Nairobi – China, the world’s second largest economy and a major polluter, has made great strides in tackling pollution, the head of the UN
Environment Programme said on Wednesday.
The UNEP Executive Director, Eric Solheim, said at the close of the third UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi that “you see now a substantial reduction in pollution because the government of China is taking determined action.”
More than 100 environment ministers and three heads of state and government, as well as environmental activists, organisations, scientists and representatives of the private sectors, have travelled to the Kenyan capital for the three-day summit.
In comparison to “huge progress’’ made by China, Solheim said the United States had “had some difficulties’’ as they didn’t initially support the draft ministerial declaration that the Nairobi meeting has drawn up.
Titled, “Towards a pollution-free planet,’’ the declaration lists a range of methods to tackle environmental problems, including reducing greenhouse gases.
U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed doubts about climate change.
Solheim singled out climate sceptics for their criticism.
“I am disturbed by some of the attacks I have seen,’’ Solheim said. “How can you believe in NASA’s rocket science and not in NASA’s climate science’’
Such “scientific ignorance’’ was not acceptable, he added. (dpa/NAN)