Ahead of UNEA, environment minister says pollution-free world is possible

AHEAD of the third session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) built to hold later this year, Minister of State for Environment, Mallam Ibrahim Usman Jibril, has said that a pollution free world is possible.

Commenting on the theme of third UNEA, ‘Towards a pollution-free planet’ the minister said this session “will be a significant assembly. We are expecting member nations to pull their weight together and make sure we come out with something good for the environment.”

This third session of UNEA will take place December 4 to 6, 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya. The UNEA has the universal membership of all 193 UN member states and the full involvement of UN organisations. It is the highest-level decision-making body on environment by the UN.

In his message to other UNEA participants, Jibril expressed his optimism that a pollution free planet could be a reality if all the nations involved cooperated with full commitment towards the goal. He said, “Let’s work together towards a pollution free planet. It can be done with full commitment from member nations. It is doable.”

The minister also spoke on the commitment of the Federal Government towards the clean-up of polluted areas in the Niger Delta and other regions of the country affected by various forms of pollution.

“The commitment of the Federal Government is towards the full clean-up of the oil pollution in the Niger Delta and other areas that are equally polluted due to one economic activity or the other,” he said.