best practices, for international trade, and for promoting international partnerships on addressing

pollution, including among non-state actors.

• Success stories exist. The Montreal Protocol being among the most successful

• Learning from what has worked well suggests the following:

• Need to strengthen the science policy- society- interface

• Complement multilateral and regional agreements with more voluntary initiatives

• Engagement of diverse actors and stakeholders early on

• Engagement of business and industry in solutions

• Integrated innovations for transitions and social safety nets, job

• The problem of pollution, however, is more complex than what can be resolved solely through

improved and more coherent environmental governance

Gaps and challenges to addressing pollution

• Implementation gaps: due to lack of resources, inadequate administrative, financial, institutional and technical capacity, absence of inter-ministerial coordination and political will;

• Knowledge gaps: and inadequate awareness of information on the sources of pollution, the pathways of exposure, impacts and solutions; new research findings on impacts to health and ecosystems and emerging issues need to be taken into account; there is insufficient information disclosure, and a limited understanding of pollution’s social and gender dimensions

• Infrastructure gaps: exist, for instance to monitor pollution; collect, treat and dispose of waste, wastewater and mine tailings; facilitate recycling; and improve food storage

• Limited leadership by financial institutions and industry, especially on pollution information disclosure, due diligence, internalization of pollution costs, pollution prevention, and green financing.

• Mispricing, the invisibility of ecosystem values and the externalization of pollution costs result in wastage and over-use of resources, the treatment of ecosystems as dumps and sinks for waste, and choices made without full awareness of the environmental consequences.

• Insufficient recognition by different actors that consumer choices have pollution consequences.

Action on Pollution can contribute to achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals

“Towards a pollution-free planet” is about encouraging a synergetic mix of actions and a whole system, multi-beneficial policy making approach that builds directly on existing internationally agreed environmental goals, including those relating to climate change, disaster and risk reduction and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with its numerous pollution-reducing targets.

• A global compact on pollution is urgently required to make pollution prevention a priority for all and to integrate it into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and national accounts

• Environmental governance needs to be strengthened at all levels - with targeted actions on 'hard-hitting' pollutants through risk assessments and enhanced implementation of environmental legislation (including multilateral environmental agreements) and other environmental measures

• Sustainable consumption and production, through systemic approaches based on resource efficiency and lifestyle changes, has to be embraced by all and waste reduction and management must be prioritized

• Investment in cleaner production and consumption is required along with increased funding for pollution monitoring, infrastructure, management and control

• Multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaborations are vital for the innovation, knowledge-sharing and transdisciplinary research needed to develop technological and ecosystems- based solutions

5 overarching messages to achieve this goal

A Framework of Actions is proposed

• Has both a preventive and curative slant, based on opportunity and innovations. • Requires political leadership and high level champions and commitments, but with action at the local level in cities,

villages, beaches, slums. • Requires interminsterial coordination • Needs to engage governors, mayors, civil society organizations, business leaders and the citizen at large

The proposed framework for actions on pollution is centred on a dual track of action:

I Targeted interventions, based on risk assessments and scientific evidence of impacts, to address: i. ‘hard-hitting’ pollutants; ii. Areas of pollution (air, water, marine and coastal, land/soil) including cross-cutting categories (e.g. chemicals, waste)II System-wide transformations at the economy level toward greater resource efficiency and equity, circularity and sustainable consumption and production, and improved ecosystem resilience to support cleaner and more sustainable development

The dual track of actions is guided and underpinned by the two other elements of the framework:Principles : universality, sustainability, integration, precaution and inclusivenessEnablers, or broader supporting actions, that aim to shift incentives, correct market and policy failures and address some of the gaps and issues that make pollution so pervasive and persistent. I

I. Targeted interventions: i. At hard hitting pollutants

50 Possible near term interventions on areas of pollution are suggested

. Targeted interventions: ii. In areas of pollution

II System wide Transformative Actions for change in the medium and long term

TRANSFORMATIVE ACTIONS

(TO SHIFT THE ECONOMY )

• Finance and Investments

• Innovations and Technology

• Production and Supply chains

• Sectoral integration to tackle pollution at the city level

• Sustainable Consumption practices

Enablers

• (TO CORRECT MARKET & POLICY FAILURES AND FACILITATE CHANGE)

✓Evidence-Based Decision-Making

✓Enhanced Governance

✓Economic Instruments

✓Education for Change

✓Cooperation and partnerships

Possible Next steps for the EMG to consider

Clusters of actions for UN Agencies, Regional offices and other actors

• Strengthening and creating synergies and building new partnerships on: • Behavioral change: Communication and education strategies

• Normative support and testing of innovative solutions: Financing and other

• Evidence based policy advice: regulatory and economic instruments

• Strengthening institutions dealing with pollution-related issues; data collection and analysis, capacity & technical assistance

• Promoting sustainable production and consumption patterns and associated lifestyle changes;

• Measuring progress and sharing knowledge.

Thank you

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