Événement Conférence
High Level Briefing on the Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference | 30 Years of Achievements
23 Sep 2022
12:45–14:00
Lieu: Palais des Nations | Room XVII & Online | Webex
Organisation: République tchèque, Commission économique pour l'Europe des Nations Unies, Geneva Environment Network
Ahead of the ninth "Environment for Europe" Ministerial Conference, to be held in Nicosia, Cyprus, from 5 to 7 October 2022, this event looked at 30 years of achievement of this process, which started in 1991, with the convening of the first Pan-European Conference of Ministers of the Environment at Dobříš Castle, in Czechoslovakia.
About this Event
The “Environment for Europe” process started more than 30 years ago, with the convening of the first Pan-European Conference of Ministers of the Environment at Dobříš Castle, in Czechoslovakia.
The Minister of the Environment of the former Czechoslovakia, Josef Vavroušek, invited the Ministers of the Environment of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to a meeting, in June 1991. The event was also attended by the President of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, H.E. Václav Havel, the President of the Swiss Confederation, H.E. Flavio Cotti, as well as the Commissioner for Environment of the Commission of the European Communities and representatives from various UN institutions, governmental and non-governmental organizations.
The Conference aimed at establishing a new “European Environmental Space” after the end of the East-West division of Europe. It resulted in a document summarizing the Conclusions of the Conference, in which various issues of great importance to the further development of the “Environment for Europe” process, providing a framework of regional initiatives that resulted with the adoption of a number of important environmental instruments.
Three decades later, this event looked back at the visionary initiative and the achievements of the process, a few days ahead of the next Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference.
This event was organized by the Geneva Environment Network Secretariat, UNECE and the Czech Republic.
Speakers
By order of intervention.
H.E. Amb. Václav BÁLEK
Permanent representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
Olga ALGAYEROVA
Executive Secretary, UNECE
H.E. Jan KÁRA
Former Permanent representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations Office in Geneva, and Secretary of the 1991 Dobříš Ministerial Conference
John HONTELEZ
Former Chief Advocacy Officer, Forest Stewardship Council, Former Secretary General of the European Environmental Bureau, Former Chairman of Friends of the Earth International
Aravella ZACHARIOU
Coordinator, National Secretariat of the 9th Ministerial Conference & Chair, UNECE Steering Committee for Education for Sustainable Development
Martine ROHN-BROSSARD
Head of Europe, Trade and Development Cooperation Section & Deputy Head, International Affairs Division, Swiss Federal Office for the Environment
Zaal LOMTADZE
Secretary to the Committee on Environmental Policy, UNECE
Video
This event was streamed on our social media platforms.
Highlights
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