Your Excellency, Sultan Hajiyev, Chair of the Committee of Permanent Representatives,
Ambassadors and colleagues. Welcome to the 173rd meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR).
Please let me begin today by touching on the environmental consequences of the situation in the Middle East.
The destruction of infrastructure including fuel storage, refining and processing facilities across the region has polluted the air, soil and water. Fires from damaged oil and gas facilities release heat and air pollutants creating serious risks to those responding to the fires and to people living in affected areas.
Meanwhile, the destruction and damage of sea-faring vessels have led to significant spills. Oil spills contaminate rivers, lakes, reservoirs, groundwater and marine waters which pose serious health risks, impact wildlife and exacerbate issues for a region already grappling with water scarcity.
Past conflicts show pollution from conflict-related damage can last many years. So, I continue toecho the UN Secretary-Generalscallfor the immediate cessation of all hostilities. Ending the destruction is essential to protect human lives and enable the containment and remediation of pollution, which is essential to protect the regions natural systems and remove serious risks to human health. UNEP is working with the UN system to keep the environmental situation in the affected region under review, and will report on environmental issues of regional significance emerging from the conflict.
Excellencies,
This is our first gathering since the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), at which Member States adopted UNEPs Medium-Term Strategy and handed down new mandates through 11 resolutions and three decisions, all of which will strengthen our support for environmental action. UNEA-7 was a success, but of course we can improve. In this regard, I thank you for the discussion on lessons learned and the good reflections provided, which will help to prepare for UNEA-8.
While it is still early days, UNEP is moving forward as quickly as it can to implement these new mandates and the MTS while still focusing on pre-existing mandates. Right now, we are focusing on three areas.
First, being more efficient and effective in delivery and reducing fragmentation in countries, as we ensure they are advised strongly on low emission, resilient growth. Second, delivering measurable and credible impact. Third, derisking investing in the environment through science, law and finance so that value chains are secure and people are resilient.
UNEPs overall financial health and increased predictability is key to advancing these efforts and delivering on UNEPs central mandate as the leading global environmental authority, with clear eyed focus and impact.
I thank Member States for recognizing this need, and the importance of the Environment Fund as the financial spine of the organisation, which together with contributions from the Regular Budget pays for the science, the environmental law, the policy coordination, the capacity building, the standards and the convening.
A total of US$85 million against the approved Environment Fund budget of $100 million was received in 2025. Recognising the drop of $5 million in income compared to 2024, we continue operating under a reduced envelope, every dollar counts, every contribution counts, especially in the current landscape. I am proud to share that 108 Member States contributed to the Environment Fund in 2025. No other UN entity can claim the same width of the Member State support. Your consistency, trust and solidarity reflect our collective commitment. I am grateful and encourage Member States to pay their full contributions.
We at UNEP also understand and prioritize the leadership and responsibility of Member States in implementing the mandates you handed to UNEP. For this reason, I have engaged in consultations with partners and Member States over the last few months including the regional and political groups in Nairobi and will continue to engage with every Member State and grouping.
I was in New York for a busy week to chair the High-Level Committee on Programmes (HLCP) which focused on topics such as moving beyond GDP and the UN80 Initiative. To brief Member States on UNEPs latest work, science and priorities. And to attend the Third Session of the Preparatory Commission for the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). I reminded delegates at PREPCOM that it is crucial for the BBNJ to pull experience from all other conventions and rely upon a strong, efficient and independent Secretariat. UNEP is, of course, ready and equipped to lend its expertise and serve as the institutional locus of this Secretariat.
I was also pleased to join Member States and the Minister of Environment and COP31 hosting President Designate from Trkiye at a New York event to mark the fourth International Day of Zero Waste, shining a global spotlight on the preventable challenge of food waste. This years global campaign demonstrated growing momentum and collective action toward zero-waste societies. Some 20 Zero Waste Cities were announced by the UN Secretary-Generals Advisory Board, over 135 events registered worldwide and 14 major tourism companies serving over 600 million guests annually joined UNEP and UN Tourisms Recipe of Change initiative to reduce food waste.
In March, I engaged with EU partners in Brussels. We discussed with the European Commission, in the European Parliament and EU Environment and Climate Ministers how a strong and resilient environment is fundamental to sustainability, resilience, security, and economy with the fundamental role of science. I also travelled to Helsinki for the Nordic Consultations, where we discussed the UN80 Initiative and the importance of maintaining strong environmental science in a time of misinformation.
As our safety, prosperity and future depends on a One Health approach, I joined partners at the One Health Summit in Lyon, hosted by President Emmanuel Macron on World Health Day. The Summit focused on delivering sustainable health across humans, animals, and ecosystems, with discussions addressing zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance and food safety all to help ensure we prevent the next crisis before it begins.
