Adoption of resolution A/75/L.88 - International Meeting “Stockholm+50: A healthy planet for the prosperity of all - our responsibility, our opportunity”

Mr. President,

I am pleased to introduce, on behalf of Kenya and my own country Sweden, draft resolution A/75/L.88 entitled International Meeting “Stockholm+50: A healthy planet for the prosperity of all - our responsibility, our opportunity”

Allow me first to thank all delegations for their active engagement during the informal consultations.

Next year will mark 50 years since the pioneering 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm. A Conference which greatly contributed to the emergence of a global environmental agenda through its various outcomes, which, among others, included the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Over the past five decades, Member States have agreed and committed to action, notably through the landmark conferences at Rio and Johannesburg, as well as through the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.

While significant progress has been made in meeting many sustainable development challenges, the science is clear: environmental changes are undermining hard-won development gains. Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals is lagging and the pandemic has caused further severe setbacks. We need to do more, faster and together. To tackle biodiversity loss and pollutions Climate change, , and transition towards a 1.5 degree worldrequire different responses for each of us, but no country will be able to resolve this challenge alone. The coming decade is crucial. A multilateral approach is necessary.

The title of the Stockholm+50 meeting calls attention to the fact that our challenges are interconnected: a healthy planet and the prosperity of all is essential to achieve sustainable development and to ensure the wellbeing of this and future generations. It also highlights that it is our responsibility to leverage this opportunity.

Stockholm+50 should be a platform to promote collective action for strengthened cooperation and accelerated implementation of sustainable development, including its environmental dimension, with a focus on cross-cutting actions that are designed to reduce inequalities and benefit especially the poor and vulnerable groups. Stockholm+50 will also contribute to advancing a sustainable recovery from the coronavirus disease pandemic.

Success will require a whole of UN-system approach. The draft resolution requests UNEP to serve as the focal point for providing support to the organization of Stockholm+50. In this capacity UNEP will be well positioned to support preparations and discussions, allowing for co-creation across UN system entities, and ensuring coherence and consistency between Stockholm+50 and UNEP@50. The United Nations Environmental Assembly and other relevant UN bodies are invited to provide input to the meeting, as appropriate.

The Stockholm+50 international meeting will be convened in Stockholm on the 2^nd and 3^rd of June 2022. Sweden will assume financial responsibility for the costs of the meeting.

By adopting this enabling resolution, a first important step towards the Stockholm+50 will be taken. We are looking forward to the constructive engagement by Member States and a speedy process for considering and agreeing on the modalities for Stockholm+50 before the end of the 75^th session of the general assembly.

Once again, I would like to thank all delegations for their active engagement in the process so far, and you Mr. President, for giving me the floor.