United Nations, Sep 8 : United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for collective action to cut down on pollution of the air and ensure the health of our planet. “Together we can cut down on air pollution and keep our people as well as the planet safe and healthy,” the UN chief declared Wednesday in an audio message in celebration of the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies.
The secretary general warned that air pollution is denying millions of people their rights as human beings.Air pollution affects 99 percent of percent of people living on earth and the most vulnerable suffer the most, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Especially women and girls, who’s health is harmed due to heating and cooking with polluted energy sources,” he said.”The poor also reside in areas that are suffocated with the fumes of industrial and traffic.”
“Air pollution also contributes to global warming.Wildfires are also contaminating the air.” Guterres added.
He stated that when people are exposed air pollution or extreme temperatures, their chance of death is 20 percent greater.
“On this, the third International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies I appeal to all nations to come together to fight pollution in the air,” Guterres said.
He asked the world community to “invest in renewable energy and quickly move away from fossil fuels, swiftly shift to zero emission vehicles and alternative methods of transport, improve the availability of clean heating, cooking and cooling and recycle garbage instead of burning it.”
UN member states recognize the need to significantly cut down on the number of deaths and illness caused by harmful chemicals and air soil and water pollution, and pollution by 2030.In addition, they must reduce the negative environmental impacts of cities through paying special attention to the quality of air and the management of municipal waste and other waste by 2030.
int/shs
