Closing Remarks by Ibrahim Thiaw, UN Environment Deputy Executive Director at the 4th Regional Forum on Environment and Health

http://www.mexicostar.com/index.php/sid/248431131

Earlier this year, the ministerial segment, "Healthy Environment and Healthy People", was held as part of the second United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi.

Why Environment ministers talk about Environment and Health? Because globally 12.6 million people die prematurely due to environmental causes, like chemicals contamination, water-borne diseases, and air pollution.
Air pollution kills 7 million people each year in this region. It is more than tuberculosis, malaria, AIDS, road accidents combined! 7 million people. It is 20,000 people each day, a half of the population of Manila, Gone! Everyday!

So, why the world is not waking up to this problem? It is because the hospitals and the governments are too busy treating the diseases and its symptoms rather than its sources.
Why these silent killers are not talked in the same way, as Ebola outbreak were contained by the governments and the international community effectively?

Perhaps because solutions in environment and health are not limited to Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Health. Solutions must come from Ministries of Agriculture, of Industry, of Transport.

In my opinion, there are 4 things that need to happen to deal with environment and health. Joint advocacy and awareness-raising. Joint report to the Cabinet. Investments. May be what is needed is a Global Fund to address environment and health. Private sector engagement and partnerships in support of Clean policies e.g. Partnership for Cleaner Fuels and Vehicles and with the Global Alliance for Lead in Paint.

Here in The Philippines, there has been successful promulgation of the Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds. With active NGOs such as IPEN and EcoWaste Coalition and firm commitments from the Philippine Association of Paint Manufacturers, the Lead Safe Paint; certification standard has been adopted.

So, we need to embrace more public and private sector partnerships triggered by the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.

Like our colleagues at the World Health Organization, UN Environment is practicing what it preaches on this.
We are working with finance and private sector partners to help countries improve energy efficiency, ecosystem management and climate resilience.

And we are working with the scientific community on air quality monitoring to support networks like the Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership.

But we need to do more.

More to share scientific data on issues like using ecosystems to protect health. More to ensure the scale up of clean technology that can reduce air pollution.And more to share best practice that can improve water, waste and land management, particularly for transboundary and transregional areas.

That's why I am pleased to announce that the World Health Organization and UN Environment, together with partners, will hold a ministerial meeting on "Health Environment and Climate", bringing together Environment ministers and Health ministers on the margins of the climate COP in Marrakesh, building on effort of this Regional Forum, of the fora in Africa and Latin America.

So, once again, let me thank you for your hard work at this forum, and I look forward to working very closely with you all in the very near future.