“UNEA Prepcom” (Open Ended CPR) Briefing to Permanent Missons

A briefing to Permanent Missions in Geneva on the preparations of the Open-Ended Committee of Permanent Representatives Meeting and the United Nations Environment Assembly of UNEP, took place at the International Environment House on Friday 28 February 2014.

Background

The United Nations Environment Assembly of the UNEP (UNEA) is the main governing body of UNEP.

At the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), the international community decided to strengthen and upgrade UNEP including through the establishment of universal membership of its governing body. As a follow up to this decision, the Governing Council held its first session with universal membership in February 2013, where countries agreed to transform the Governing Council as the “United Nations Environment Assembly of the UNEP”. Subsequently, the General Assembly adopted a resolution changing the designation to UNEA (67/251).

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.

The Open-Ended Committee of Permanent Representatives (OECPR), which can be looked at as the Prepcom to the UNEA, will take place in Nairobi on 24-28 March 2014. It will be preceded by a “Stakeholder Day”, planned to take place on 23 March 2014.

Following questions and remarks from Bolivia, Egypt, Luxembourg and Singapore, UNEP representatives provided additional information on various topics, including on the availability of documents, the possibility of attending the meeting without being accredited, plans for live streaming of UNEA, facilitation of engagement, regional outreach and consultations during the meetings, and UNEP Live access.

Video streaming will be organized from Geneva and Addis Ababa. It is prefered if countries can be present physically in Nairobi.

Agenda

10:15
Coffee & Tea

10:30
Welcome and introduction
Jan DUSIK, Director, UNEP Regional Office for Europe

10:35
Preparations of the OECPR and the United Nations Environment Assembly of UNEP
Michele CANDOTTI, Chief, UNEP Executive Office

11:15
Question-and-answer session

12:00
End

Background

Agenda

More information and documents