UNEP Research Articles

Pyrolysis and beyond: Sustainable valorization of plastic waste

The recycling of plastics through pyrolysis has garnered significant attention as a waste management approach, particularly given upcoming regulations and the urgent need for absolute sustainability. This review paper evaluates pyrolysis's technological, environmental, and regulatory aspects, emphasizing the need to prioritize environmental impact over purely economic considerations. While it is recognized that financial challenges have constrained many past attempts at scaling pyrolysis systems, this paper argues that a shift in focus toward sustainability criteria is essential for the technology's long-term viability. Prioritizing environmental outcomes is critical given the pressing issues like plastic pollution, which presents significant threats to ecosystems and human health. A comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts is vital for technologies intended for large-scale deployment, ensuring that they align with global sustainability goals. This perspective is especially pertinent in light of the current United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) global plastic pollution treaty negotiations, where there is a contentious debate over the true circularity of chemical recycling. Environmentalists and several nations advocate for significant reductions in plastic production and bans on single-use plastics. At the same time, oil-producing countries and petrochemical companies push for circularity in the plastic economy. The paper explores the promise and limitations of pyrolysis technology for valorizing plastic wastes, comparing its efficacy with other waste management methods. Biomass pyrolysis is discussed due to its significant synergies with plastic pyrolysis and its potential for carbon sequestration through biochar. However, the discussion on biomass pyrolysis is limited in scope, with the paper's primary focus on waste plastic pyrolysis. The paper discusses the challenges and opportunities in utilizing pyrolysis for waste plastics, which are considered along with regulatory and geopolitical aspects. Environmental impacts, including life cycle analysis and planetary boundary considerations, are examined to understand why pyrolysis has yet to achieve widespread adoption. A case study on Plastic Energy, SABIC, and Unilever highlights current industry status, technological advancements, and information gaps. Finally, a comprehensive framework is proposed to achieve net-zero emissions, improve air quality, and ensure absolute environmental sustainability in plastic recycling. Recommendations are provided for the plastic industry and research institutions to support the transition towards sustainable waste management practices.

Update on the assessment of the condition of lands and their restoration, following the consequences of martial law

The article is devoted to the study of selective problematic aspects regarding the assessment of the condition of the lands and the needs and possible ways of restoring the lands that were damaged as a result of the military actions of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine. Particular attention is paid to the need and difficulty of clearing mined areas, which should be done with an integrated approach, but this process requires and will require a large amount of time and resources. The main focus is on the need to create a comprehensive strategy for land restoration, which will include damage assessment, development of new legal acts, as well as implementation of mechanisms for the protection and restoration of land resources as a component of the environment. Particular emphasis is placed on the need to introduce so-called «red zones» in the most dangerous and polluted territories, where economic or personal activities are dangerous for the health of the population, which needs to be taken into account, including the period of active hostilities in certain territories. The article also considers the experience of other countries that faced such problems, in particular, for example, the country of France after the First World War, and emphasizes the importance of international cooperation with the organization of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to ensure effective restoration of lands. In addition, it is proposed to introduce amendments to the tax legislation of Ukraine for a balanced temporary exemption of land owners or land users from taxes for the time of restoration works, which will contribute to more efficient use of resources. In addition, it was noted that the state government should take all organizational measures as much as possible in order to receive reparations for crimes against the environment from the aggressor country. The work emphasizes the importance of harmonizing the environmental policy of Ukraine with the norms of the European Union in the context of European integration, because Ukraine has a European integration course and environmental changes are also one of the conditions for joining the European Union, so the reconstruction of destroyed cities should already be in accordance with the norms of the European Union.

The role of global waste management and circular economy towards carbon neutrality

Solid waste management is a cross-cutting issue that significantly influences multiple aspects of sustainable development globally. The waste sector is a major anthropogenic source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Most global GHG assessments of waste management rely on generic data due to limitations in available data. This research used reflective inventory data for municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment systems related to the income levels of countries, resulting in more context-specific and comprehensive assessments of GHG emissions. This study aims to assess life cycle GHG emissions from the global MSW management sector for the years 2023, 2030, and 2050 and then analyses the global and regional waste management goals set by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Union (EU) to identify hotspots in the MSW management systems and critical factors that influence GHG emissions from the waste sector. The study was conducted in accordance with the standards outlined in ISO 14067:2018. The results show that the average global GHG emissions from 1 tonne of MSW in 2023 based on the existing MSW management practices was approximately 89.7 kg CO2e. The major contributor was the open dumping of MSW, contributing almost 70 % of GHG emissions. The global MSW management sector emitted a total of 173.2 Mt CO2e GHG emissions in 2023. If no improvements are made to existing systems, GHG emissions from the waste sector are projected to increase to 203.4 Mt CO2e by 2030, and to 289.5 Mt CO2e by 2050. Achieving waste management goals can reduce GHG emissions by approximately 1 % to more than 160 %. The implementation of the circular economy in the waste sector has the potential to achieve net zero emissions from the global MSW management sector by 2030 and 2050. This study provides achievable MSW management targets for the world and highlights key factors to achieve carbon neutrality from the waste sector. Prioritising policies such as upgrading open dumps, standardising household-level waste separation procedures, minimising food waste, establishing national recycling targets, and promoting circular economy through a zero-waste approach could substantially reduce GHG emissions from the waste sector. These findings are important for the adoption of circular economy principles in MSW management systems to effectively support the pursuit of carbon neutrality goals.

Advanced Trans-BiGRU-QA Fusion Model for Atmospheric Mercury Prediction

With the deepening of the Industrial Revolution and the rapid development of the chemical industry, the large-scale emissions of corrosive dust and gases from numerous factories have become a significant source of air pollution. Mercury in the atmosphere, identified by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as one of the globally concerning air pollutants, has been proven to pose a threat to the human environment with potential carcinogenic risks. Therefore, accurately predicting atmospheric mercury concentration is of critical importance. This study proposes a novel advanced model—the Trans-BiGRU-QA hybrid—designed to predict the atmospheric mercury concentration accurately. Methodology includes feature engineering techniques to extract relevant features and applies a sliding window technique for time series data preprocessing. Furthermore, the proposed Trans-BiGRU-QA model is compared to other deep learning models, such as GRU, LSTM, RNN, Transformer, BiGRU, and Trans-BiGRU. This study utilizes air quality data from Vietnam to train and test the models, evaluating their performance in predicting atmospheric mercury concentration. The results show that the Trans-BiGRU-QA model performed exceptionally well in terms of Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and R-squared (R2), demonstrating high accuracy and robustness. Compared to other deep learning models, the Trans-BiGRU-QA model exhibited significant advantages, indicating its broad potential for application in environmental pollution prediction.

Enhancing the SDG 6 Index: Implementing New Directions and Trends in Priorities of Integrated Water Resources Management Principles in the Republic of Korea

Enhancement of water and sanitation management acts as a significant component of global development as it is part of the United Nation’s sixth Sustainable Development Goal. Due to peculiar geographical and climatic attributes of the country and sincere efforts toward implementing IWRM, South Korea has improved its position in the SDG 6 index. The purpose of this research work is to evaluate the advancements that have been made in the IWRM of South Korea from 2018 to 2023 concerning policy changes, technical advancements, and societal engagement. Thus, this paper, through surveys and literature review, examines the measures that have been taken in the recent past to address the hydrological vulnerabilities resulting from climate change, as depicted by the UN Environment Program. Centrally, since South Korea has become more sensitive to climate change effects, and thus hydrological issues, the findings will assist in the improvement of current IWRM processes and help them achieve the SDG 6 goals. This study implies that there should be sustainable water management practices that balance natural and human interferences amidst prevailing climate change effects.

Citizen perceptions and interactions towards self-sufficiency, community plot ratio and civic generosity within sustainable neighbourhoods

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released design indexes for sustainable neighbourhoods, including self-sufficiency, community plot ratio and civic generosity. However, they are developed from an urban planning perspective and not researched in relation to: a) the citizen perspective and b) how citizen interactions can contribute to the environment. Therefore, this research tests a novel set of indexes with an underused method of ethnographic video interviews with 14 citizens of a known sustainable neighbourhood in Stockholm, Sweden. A thematic analysis conducted on 28 h of interview data collected over a 4-week period yielded 5 main themes, from outdoor public spaces. Self-sufficiency findings suggest that citizens 1) perceive small scale self-sufficiency to be challenged by large scale structural efficiency and 2) circular actions with food waste to biogas can develop the self-sufficiency index further. Community plot ratio findings suggest that citizens 3) perceive community spaces to be accessible for all but not used by all. Civic generosity findings suggest citizens 4) perceive an imbalance between self-interests of the individual versus collective interests of the community, while 5) experienced citizens feel personally responsible to pioneer civic generosity interactions. UNEP indexes for designing neighbourhoods can define local sustainability, however, our findings support this, only if they can be acted upon by the citizens who live there.

Clearing the Air to Address Pollution's Cardiovascular Health Crisis.

Air pollution is a critical global health issue that significantly impacts cardiovascular health. The air pollutant PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less) has been positioned as a leading environmental risk factor for morbidity and mortality, especially from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Using data from the World Health Organization (WHO), Global Health Observatory, and the United Nations Environment Programme, we explored global trends in air pollution, with a focus on PM2.5 levels, the implications for cardiovascular health, and the policy measures aimed at reducing their impact. Despite progress in reducing pollution levels in high-income countries, global trends show a limited annual reduction in PM2.5 concentration. The analysis highlights disparities between regions, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the brunt of air pollution-related CVDs. In 2019 alone, ambient air pollution was responsible for approximately 4.2 million deaths worldwide. Of these, 70% were caused by CVDs, with approximately 1.9 million deaths from ischemic heart disease and 900,000 deaths from stroke. Policy gaps remain a challenge, with many countries lacking adequate legally binding air quality standards. We recommend the adoption of WHO air quality guidelines, enhanced monitoring of air pollution levels, and increased investment in interdisciplinary research to understand the full scope of air pollution's effects on cardiovascular health. Addressing the global cardiovascular crisis linked to air pollution will require coordinated efforts from policymakers, healthcare systems, and global health organisations.

Application of data-driven Decision Support System in Combating Illegal Wildlife Trade on Internet

With the rapid development of the Internet, the illegal wildlife trade is becoming increasingly serious, posing a threat to biodiversity. Using big data and artificial intelligence technology, this paper identifies abnormal transactions and network relationships by analyzing social media and e-commerce platforms, combined with random forests and graph neural networks, to enhance the efficiency of the crackdown. Random forest algorithms reveal nonlinear patterns and abnormal behavior, and graph neural networks help reveal the complex structure of the transaction network. In implementing the strategy, this paper uses a multi-attribute decision-making model (MADM) and analytic hierarchy Process (AHP) to assess and select the best partners, such as the United Nations Environment Programme, to optimize resource allocation and synergies. Through these technologies, this paper hopes to significantly increase the precision and speed of combating illegal wildlife trade, thereby effectively protecting biodiversity and contributing to the sustainable development of the planet and the harmonious coexistence of the natural environment.

The influence of message frame and product type on green consumer purchase decisions : an ERPs study

Green consumption is a crucial pathway towards achieving global sustainability goals. Product-oriented green advertisements can effectively stimulate consumers’ latent needs and convert them into eventual purchasing intentions and behaviors, thereby promoting green consumption. Given that neuromarketing methods facilitate the understanding of consumers’ decision-making processes, this study combines prospect theory and need fulfillment theory, employing event-related potentials (ERPs) as measures to explore changes in consumers’ cognitive resources and emotional arousal levels when confronted with green products and advertising information. This enables inference regarding consumers’ acceptance of purchasing and their psychological processes. Behavioral results indicated that message framing influences consumers’ purchases, with consumers consuming more green in response to negatively framed advertisements. EEG results indicated that matching positive framing with utilitarian green products was effective in increasing consumers’ cognitive attention in the early cognitive stage. In the late stage of cognition negative frames stimulated consumers’ mood swings more, and the influence of product type depended on the role of message frames, and the consumption motivation induced by the product, whose influence was overridden by external evaluations such as message frames. These research findings provide an explanation for the impact of frame information on consumers’ purchasing decisions at different stages, assisting marketers in devising diverse promotional strategies based on product characteristics to foster the development and practice of green consumption. This will further embed the concept of green consumption advocated by organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and Greenpeace into the public consciousness.

Innovating Civil Engineering: Strategies for Fostering Stakeholder Engagement in the Circular Economy

Sustainability and circular economy principles are increasingly important in civil engineering, as highlighted by the United Nations Environmental Programme in 2023 the construction activities represented 36% of global energy use in 2020. However, the sector's focus on reducing operational carbon overshadows the need for addressing embodied carbon from materials like cement, steel, and aluminium. To address this, a shift towards incentivizing all supply chain stakeholders and cultivating collaborative models is necessary. This research provides an initial scoping for the development of the Lithuanian Construction Materials Reuse Optimization (LSEPO) platform, a pioneering regional initiative fostering a marketplace for reused building materials. Such platforms are recognized for their potential to overcome sustainability barriers by utilizing digital technologies for efficient data management and stakeholder collaboration. Our research identifies a significant gap in the existing literature concerning effective stakeholder engagement strategies critical for the success of such platforms. To bridge this gap, we employed a three-tiered methodological approach: firstly, a semi-structured literature analysis delved into existing stakeholder engagement strategies within the circular economy. This review highlighted a fragmented understanding of incentives and collaboration dynamics across different sectors. Secondly, a content analysis of global material exchange and circular construction platforms provided insights into best practices, showcasing successful communication methods, innovative incentive models, and robust collaboration frameworks. Lastly, integrating these findings, our study proposes a conceptual stakeholder engagement framework tailored for social innovation in civil engineering, more specifically Lithuanian Construction Materials Reuse Optimization (LSEPO). Practical implications of our findings underscore the necessity for platforms like LSEPO to incorporate adaptive engagement strategies that are context-sensitive and inclusive, facilitating a broad spectrum of stakeholder inputs. The study demonstrates that effective stakeholder engagement goes beyond traditional communication methods; it requires a systemic integration of technological innovation and incentive alignment to promote sustained participation and collaboration. By providing a comprehensive foundation for the development of the LSEPO platform, this research not only aims to advance it as a beacon of social innovation and environmental stewardship within the civil engineering sector but also sets a benchmark for future initiatives aiming to embed circular economy principles effectively.

Improving a continuous mercury analyzer with circulated carrier gas: Economic and operational advancements

Elevated mercury (Hg) emissions since industrialization have created worldwide elevated levels of Hg in environment, causing ecosystem and human health impacts. Addressing these concerns requires across-nation efforts and international cooperation. In cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), through its implementation of the Minamata Convention (MC), several international and intranational projects have monitored Hg levels in the atmosphere, water, soil and biota for decades. Obviously, these global monitoring projects require substantial resources, such as government funding, human resources, and analytic instruments. Different types of Hg analyzers have been developed and used in these global monitoring projects, however, most of them require inert carrier gas (i.e. Ar, He) supply, especially if detection requires fluorescence spectroscopy. Frequent consumption and replenishment of carrier gas during normal operation incur substantial financial and human resource costs. Therefore, these instruments cannot operate autonomously for long periods of time and require a carrier gas cylinder exchange, a limitation especially in remote regions and on ocean research cruise campaigns where it is challenging to function autonomously for long duration, limiting data collection in these locations. To address this issue, we developed a novel prototype automated Hg analyzer with a new design using a circulated carrier gas system. This development decreases the carrier gas consumption and increases the Hg analyzer operation duration, saving up to 99% on carrier gas consumption compared to the widely used Tekran 2537 and NIC AM-6F atmospheric Hg analyzers instruments. By using the circulated carrier gas design, our Hg analyzer only consumes 1 L per week. Overall, this improvement not only saves carrier gas but also enhances the instrument's self-operating capability in remote areas and reduces the financial and human resource costs associated with frequent replacement of the carrier gas.

One third of African rivers fail to meet the ’good ambient water quality’ nutrient targets

The ambition of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 6.3 is to improve global water quality by 2030. SDG indicator 6.3.2 monitors progress towards this target by assessing water bodies against ‘good’ ambient water quality criteria, with nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) as part of the key metrics. However, large data gaps present a fundamental challenge, especially for Africa on how to assess the progress being made with respect to both the current and desired future situations. Here, a continental water quality model for Africa is presented to simulate river sediment load, Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorus (TP) loads and concentrations. Furthermore, critical areas and hotspots of TN and TP pollution are mapped for the period 2017 – 2019, in relation to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) target thresholds used for the assessment of SDG indicator 6.3.2. Utilizing the UNEP’s criteria, which designates a water body as having “good ambient water quality” if 80% or more of its monitored values meet their targets, it is estimated that 44 % and 15 % of African rivers fail to meet the set water quality thresholds for simulated TP and TN, respectively. When synthesizing data for both TP and TN, 34 % of the rivers do not qualify as having “good ambient water quality”. Geographically, the most pronounced nutrient pollution hotspots were in North Africa, Niger River Delta, Nile River basin, Congo River basin and specific zones in Southern Africa. These areas correlate with regions characterized by high inputs of fertilizers, manure and wastewater discharge.

ФИНАНСИРОВАНИЕ «СИНЕЙ» ЭКОНОМИКИ: МИРОВАЯ И РОССИЙСКАЯ ПРАКТИКА

The article briefly describes the prerequisites for the emergence of the blue economy concept. Characteristics are given of the international innovative business standards that have emerged on its basis (Practical guidance for implementing the Sustainable Ocean Principles of the UN Global Compact, Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles of the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative) and new types of financial instruments (blue bonds and debt-for-nature swap). Particular attention is paid to the development of the market for financing a sustainable development in the Russian Federation and the prospects for the emergence of blue bonds on it.

Weighting factors for LCA—a new set from a global survey

PurposeThis paper provides global weights (weighting factors) for the three endpoint impact categories (areas of protection (AoPs)) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Life Cycle Initiative’s “Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicators and Methods” (GLAM) project, namely human health, ecosystem quality, and natural resources and ecosystem services.MethodsA discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted to elicit the preferences of respondents on the GLAM AoPs, and they were then used to calculate the respective weights. Responses were obtained from a subset of countries pertaining to each income level defined by the World Bank (i.e. low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high). The adimensional (between 0 and 1) weights were derived using two different approaches: econometric and multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA). The econometric approach obtained weights by transforming the estimated preference parameters from a multinomial logit model. The MCDA approach obtained weights representing the vectors that best reconstitute the choices of each individual, using linear programming to fit an additive value function.ResultsWhen considering responses from all income groups, the weights from the econometric approach are 0.42, 0.31, and 0.26 for human health, ecosystem quality, and natural resources and ecosystem services, respectively. Following the same order for the AoPs, the weights from the MCDA approach are 0.41, 0.32, and 0.27. For high-income countries, ecosystem quality has the highest weight; for upper-middle-income countries, ecosystem quality and human health have the same weights using the econometric approach, while in the MCDA approach, human health is weighted higher than ecosystem quality. For the two lower income country groups, the priority is given to human health with both approaches. Recommendations for the use of these weights are also provided, as well as a comparison with other existing weights.ConclusionThe two methods obtained similar weights overall, although with some differences when disaggregated by income groups. The weights proposed in this paper are suitable for decision-makers or users who want to use survey-derived weights for endpoint-based LCA when using the AoPs of GLAM. These weights can be used in projects where the decision-makers do not want to or have no resources to identify a set of weights themselves, or when decision-makers are not involved.

Temporal variability of aridity in Argentina during the period 1961–2020

This paper examines the temporal variability of aridity in Argentina during the period 1961–2020. Monthly data from the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) were used to define climate types according to the Aridity Index (AI) from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Argentina presents a variety of climates ranging from arid and semiarid to subhumid and humid, suggesting simultaneous water deficit and excess conditions. However, an aridity increase in the past six decades has been observed in much of the country, contrasting with reduced areas that have become wetter. Since these changes were not uniform across the study area, a regional-level analysis was conducted to adequately capture the aridity temporal patterns, including trends, jumps, seasonality, and cycles. In general, there was a decrease in the annual AI in most regions, with non-linear patterns such as long-term oscillations, shorter-duration cycles, and abrupt variations in the average. Seasonal aridity changes showed variabilities according to the season, with higher humidity during summer and autumn, and greater aridity during winter and spring. Simultaneously, seasonal AI experienced periodic behavior with significant arid and humid cycles alternating every 10–15 years. These findings highlight the complexity of climate changes, which vary by region and season.

Source Attribution of Health Burdens From Ambient PM2.5, O3, and NO2 Exposure for Assessment of South Korean National Emission Control Scenarios by 2050.

We quantify anthropogenic sources of health burdens associated with ambient air pollution exposure in South Korea and forecast future health burdens using domestic emission control scenarios by 2050 provided by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Our health burden estimation framework uses GEOS-Chem simulations, satellite-derived NO2, and ground-based observations of PM2.5, O3, and NO2. We estimate 19,000, 3,300, and 8,500 premature deaths owing to long-term exposure to PM2.5, O3, and NO2, respectively, and 23,000 NO2-associated childhood asthma incidences in 2016. Next, we calculate anthropogenic emission contributions to these four health burdens from each species and grid cell using adjoint sensitivity analysis. Domestic sources account for 56%, 38%, 87%, and 88% of marginal emission contributions to the PM2.5-, O3-, and NO2-associated premature deaths and the NO2-associated childhood asthma incidences, respectively. We project health burdens to 2050 using UNEP domestic emission scenarios (Baseline and Mitigation) and population forecasts from Statistics Korea. Because of population aging alone, there are 41,000, 10,000, and 20,000 more premature deaths associated with PM2.5, O3, and NO2 exposure, respectively, and 9,000 fewer childhood asthma incidences associated with NO2. The Mitigation scenario doubles the NO2-associated health benefits over the Baseline scenario, preventing 24,000 premature deaths and 13,000 childhood asthma incidences by 2050. It also slightly reduces PM2.5- and O3-associated premature deaths by 9.9% and 7.0%, unlike the Baseline scenario where these pollutants increase. Furthermore, we examine foreign emission impacts from nine SSP/RCP-based scenarios, highlighting the need for international cooperation to reduce PM2.5 and O3 pollution.

기후변화 관련 보험섹터 대응에 관한 국제 규제 서설

The 2015 「Paris Agreement on Climate Change」 set forth carbon emission reduction targets by 2050. This landmark accord has catalyzed the formation and acceleration of concrete plans by international organizations, governmental bodies, and individual corporations. The insurance sector, in particular, has witnessed numerous countries enacting or planning legislation to align with these targets, implementing pertinent policies in response. As the proposition “Only One Earth” suggests, addressing the climate crisis necessitates the international community's unified objectives and coordinated efforts. In this context, various international organizations and initiatives have articulated numerous goals, standards, and implementation strategies. While most of these are predominantly voluntary, receiving endorsement from individual countries and insurance companies, there is a substantial possibility they will eventually be incorporated into domestic legislation or regulatory frameworks. Even before being legislated in each country, international organizations and major companies investigate, report, or disclose the participation status, level of participation, and compliance of individual companies. These international organizations and major companies analyze and evaluate the level of compliance to assess the value and reputation of the respective companies and determine whether they are suitable for transactions. Consequently, the recommendations and regulations of international organizations and initiatives often function as de facto norms. In the face of robust global trends such as ESG(Environmental, Social, and Governance), responsible investment, and the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), any country or insurance company exhibiting reluctance or passive engagement risks devaluation. Strategic, timely, and appropriate participation in these initiatives is imperative; however, the multifaceted nature and diverse approaches to addressing the climate crisis complicate decision-making processes. Additionally, existing initiatives may conclude, and new ones may emerge, further complicating the landscape. In the Korea Ins. L. J.(Vol.18, Issue 1, 2024.), I examined the “Net-Zero Insurance Alliance(NZIA)”, which was ambitiously launched in 2021 but encountered significant challenges due to warnings from several U.S. state governments. It was anticipated that the outcome of the U.S. presidential election in November 2024 would impact its trajectory. However, NZIA was unable to withstand the pressure exerted by Republican-led state governments and ultimately disbanded. On April 25, 2024, the United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initative formally announced the dissolution of NZIA and the establishment of the “Forum for Insurance Transition to Net Zero(FIT)”. The short-lived misfortune of NZIA, which included the participation of three Korean insurance companies, illustrates the necessity for prudent selection of international engagements. Simultaneously, regardless of the imperative nature of tasks essential for the survival of humanity, the stark reality of the international community is characterized by persistent obstruction and interference from vested interest groups. Consequently, addressing international regulations necessitates meticulous and strategic policy consideration. This paper provides a concise overview of the most pertinent and influential aspects of the insurance sector's engagement in the complex and diverse international activities aimed at addressing the climate crisis. Given the vast scope of this topic, certain areas remain unaddressed in this paper and will be supplemented in future research. Furthermore, subsequent publications will explore legislative and administrative responses by various governments, as well as the responses of individual insurance companies.

University Students’ Perception Towards Plastic Consumption in Phnom Penh

A three-day United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) organized in Nairobi between 28 February and 2 March 2022, endorsed a historic resolution titled “End Plastic Pollution: Towards an internationally legally binding instrument”. The meeting was attended by 1,500 participants online from UN Member States and 3,400 in person. Moreover, moreover, the organization of World Environment Day, the fiftieth iteration of the annual celebration of the planet, held on 05 June every year, has focused on the plastic pollution crisis. According to Llorenç Milà i Canals, Head of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP’s) Life Cycle Initiative, “Many people aren’t aware that a material that is embedded in our daily life can have significant impacts not just on wildlife, but on the climate and on human health,”.

The UNEA 6 Resolution on Air Quality acknowledges the Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa

In a major boost to air quality and sustainable development in Africa, a new UNEA 6 Resolution on Air Quality has acknowledged the Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa. The new development came in 2023, when the Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa (UNEP, 2023), was published by a partnership of the African Union, Climate and Clean Air Coalition and the United Nations Environment Programme. The assessment was developed with contributions from over 100 authors across Africa, in a process supported by the Stockholm Environment Institute (Kaudia et al. 2022). The Assessment recommended for an Africa Clean Air Program (ACAP) to provide a key rallying point for African multilateral institutions, the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Member States, and development partners to work collaboratively to implement the recommendations from the assessment and deliver multiple benefits of clean air for Africa.

The Environmental Conservation Strategies Used in Secondary Schools Align with Guidelines of United Nations Environmental Program: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study in a City Setting

The climate change crisis might soon be the biggest threat to global human existence if immediate action is not taken to overpower it. In Eastern Uganda, Mbale city is among the most affected areas, and the burden manifests in form of disasters such as long dry spells and floods. One of such floods in this city recently destroyed 5,000 acres of crops and homes of 5,600 people, killed over 30- and cut off clean water for 400,000 people. Schools can create environmentally responsible communities that are able to address this threat, but persistence of the burden in this area depicts unclear gaps in the roles played by these academic institutions. This study therefore examined the environmental conservation strategies used in addressing climate change and related calamities by students and staff of secondary schools in Mbale city, to unravel intervention-gaps and guide the way forward. Conservation strategies, plus factors promoting their adoption and challenges, as well as the perceptions, attitudes, awareness, and knowledge about environmental conservation and climate change were examined in a random sample of 384 secondary school students and staff. Pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaires and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were used under the guidelines of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), supplemented with observational surveys and photography. Data was analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics using STATA version-15.0. Graphs were plotted with GraphPad Prism® version 9.0.0. Conservation strategies in schools were found to be diverse, involving mainly tree planting (N=339, 91.2%), preservation of green spaces (N=310, 83.3%), harvesting rain water and not damping wastes in water resources (N= 372, 100% each). Reuse of waste plastic bottles to fabricate dustbins was a novel observation. KIIs showed that the use of the school curriculum to support environmental conservation and climate change action was also prominent (N=12, 100%), but was not significantly different from other key strategic approaches such as incentives (χ2 = 0.992, p = 0.319), and aid from some agencies (χ2 = 3.200, p = 0.074). Interventions against air pollution were scarce. Determinants of choice of conservation measures were mostly; the school curriculum (N=381, 99.2%), costs (N= 381, 99.2%), land size (N= 352, 91.7%) and education level (N=250, 65.1%). Commonest perceptions on why conservation is vital were; to avert ecological threats (N=372, 100%), and the urge for a clean environment (N=372, 100%). Good attitudes towards conservation were in 269 (70.1%) of the participants; 48.4%, 7.8%, and 7.1% were not aware about biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution respectively. 58.1% lacked sufficient conservation knowledge. Long dry seasons (100%), financial scarcities (94.8%), and high population (98.9%) were the commonest barriers, while low political will (N=12, 3.1%), was minimal. In conclusion, environmental conservation strategies in secondary schools in Mbale city are diverse, largely align with guidelines of UNEP, and are based on the geography, resources, policies, and sociodemographic factors. The commonest challenges were; long dry spells, financial scarcities, population pressure. Redress to these anomalies is desired to enhance the use of secondary schools as hubs for environmentally responsible communities that can address environmental crises like climate change sustainably.