EU Green Week

What? The EU Green Week is Europe’s biggest annual conference focusing on environmental policy.  The ‘EU Green Week 2021’ will take place from 31 May to 4 June 2021, and includes an opening event on citizen science for Zero Pollution taking place in Lahti Finland, a virtual high level conference hosted by the European Commission ,and many local partner events happening across Europe. It brings together participants from government, industry, non-governmental organisations, academia and the media to exchange ideas and best practices.

European Green Week 2021 will be dedicated to the ‘zero pollution ambition’. This year’s edition couples the European Green Deal with the recent adoption of the EU Action Plan 'Towards a Zero Pollution Ambition for Air, Water and Soil'. The numerous high-level panels will also explore related policy initiatives included in the EU Green Deal that are essential for EU’s Zero Pollution ambition such as the climate initiatives, the EU Chemicals Strategy, as well as EU initiatives in the fields of energy, industry, mobility, agriculture, fisheries, health and biodiversity.

Why?  Pollution is widespread and poses a direct threat to human health, but also to the health of our planet, as it destroys biodiversity and ecosystems. Addressing pollution is not only an environmental priority, it's a priority for the achievement of the SDGs. UNEP is working with governments, businesses and civil society to beat all forms of pollution.  At EU Green Week, UNEP will be contributing expert views to the discussions, in particular on the international dimensions.

When? This year’s EU Green Week high level virtual conference takes place from 1 to 4 June.

We invite you to discover the over 40 sessions of the EU Green Week programme, organized into four topical areas: Health; Biodiversity & Ecosystems; Production & Consumption; Enabling change in the EU and abroad. We take the liberty of highlighting some of the sessions with a specific UNEP involvement.

The high-level opening session on the 1st of June at 13:30 is entitled “For healthier people and planet – can you imagine a world without pollution?”.  Mr Bruno Pozzi, Director of the Europe Office of UNEP, will be participating in a high level discussion focusing on current challenges and future opportunities of a zero pollution world.

In the afternoon, Mr. Carlos Martin Novella, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Basel-Rotterdam-Stockholm Conventions, will be taking part in a high-level session entitled Lightening the load - removing environmental pressures to set global biodiversity on a path to recovery in Kunming.

On 2 June, Ms Monika MacDevette, UNEP’s Chief of Chemicals and Health Branch at the Economy Division will participate in Session 2.3 Special Programme: Catalysing progress towards zero pollution ambition by supporting the sound management of chemicals and waste and discuss the role of the Special Programme in supporting the sound management of chemicals and waste through its ongoing projects and its contribution to achieving the zero pollution ambition. This session is being jointly organized by the European Commission and UNEP.

On the same day, keep an eye for the LIFE Citizens ‘ awards ceremony taking place at 11:15 with the special participation of Dr Janez Potočnik, i.a. Co-Chair of United Nations Environmental Programme International Resource Panel (UNEP IRP) and member of the Jury.  The awards recognize the most innovative, inspirational and effective LIFE projects in 3 categories: climate action, environment and nature protection.

Be sure to also check out other sessions featuring UNEP experts on 2 June in the afternoon: 4.4 Space is the place – monitoring the planet’s health with Copernicus and 6.1 Rebuilding greener! Maximising the environmental co-benefits in times of recovery.

Finally, on 3 June,  session 8.2 Walking tall and treading light – creating sustainable lifestyles with the environmental footprint tool will explore how to achieve a less polluting lifestyle with deeper knowledge of the Consumption and Consumer Footprint Indicators, featuring UNEP’s Llorenç Milà i Canals, Head of the Life Cycle Unit.

The conference will end on 4 June with a high-level closing session “Together towards zero pollution - becoming the change we need” that will look at the environment and health nexus, which are fundamental to steering together our recovery and resilience efforts.

Throughout the week visitors will have the opportunity to interact with UNEP representatives, who are going to welcome attendees at Stand Nr 25. Everyone is warmly invited to pass by during the breaks and discover more about UNEP’s resources, the work we do to beat pollution and how individuals as well as public and private organizations can get involved.  

Register for the EU Green Week here.

Follow the @UNEP_Europe Twitter account for updates.

For more information, please contact UNEP Brussels Office Communication via alexa.froger@un.org