Dirk Wagener Resident Representative Papua New Guinea

World Environment Day – Papua New Guinea continues to celebrate our interdependence with nature and our commitment to protecting our planet, Dirk Wagener writes.

To live sustainably, is to live in harmony with nature. How to achieve this has been a long-standing challenge. The 1972 Stockholm Conference was an attempt to address this. A first-of-its-kind world conference, it made the environment a major issue. The participants adopted a series of principles for sound management of the environment including the Stockholm Declaration and Action Plan for the Human Environment.

The Declaration contained 26 principles. It placed environmental issues at the forefront of international concerns and marked the start of a dialogue between industrialized and developing countries on the link between unsustainable economic growth, the pollution of the air, water, and oceans and the well-being of people around the world.

2022 marks 50 years since this Conference was held. To commemorate, the Government of Sweden hosted a high-level UN meeting on 2-3 June. Much like the original Conference, it aimed to contribute to accelerating a transformation that leads to sustainable and green economies, more jobs, and a healthy planet for all, where no one is left behind. Partnering with UNDP, the Government of Sweden invited all UN member states to review their progress towards this Declaration over the last five decades.

These efforts suggest, that while much progress has been made towards the aims of this Declaration, the planet is facing unprecedented perils. We have not yet fully realised that the manner in which we produce and consume puts our future at risk and that we need to make changes that allow for long term prosperity for all.

The 2021 State of Global Climate Report provides an assessment of our efforts. Last year, we set unenviable records against four key indicators measured annually: Greenhouse gas emissions, sea level rise, ocean heat and acidification.

Critically, world leaders gathered in 2021 for one of the most important pledges in modern history. Global leaders committed to a Climate Promise - to drastically cut carbon emissions for the sake of the future of our planet.

As countries begin to heal and recover from the impacts of the pandemic, the natural environment also has a chance to restore balance of healthy ecosystems. We need to #BuildForwardBetter and this is our chance to do so.

Protecting nature will ensure more resilient economic and social prosperity. Promoting sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12), accelerating the global transition to renewable energy and more sustainable livelihoods are at the heart of new green and blue business models.