UN urges businesses to help combat pollution

by Ronald Njoroge

NAIROBI, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Sunday urged the global business community to play a bigger role in reducing pollution.

UN Environment Chief Scientist Liu Jian told a business conference in Nairobi that the private sector can tackle pollution by embracing green technologies.

"Businesses are trying their best and they are at the initial stages. What is now required is policies and support to create enabling conditions to help the private sector further reduce their amount of pollution they are responsible for," Liu told a symposium ahead of the 3rd session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA).

The UN Environment and member states have already launched a Global Business Alliance for the Environment in the hope of galvanizing more private-sector support for combating pollution.

Liu noted that businesses can help to reduce the pollution menace by turning pollutants into resources by employing innovations.

The private sector is well placed to come up with solutions to the challenges facing the world, and the UN Environment has been playing a catalytic role in facilitating efforts to reduce pollution.

Liu noted that many businesses are adopting green technologies in their business practices.

This will help to cut pollution at its source, he said. Enditem