UNGA 79 High-level Side Event Galvanizing Momentum for the Global Plastic Pollution Instrument
Oru Leonard
A high-level side event titled Galvanizing Momentum for the Global Plastic Pollution Instrument will take place on the margins of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA79).
This event, organized by the Government of Kenya with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), aims to mobilize political momentum and global partnerships in the fight against plastic pollution, focusing on the development of an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution by the end of 2024.
Plastic pollution is an environmental crisis. Seven billion tonnes of plastic waste has been generated globally so far – under a business-as-usual scenario, the flow of plastic waste into the environment will continue to rise.
The event aims to strengthen support and mobilize the much-needed political momentum necessary to finalise the global plastic pollution instrument at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee’s fifth and final session in November 2024 in the Republic of Korea. Speakers will highlight and promote best practices, innovative solutions, and collaborative efforts aimed at ending plastic pollution and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Date: Wednesday 25 September 2024
Time: 3:00pm – 5:00pm EDT
Venue: UN Headquarters, New York, Conference Room 5
Livestream of the event is available on UN Web TV
The event will feature Heads of State and Government and UN leaders, including:
William Samoei Ruto, PhD, President of the Republic of Kenya (Keynote Speaker)
Jona Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway
Inger Andersen, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UNEP
Cho Tae-yul, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea
The provisional programme includes opening statements, a high-level panel discussion and Q&A session, followed by a reading summary and closing session.
Members of the media accredited for UNGA79 can attend the event and no additional registration is required (venue capacity permitting).
For more information and enquires, including to set up interviews related to the event and the INC process, please contact:
Government of Kenya (sashmoallan33@gmail.com and tobogweno2@gmail.com)
News and Media Unit, UN Environment Programme (unep-newsdesk@un.org)
Cover Photo Caption: U.S. President Joe Biden addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, September 24, 2024. Photo Credit: REUTERS/Mike Segar
