5 MAY 2022
STOCKHOLM +50: A HEALTHY PLANET FOR THE PROSPERITY OF ALL
On 1 December 2021, the UN General Assembly decided to host an international meeting at the highest levels in Stockholm during the week of World Environment Day in 2022 to commemorate the 50 years since the UN Conference on the Human Environment.
In 1972, the Declaration of the UN Conference on Human Environment was made in Stockholm and initiated the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Now on 2 and 3 June 2022, following a UN General Assembly resolution, “Stockholm +50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity” was held to commemorate UNEP’s 50th anniversary to implement the ‘Decade of Action’ towards a healthy planet and prosperity for all.
“Global wellbeing is at risk – and it’s in large part because we haven’t kept our promises on the environment.
Although there have been successes in protecting the planet since 1972, including rescuing the ozone layer, Earth’s natural systems cannot keep up with our demands.
The “triple planetary crisis” that’s been caused by the climate emergency – “that is killing and displacing ever more people each year” – biodiversity loss – which threatens “more than three billion people” – and pollution and waste, “that is costing some nine million lives a year”, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned the delegates at the Swedish summit and called for immediate action.
“Let us not forget that when we destroy a forest, we are creating GDP. When we overfish, we are creating GDP. GDP is not a way to measure richness in the present situation in the world.” He criticised all and urged to protect the basic human right to a clean, healthy environment for everyone focusing on ‘poor communities, women and girls, indigenous people and the generations to come’.
He called all countries to abandon fossil fuel subsidies and invest in renewable energy, reports UN News.
The Stockholm +50 Summit featured four sessions and leaders called for bold environmental actions to implement the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Leadership Dialogues, Webinars and series of regional consultations were held along the Summit with bold messages and voices.
— “We didn’t just come here to commemorate, but to build forward and better, based on the steps taken since 1972”.
