UNEA Briefing to Permanent Missons

Background

Environment Ministers and Government representatives from 193 UN Member States and majorgroups will gather from 23-27 June for the inaugural meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)— the main governing body of UNEP, designed to place environmental issues atthe heart of the global agenda. At its first session, UNEA is expected to provide leadership on global environmental policy, andcontinue to keep the world environment under review; a mandate first conferred upon UNEP’s Governing Council by the 1972 United Nations General Assembly resolution 2997 and subsequently enhanced through the Rio +20 outcome – The Future We Want.

According to the decision adopted at the first session of the Governing Council with universal membership (27th session), UNEA will meet biennially in Nairobi starting in June 2014. UNEA is also mandated to ensure the active participation of all relevant stakeholders in the governance of UNEP and to promote a strong science-policy interface. One of the main themes of UNEA’s first session will be “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)and the Post-2015 Development Agenda, including sustainable consumption and production”. Deliberations are intended to contribute to the ongoing formulation of a set of targets andindicators on SDGs. Ministers will also discuss the illegal trade in wildlife and timber, an issue that is generating increasing global attention and action. UNEA will additionally provide a forum for examining crucial processes in environmental action such as the science-policy interface and the strengthened engagement of major groups and other key stakeholders.

A briefing on the preparations of the United Nations Environment Assembly of UNEP, was organized by the Geneva Environment Network Secretariat at the International Environment House, on Tuesday 13 May 2014.

Personalized invitations along with UNEA notification by the Executive Director have been sent all Ministers of Environment, heads of international organizations and UN system organizations and representatives of major groups and stakeholders accredited to UNEP. The registration deadline is 16 May 2014.

Agenda

12:15
Fair trade coffee & light sandwiches

12:30
Welcome and introduction
Jan DUSIK, Director, UNEP Regional Office for Europe

12:35
Preparations of the United Nations Environment Assembly of UNEP
Achim STEINER, Executive Director, UNEP
Jiri HLAVACEK, Secretary, Secretariat of Governing Bodies and Stakeholders, UNEP

13:00
Question-and-answer session

13:30
End

Discussion

Following questions and remarks from Barbados, France and Uruguay, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner provided additional information on the role UNEA can play, the role of private sector and regulatory approaches, SIDS threats and links with the Samoa conference, how the UNEA outcomes will contribute to the SDGs discussions in NY and COP21 in Paris.

Background

Agenda

Discussion

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