UNEP urges world leaders to honor pledges on environmental conservation

NAIROBI, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Erik Solheim on Wednesday appealed to global leaders to honor their commitments toward eliminating environment challenges.

"Reinforce laws and provide alternatives on use of plastic utensils, smoking in public places and use of chemicals," Solheim told a media briefing in Nairobi at the end of the Third Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

He also challenged the governments to introduce electric trains to reduce air pollution and space in the cities.

"We need to emulate China that started electric train between Shanghai and Beijing and has now covered 30 cities," he noted.

Solheim also hailed China for making commendable progress in reducing air pollution in cities that were deemed most polluted in the country.

He called on governments to find scientific alternative ways of mining to save lives of populations that rely on mining as income generating activity.

UNEP former Chief Scientist Jacqueline McGlade said UNEA has earmarked 10 chemicals for phase-off in the world.

McGlade noted that with the phase-off of the chemicals, 1.4 billion that are currently getting affected will be able to breathe fresh air.

She added that 30 percent of the global coastline that are currently polluted will be clean once the changes come to effect.

"A total of 19.6 million U.S. dollars will be used in the fight against pollution globally," McGlade said.

The outgoing President of UNEA Edgar Gutiérrez-Espeleta observed that the ministers for the first time changed the way of doing business and relied on scientific information in making the decisions during the conference.

"We have to change the way of doing business to be able to save lives of millions of populations who lose their lives unnecessarily," he added.

Gutiérrez-Espeleta said science should be given prominence in solving problems that bedevil the world.

"Engage populations in all development endeavors and accept their opinions in the implementation of programs that targets them," he added. Enditem