World Environment Day should be used as a platform to turn public awareness into concrete policy action on climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, according to a senior United Nations environment official speaking in an interview with AnewZ's Guy Shone.
Daniel Cooney, Director of the Communications Division at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said the world already has many of the solutions needed to address global environmental crises, but is failing to implement them at the scale required.
“What we don't have is the action to tackle these problems, at least at the scale that the world needs,” he said.
Cooney spoke with AnewZ ahead of World Environment Day, whose global observance will be held in Baku on 5 June in partnership with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. The event brings together government bodies, businesses, NGOs, schools and members of the public for activities across the country, including tree planting campaigns, clean-up initiatives and exhibitions.
Cooney said World Environment Day, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 and coordinated by UNEP, is intended to encourage public engagement and help translate concern into political pressure on governments.
“This is a moment one day in the year when we encourage people: go and make your voice heard,” he said.
Cooney added that sustained public mobilisation can help drive policy change.
“Hopefully when enough people call for action on the environment, that then inspires their leaders to pass the policies that are needed, to mobilise the finance that is needed,” he said.
“It's the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature loss, the crisis of pollution and waste,” he explained.
Cooney also highlighted Azerbaijan as a country playing a role in regional environmental cooperation and transition discussions.
He pointed to its hosting of COP29 under the UN climate framework, as well as environmental initiatives related to biodiversity restoration and species protection. He also noted ongoing efforts linked to methane reduction and environmental cooperation with UNEP.
“Azerbaijan has a lot of lessons it can share with the world,” he said, adding that the country has experience in addressing emissions from the energy sector.
At the same time, he said Azerbaijan is expanding investment in renewable energy, which is increasingly visible in national planning and investment.
“Major investments in solar, major investments in wind - that’s the future,” he said.
He concluded that the key challenge for global climate policy is no longer awareness, but ensuring that commitments are translated into real-world action at scale.
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