‘We don’t operate in silos’: connecting action on pollution, land, biodiversity, and climate change

Turning 2030 Goals into Reality: A Report from the Global Environment Facility’s Seventh Assembly

Introduction:

Turning 2030 goals into reality will require action across all of society, and with environmental challenges considered in a holistic way and not by category. This was the theme of a dialogue between leaders and senior representatives of international environmental agreements held during the Global Environment Facility’s Seventh Assembly, in Vancouver.

Funding for Environmental Goals:

• The Global Environment Facility (GEF) provides funding to help developing countries adhere to environmental goals set at various international environmental agreements, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and Minamata Convention on Mercury.
• The GEF has also been selected as a financial mechanism for the new High Seas agreement on biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions (BBNJ).

Phasing Out Mercury Use:

Monika Stankiewicz, Executive Secretary of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, emphasized the importance of phasing out the harmful use of mercury in everyday products and industrial processes, including small-scale mining. She stated that this is vital to meet the global imperative to reduce global pollution, risks to human health, and climate change. A proposal on the phasing out of mercury-containing fluorescent lamps will be considered at an upcoming meeting of parties to the Minamata Convention in October.

Link Between Mercury Pollution and Biodiversity Loss:

Stankiewicz also stressed the relevance of mercury poisoning in efforts to reduce and reverse nature loss. She highlighted how the extent of biodiversity loss and the loss of food system functions is driven by pollution. Energy efficiency and waste management benefits alone justify the rapid evolution of the Minamata Convention.

Holistic Approach to Environmental Challenges:

Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel Convention, Stockholm Convention, and Rotterdam Convention, emphasized the need for a holistic approach to environmental challenges. He stated that thinking from a life cycle perspective and an integrated perspective allows for a better understanding of the connections between different environmental issues. Payet highlighted the importance of breaking down silos and promoting collaboration across different sectors and ministries.

Coordinated Work Across Environmental Conventions:

GEF CEO and Chairperson Carlos Manuel Rodríguez emphasized the need for closely coordinated work across the environmental conventions to address inter-related environmental threats. He stated that this would help “move the needle on the ultimate challenge” of ensuring that different government ministries work more closely together. Louise Baker, Managing Director of the Global Mechanism of the UNCCD, pointed to the Great Green Wall initiative in Africa as an example of cohesive work to support sustainable land management with wide benefits.

Global Stocktake for Climate Change Goals:

Daniele Violetti, Senior Director, Programs Coordination at the UNFCCC, highlighted the opportunity for a global stocktake of all international efforts in support of climate change goals. This includes climate adaptation and is an opportunity for political decisions to put us on the real path to achieve the Paris Agreement.

Link Between Ozone Hole and Climate Action:

Maria Socorro Manguiat, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Ozone Secretariat, highlighted the links between international conventions. She noted how the adoption of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol in 2016 has combined efforts to close the ozone hole with climate action, such as energy efficiency upgrades to reduce emissions.

Synergies in Environmental Financing:

David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the CBD, emphasized the importance of establishing synergies in environmental financing. He highlighted the new Global Biodiversity Framework Fund launched at the GEF Assembly as an opportunity to support joined-up action across topics and sectors. Cooper called for continued capitalization of the fund to support countries’ actions to meet the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 14: Life Below Water
• SDG 15: Life on Land
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The article discusses various environmental agreements and conventions that address issues related to health, pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable land management. These issues are interconnected with the Sustainable Development Goals mentioned above.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
• Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
• Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
• Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
• Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, particularly from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.
• Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
• Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources.

The article mentions the need to address these targets through coordinated efforts across environmental conventions and agreements.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 3.9.1: Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution.
• Indicator 6.3.1: Proportion of wastewater safely treated.
• Indicator 7.3.1: Energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and GDP.
• Indicator 12.4.1: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement.
• Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
• Indicator 14.1.1: Index of coastal eutrophication and floating plastic debris density.
• Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area.
• Indicator 17.16.1: Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

These indicators can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets and assess the effectiveness of actions taken.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table