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China to host World Environment Day 2019 with focus on air pollution

The five-day Fourth UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi closed on Friday. The head of the Chinese delegation, Zhao Yingmin, vice minister of ecology and environment, and Joyce Msuya, acting head of UN Environment, jointly announced that China will host the global World Environment Day celebrations on June 5 with a theme of air pollution.

(Photo: Lyu Qiang/People's Daily)

Approximately 7 million people worldwide die prematurely each year from air pollution, with about 4 million of these deaths occurring in the Asia-Pacific region. World Environment Day 2019 will urge governments, industry, communities, and individuals to come together to explore renewable energy and green technologies, and improve air quality in cities and regions across the world.

The government of China has committed to organizing World Environment Day celebrations across multiple cities, with Hangzhou, in the province of Zhejiang, to host the main event.

(Photo: UN Environment)

The announcement comes as environment ministers from across the globe participate in the world's highest-level environmental forum in Nairobi. Negotiations at the Fourth UN Environment Assembly this week tackled critical issues such as stopping food waste and promoting the spread of electric cars. The event followed the publication of a report on 20 years of air pollution control in Beijing.

"China will be a great global host of 2019's World Environment Day celebrations," said Joyce Msuya at the announcement on Friday. "The country has demonstrated tremendous leadership in tackling air pollution domestically. It can now help spur the world to greater action. Air pollution is a global emergency affecting everyone. China will now be leading the push and stimulating global action to save millions of lives."

China, with its growing green energy sector, has emerged as a climate leader. The country owns half the world's electric vehicles and 99 percent of the world’s electric buses. By hosting World Environment Day 2019, the Chinese government will be able to showcase its innovation and progress toward a cleaner environment.

According to a new UN report on air pollution in Asia and the Pacific, implementing 25 technology policies could see up to a 20 percent reduction in carbon dioxide and a 45 percent reduction in methane emissions globally, leading to a third of a degree Celsius reduction of global warming.

World Environment Day is a UN Environment-led global event, which takes place on June 5 every year and is celebrated by thousands of communities worldwide. Since it began in 1972, it has grown to become the single largest celebration of our environment each year.

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(Produced by Chi Jingyi; text from People's Daily app)