Tag: UNEP

72 Nations Lead Global Recycling Momentum for UNEP-Recognized Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Transport Packaging

Stuart Mitchell

The Global EPS Sustainability Alliance (GESA) has confirmed that 72 countries engaged in varying levels of recycling EPS Transport Packaging in 2023, with many achieving recycling rates above 30%. The data summary comes ahead of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) INC-5 negotiations taking place next week, where UN Member States will continue to negotiate policy considerations to address global plastic pollution. Of the 72 countries engaged in EPS sustainability efforts, 54% have reported their respective recycling rates. A significant portion achieved rates exceeding 30%, including the regions of North America and Europe, and countries like…

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UNEP’s Intergovernmental Council for Buildings and Climate launches at COP29

Stuart Mitchell

The UNEP-hosted Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) announced the establishment of the Intergovernmental Council for Buildings and Climate (ICBC) today in Baku.  Launched at the Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change at COP29, with UNEP’s GlobalABC as its secretariat, the ICBC is a significant step toward implementing the Chaillot Declaration. The ministerial declaration is a collaborative global policy framework launched in March 2024 – and endorsed by more than 70 countries – that engages stakeholders across the buildings sector in climate action.   Responsible for 37 per…

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New air quality management platform to support global clean air action

Stuart Mitchell

Ahead of this year’s International Day of Clean Air and blue skies, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) has developed and launched an Air Quality Management Exchange Platform (AQMx) designed to help air quality professionals everywhere tackle air pollution. The platform is a one-stop-shop that provides the latest air quality management guidance and tools proposed to meet WHO Air Quality Guidelines interim targets. Air pollution knows no borders, and with 99 percent of the global population breathing polluted air, the fight against it involves everyone. This silent and invisible killer is causing more than 8…

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$8 Trillion Opportunity in Sustainable Cooling Solutions for Developing Economies – IFC and UNEP Report

Stuart Mitchell

The cooling market in developing economies is expected to grow from around USD 300 billion to at least USD 600 billion, per year by 2050, according to a report released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)-led Cool Coalition and International Finance Corporation (IFC). The fastest growth in cooling is expected in Africa, which will see the market multiply by a factor of seven, and South Asia, which will quadruple in size. The report calls for prioritising passive, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and economically viable cooling solutions. The report, “Cooler Finance: Mobilizing…

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Some chemical pollutants reducing in humans and the environment, but new ones keep popping up

Stuart Mitchell

A comprehensive global study of POPs – health-endangering chemicals that stay in the environment over decades and longer – confirms they persist in human milk, air, water, soil, food and various ecosystems. The study, implemented by UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), stresses the importance of POPs monitoring, caution in introducing alternatives, and addressing gaps in awareness and regulation.  The study was conducted across 42 countries in regions where data on POPs is limited, including Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the…

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