A safe, healthy environment concerns everyone, Agriculture Minister tells UNEA-6

The climate crisis has no borders, Cyprus' Agriculture Minister, Maria Panayiotou, said at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), noting that a safe and healthy environment concerns everyone, while immediate action is required. The Minister participated in the 6th Session of the UNEA, which took place in Nairobi, Kenya between February 26 and March 1. In her speech, according to a statement by the PIO, the Minister highlighted the important work of the UNEA and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to collectively address environmental threats, climate change, biodiversity and pollution, taking into account the importance of effectively addressing all the environmental challenges facing the planet. Panayiotou noted that the climate crisis has no 'borders' and that the right to live in a safe and healthy environment concerned everyone and this required immediate action. She also referred to the environmental issues facing Cyprus such as reduced rainfall and drought, desertification and threats to bi odiversity, and stressed that Cyprus was in favour of collective measures to address them. 'Recognising the imperative need for sustainable multilateral action based on our obligations to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030', Panayiotou emphasised Cyprus' support as an EU member state to the EU's agreed positions, as well as Nicosia's determination to achieve the top environmental goals at a global level, 'priorities that are also defined in the governance programme'. The press release noted that during the Summit a significant number of international decisions concerning 15 topics, as well as two declarations, were adopted. Specifically, these concern important environmental issues such as water management, air pollution, chemical and waste management, combating desertification and soil degradation, and protection of the oceans. An important UNEA-6 Ministerial Declaration was also adopted through which governments, multilateral environmental agreements and international organi sations are called upon to strengthen their cooperation with the UNEA, to effectively and inclusively implement its actions and commitments, the press release noted. Source: Cyprus News Agency