United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA) has expressed concern about environmental criminality and called for vigorous action against environmental criminals around the globe.
A statement released to the GNA through the UN Information Centre in Accra said many countries sign environmental agreements however, the application of new obligations often run at a low pace.
“Frequently, countries fail to translate their commitments to environmental agreements into their national legislations,” it added.
The statement said in view of the development, about 1200 delegates from 160 countries including Ghana will be attending UNEA conference in Nairobi, Kenya to come up with methods to speed up the process of committing states to the environmental agreement.
The participants would also find methods to advance the implementation of necessary agreements into the national legislations.
“One example is the Minamata Convention on Mercury, agreed upon by 140 states in January 2013, which includes a ban on new mercury mines and phase-out of existing ones,” it stated.
The statement added that when 50 states ratify the treaty, it will enter into force however, only the United States has ratified the treaty.
United Nations urges that faster implementation of environmental policies and national legislations be made to prevent foul environmental practices, such as illegal trading of wild animals and harmful disposal of hazardous waste.
Source: GNA
