Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Matthew Samuda, is now in Stockholm, Sweden representing Jamaica at two environmental meetings.

The meetings run from June 1-3 and include the High-level Segment of the Basel, Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions and the Stockholm + 50 International Meeting.

Samuda contributed to the conversation during Leadership Dialogue 1 – reflecting on the urgent need for actions to achieve a healthy planet and prosperity for all.

“This Stockholm + 50 International Meeting being convened under the theme ‘Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity’ is yet another chance for the global community to collectively take stock while proactively charting the way forward in these unprecedented times,” said Samuda.

This section took into consideration issues such as transforming man’s relationship with nature by halting biodiversity loss and restoring ecosystems; producing and consuming sustainably and fighting pollution; and justice inclusion and intergenerational equity.

According to Samuda, “The meeting affords us the opportunity to not only reflect on past challenges and successes but more importantly, to chart a future path that will see the adoption of bold and ambitious actions necessary to tackle the triple environmental emergencies of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

“The commitments in the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework at the upcoming 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as the 2022 UN Ocean Conference must be bold if we are to halt and reverse global biodiversity loss and maintain ecosystem functions and processes”.

The 2022 High-level Segment of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions is being held under the theme ‘Global Agreements for a Healthy Planet: Sound management of chemicals and waste’.

It will address the sound management of hazardous chemicals and wastes at various stages of the chemical lifecycle.

Ministers and high-level representatives from countries will discuss the strategic positioning of the BRS Conventions to tackle the triple planetary environmental emergencies, namely biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution.