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European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Commissioner's Roswall speech at the EU-UNEP event “Pollution-Free Economies for a Sustainable Future for All”, New York New York, 13 July 2026 Excellencies, dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, It is a pleasure to join you today. Thank you to UNEP and Germany for partnering with the European Union on this important discussion. Madame Deputy Executive Director h...
European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Commissioner's Roswall speech at the EU-UNEP event “Pollution-Free Economies for a Sustainable Future for All”, New York New York, 13 July 2026 Excellencies, dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, It is a pleasure to join you today. Thank you to UNEP and Germany for partnering with the European Union on this important discussion. Madame Deputy Executive Director has made some excellent points – and has echoed some of my own thinking. We meet at a decisive moment. With only four years left until 2030, progress on the Sustainable Development Goals remains far too slow and far too uneven. At the same time, the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss continues to deepen. If we want a sustainable future, we must act on all three together – urgently, decisively, and collectively. Today, I want to focus on a simple truth that is often overlooked. Pollution is not only an environmental problem. It is a human health problem, a development problem, and an economic problem. In fact, the World Economic Forum has pointed out pollution as a key risk. The air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. The soil that grows our crops. All of these are impacted by pollution. And all of these impact our health and wellbeing. Pollution harms children's development, weakens communities, increases health costs and damages productivity. Discussions like this one are an important part of the solution – but our ambitions and the political will on display here today must be translated into concrete action. Pollution is closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals under review this year. If we want clean water and sanitation, we must reduce chemical releases, untreated wastewater and dumping. If we want clean energy, we must speed up the shift to cleaner technologies. If we want sustainable industry, we must invest in cleaner production, safer chemicals and resource efficiency. If we want sustainable cities, we must improve air quality and waste management. In other words, action on pollution is not separate from development. It is one of its cornerstones. The good news is that solutions exist. Pollution is largely preventable. When we invest in prevention, we save lives, reduce costs and create new opportunities. Circularity is a crucial step. It cuts waste, reduces exposure to harmful substances, lowers pressure on nature, reduces the need for extraction, and strengthens competitiveness. It can also support innovation, new business models and quality jobs. This is why the European Union sees pollution prevention as part of a broader transition to a cleaner, more resilient, more circular and more competitive economy. In the European Union, we are working across sectors to reduce pollution at source, promote clean technologies and safe and sustainable chemicals. That means moving towards cleaner modes of transport, improved water and waste management and more sustainable production and consumption patterns. Ladies and gentlemen, there is a reason we are gathered here today. Pollution crosses borders and boundaries like air or water. We need global action to tackle this global crisis. The EU supports stronger global governance, including through the Global Framework on Chemicals. And we are striving to conclude an effective global agreement on plastic pollution and to operationalise the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution. Its establishment show how we can make progress on multilateralism even in difficult times. I am also counting on the next UN Water Conference to drive a global agenda for reducing water pollution. We must also recognise the links between pollution and biodiversity. Polluted soils, rivers, seas and ecosystems are less able to provide food, clean water, resilience and livelihoods. This shows again that our agendas are connected. Climate, biodiversity, pollution and circular economy policies work better when they move together. My message today is therefore simple. We need faster action, stronger implementation and broader partnerships. I call on all countries to place pollution prevention at the centre of their development strategies, to mobilise public and private investment, and to create the policy conditions that reward clean innovation. I also call on business, cities, youth and civil society to keep pushing for change. A pollution-free economy is not a distant vision. It is a practical pathway to better health, greater resilience and shared prosperity for all. Thank you. SPEECH/26/1604
Speech Brief