The United Nations Environment Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 4/1 of 15 March 2019 on innovative pathways to achieve sustainable consumption and production patterns, in which it acknowledged that a more circular economy, in which products and materials are designed in such a way that they can be reused, remanufactured, recycled or recovered, and thus maintained in the economy for as long as possible, along with the resources of which they are made, and the generation of waste, especially hazardous waste, is avoided or minimized, and greenhouse gas emissions are prevented or reduced, can contribute significantly to sustainable consumption and production, and to occupational safety and health, as well as employment opportunities,
Recalling also its resolution 5/11 of 2 March 2022 on enhancing circular economy as a contribution to achieving sustainable consumption and production,
Acknowledging that pursuing circular economy approaches as a pathway to achieving sustainable consumption and production patterns can contribute to addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, water stress and pollution and their impact on human health, thus contributing to the achievement of related goals under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development1 and other internationally agreed environmental goals,
Recognizing that international exchanges, shared experiences and means of implementation can help in the implementation of circular economy approaches to achieve sustainable consumption and production patterns, and welcoming efforts to advance circular economy approaches, noting, in this context, the establishment of national, regional and global initiatives,
Recognizing also that circular economy approaches require the scaling up of sustainable and resilient practices along value chains, and acknowledging that there are business models and best practices that embrace circular economy approaches, technologies that improve resource management across sectors, and “leapfrogging technologies” that generate economic savings, reduce emissions and improve resource efficiency while still driving sustainable development, notwithstanding the need for circular innovation,
Recognizing further that agro-industry is the link between agriculture and industry and that its sustainable development represents a key component of the social, economic and environmental dimensions of the sustainable development of many countries and an opportunity to improve food security, biodiversity, livelihoods, human health, job creation and shared prosperity in support of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,
Recalling the Paris Agreement and its aim to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, including by holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels,
Noting that sugar cane is produced in more than 80 countries, that it is vital to many national economies, and that millions of people depend on it for their livelihood,
Noting with concern that the sugar cane agro-industry is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and faces challenges in meeting the increase in the global demand for food,
Recognizing that the agro-industry of sugar cane, among other crops and forests, when sustainably produced and managed, while avoiding potential harmful effects on the environment, can be a source of food, raw materials, biomaterials and bioenergy, thereby providing opportunities for climate mitigation action, biodiversity protection and reduction of pollution,
Welcoming the launch of the International Alliance for a Resilient and Low-Carbon Sugar Cane Agroindustry at the twenty-eighth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 4 December 2023,3
Welcoming also the work being undertaken under relevant international agreements, conventions, organizations and forums, including those related to the entities of the United Nations system, in particular the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns4 and environmental finance mechanisms,
1. Invites Member States with a sugar cane agro-industry to integrate low-carbon, climate-resilient circular economy approaches for that sector into their national strategies, in accordance with their national circumstances, as well as regional initiatives, as appropriate, including those related to relevant multilateral environmental agreements, as a contribution to addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification, land degradation and pollution;
2. Invites Member States to explore and develop partnership initiatives, in cooperation with the private sector and other relevant stakeholders, that support circular economy approaches in the sugar cane agro-industry and promote cleaner technologies, good practices for preventing deforestation, education and awareness-raising, capacity-building, information exchange on best practices, scientific research, innovation, and technology development and transfer, on mutually agreed terms and support;
3. Also invites Member States to help mobilize means of implementation from all sources in order to support the uptake of circular economy approaches in the agro-industry of sugar cane, among other crops, in the context of achieving sustainable development, and to promote resilient sustainable consumption and production patterns, especially by micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular in developing countries;
4. Requests the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, in consultation with Member States, members of specialized agencies and relevant stakeholders, in particular the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, subject to the availability of resources, to continue to collect information and conduct further analysis on circular economy approaches in the agro-industry of sugar cane, among other crops;
5. Also requests the Executive Director to report to the United Nations Environment Assembly at its seventh session on the implementation of the present resolution.