By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Kenya is set to host the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly next month.
It will be held at Gigiri between February 28 and March 2 and challenges facing the environment are set to be given attention.
The conference will be hosted by the UN Environment Programme and is set to bring together representatives of the 193 member states of the UN, businesses, civil society and other stakeholders.
The delegation is set to agree on policies to address the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
The theme is “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”.
UNEP said the theme highlights the pivotal role nature plays in our lives and in social, economic and environmentally sustainable development.
“UNEA-5 is an opportunity for the member states to share best practices for sustainability,” it said in a statement.
It will create momentum for governments to build on and catalyse impact on multilateral environmental efforts to protect and restore the natural world on which our economies and societies depend on.
Thematic areas during the assembly include nature for climate change, human and ecosystem health, nature for poverty eradication, jobs and economic prosperity as well as sustainable food systems.
Immediately after UNEA-5.2, the Assembly will hold a Special Session on March 3 – 4, which is devoted to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the creation of the UN Environment Programme in 1972.
