Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates
Ladies and gentlemen
It is a pleasure to address this thematic session on SDG3 on health and its interlinkages with other SDGs.
Climate change, Nature, biodiversity and land loss, and Pollution and waste are interconnected and are impacting progress on human health, poverty reduction, equity, peace and every aspect of sustainable development. There can be no sustainable future, no economic stability, without a healthy environment.
Heatwaves, wildfires, floods, tropical storms and hurricanes are evident, and they are increasing in scale, frequency and intensity, taking lives but also increasing morbidity conditions for the vulnerable, including older people, as reflected in UNEP’s Frontiers 2025 Report, and the spread of deadly diseases.
Biodiversity loss is undermining health by disrupting vital ecosystem services, reducing natural barriers against pathogens transmission and increasing species’ vulnerability.
Pollution hazards and exposure present real risks. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), for example, accumulate in living organisms, which means higher health risks – such as cancer, endocrine disruption and birth defects.
Waste has evolved into a core challenge, with increased quantities generated and with more complex material compositions, often containing toxic and hazardous elements.
All these challenges impose a heavy economic burden on healthcare systems and the economy. And a heavy toll on the families and communities impacted.
The health benefits of investing in a healthy and clean environment are vast: breathable air, drinkable water and productive soils, mental health, and these conditions can be a buffer against emerging zoonotic diseases.
Sustainable solutions exist that can deliver multiple benefits by considering the interconnections among these challenges and between them and health.
A One Health approach is vital to addressing ongoing multidimensional health challenges.
Rebalancing the relationship between people and nature and halting habitat destruction and preserving and restoring functioning ecosystems are key to reducing the future risk of diseases and other impacts on our health and well-being.
By addressing superpollutants, such as methane and black carbon, we can simultaneously deliver health and economic benefits from reduced air pollution, as well as enhance food security from the protection and restoration of vital ecosystems and ecosystem services.
Through the integrated implementation of commitments of the chemicals MEAs and the Global Framework on Chemicals, we have the opportunity to look at safety across the entire chemicals sector, protecting human health and the environment.
UNEP stands ready to continue working on the implementation of integrated solutions towards a clean, healthy and sustainable environment for healthy people.
Thanks
