We have #OnlyOneEarth, let’s take care of it

( are running out of time to save our planet. At the cur rent rate of global pollution and biodiversity loss, nature simply can not keep up with our destructive actions.

Today, -une , is World Environment 'ay. It calls on us µWe have Only OneEarth, let’s Take &are of It’. A per fect call for action to save our planet.

Today also marks the conclusion of the 2022 E8 Green Week, which the European 8nion E8 'elegation to Eswatini launched on 0ay 0, 2022 in partnership with the 0unicipal &ouncil of 0babane,

Why is the World Environment 'ay so important? /et me highlight some wor risome statistics on climate change and biodiversity loss. According to scien tists, the global temperature for -anuary 2022 was the sixth highest in years. 2022 is predicted to be the warmest

th year on record.

Even in Eswatini, we are seeing some effects of climate change. I am told that 0ay is never a rainy month in this coun try, but we see torrential rains and these are predicted to continue well into win ter, resulting in very cold temperatures. In neighbouring .=N, close to 00 peo ple lost their lives in a devastating flood ing in April.

VULNERABLE

There is no doubt that human induced climate change, including more freTuent and intense extreme events, has caused widespread adverse impacts and related losses and damages to nature and peo ple, beyond natural climate variability. Across sectors and regions, such as Southern Africa, the most vulnerable people and systems are observed to be disproportionately affected. Some de velopment and adaptation efforts have reduced vulnerability.

&urrently, 00 million people world wide are vulnerable to climate change impacts, which make up per cent of the global population. &limate change has a detrimental effect on human health. According to the 8N, climate change causes 0 000 deaths per year worldwide. Between 20 0 and

20 0, it could cause some additional 2 0 000 deaths per year. We have seen the tragedy of people trapped in inhumane heat in India and 3akistan. Air pollution is linked to cancer and respiratory illnesses, like asthma. Sci entists say one in five deaths is from fossil fuel air pollution ex posure.

At the same time, since 0, mos Tuito borne diseases have increased dra matically since warmer weather creates the perfect damp environment for mos Tuitos. 0alaria is back in parts of Es watini.

SUFFERING

Increasing extreme weather and cli mate events have exposed millions of people to acute food insecurity and re duced water security, with the largest impacts observed in many locations and or communities in Africa, Asia, &entral and South America, Small Is lands and the Arctic, causing a malnu trition epidemic in some countries. The unprovoked and unlawful 5ussian ag gression on 8kraine pose an additional serious threat on global food security, particularly in Africa.

Why do these climate change facts and statistics matter? The truth is, we are all responsible for ruining our planet. Scientists say global warming is due to human activity such as &O2 emissions and pollution. 8nfortunately, develop ing countries are suffering dispropor tionally, while the developed world is most to blame for the current level of emissions.

Therefore, we at the E8 take seri ously our responsibility to help mitigate extinction 'ue to expansion of human population and activity and increase in carbon dioxide and methane, we are los ing biodiversity at a dire pace. We need to rapidly change our relationship with nature.

If climate change, pollution and bio diversity loss are due to human activity, the solutions also lie in human hands. Science not only provides wake up facts but also evidence to inform our policies, remedy the damages and adopt sustain able ways of living and doing business.

What do we do in Europe? The Eu ropean Green 'eal is among our top priorities and our road map to green our economies and become carbon neutral by 20 0. 3rotecting and restoring bi odiversity is a core element of the E8 Green 'eal. In 0ay 2020, the European &ommission adopted the new E8 Bio diversity Strategy for 20 0.

The Strategy contains specific com mitments and actions to be delivered by 20 0, organised around four main pil lars 3rotect nature, restore ecosystems, enable transformative change, increase resilience and ensure a high level of E8 ambition to mobilise all efforts for the good of the world’s biodiversity.

DEGRADATION

Globally, we are leading efforts to heal the relationship between man and na ture broker ambitious agreements for a binding post 2020 biodiversity frame work, including on marine biological di versity of areas beyond national jurisdic tion and on three vast 0arine 3rotected Areas in the Southern Ocean.

We are engaged to assess the impact of trade agreements on biodiversity, we have proposed measures to avoid or minimise the placing of products asso ciated with deforestation or forest deg radation on the E8 market, we are revis ing the E8 Action 3lan against wildlife trafficking.

In the E8, we also have strong laws in place to reduce pollution. We closely monitor the implementation of these laws by member States. We have aligned our air Tuality standards with the latest W+O recommendations. We tackle water pollution by reviewing our water Tuality standards. By 20 0, we expect to reduce the plastic waste in our oceans by half and microplastics by 0 per cent. We are tackling soil pollution, protecting and restoring the life giving ground beneath our feet.

Our aim is to lead by example. 3ol lution, climate change and loss of bi odiversity know no borders. They are global issues and reTuire global, co ordinated action. That is why we rely on our international partners such as Eswatini. We have already committed to giving protected status to at least 0 per cent of land and sea in Europe. We now want to broker the same ambition at global level. In Africa, we are forging a similar initiative to protect wildlife and key ecosystems NaturAfrica. We partner with the continent with access to resources, models for community based ecosystem conservation where local communities can benefit from the wild life economy by also preserving their environment. Our cooperation includes scientific knowledge and research, un der the Biopama programme and on transfrontalier parks, such as the recent report on the State of the Wildlife Econ omy in Africa. I wish to encourage you to access all this information and tools yourselves online on our Africa .nowl edge 3latform.

DEDICATED

With our European Green 'eal, the European 8nion walks its talk. And it takes the lead on the global stage.

In Eswatini, we dedicated the E8 Bushfire School Festival 2022 to green, inclusive and sustainable recovery ± and witnessed the incredible passion of learners to stop climate change and preserve nature. 'uring the E8 Green Week, we shared many activities geared towards raising awareness on environ mental protection and engaging with local youth. With our partners, we do nated refuse bins to schools in 0babane and held a walking and cycling event to promote zero emissions. On Friday, -une , 2022, my team and I, along with our partners ± 0unicipal &ouncil of 0babane and

This is what we should all do to protect our environment. We have Only One Earth, so let us all take care of it.