The United Nations Environment Assembly Made Easy to Understand Webinar, 17 June 2014

Transcription

1 The United Nations Environment Assembly Made Easy to Understand Webinar, 17 June 2014 Agenda and rules of engagement Presentation by Fatou Ndoye Major Groups and Stakeholders Branch Secretariat of Governing Bodies and Stakeholders United Nations Environment Programme

2 The Assembly Paragraph 88 of the UNCSD Outcome Document, The Future We Want Universal membership GA resolution A/RES/67/251 of March 2013 adopted the United Nations Environment Assembly of UNEP First UNEA session: June 2014, Nairobi, Kenya Dual mandate: highest global political forum on environmental issues governing body of UNEP

3 Its mandate Decision GC27/2 Paragraph 5: Decides that each session of the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme will conclude with a two-day high level segment as an integral part of the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme, which will take strategic decisions and provide political guidance and will perform inter alia the following functions: (a) Setting the global environmental agenda; (b) Providing overarching policy guidance and defining policy responses to address emerging environmental challenges; (c) Undertaking policy review, dialogue and exchange of experiences; (d) Setting the strategic guidance on the future direction of the United Nations Environment Programme; (e) Organizing a multi-stakeholder dialogue; (f) Fostering partnerships for achieving environmental goals and resource mobilization;

4 Its structure

5 OECPR and Intersessional work Open-ended meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (OECPR), March 2014 Role of OECPR was to: (a) Contribute to the preparation of the agenda of its governing body; (b) Provide advice to its governing body on policy matters; (c) Prepare decisions for adoption by its governing body and overseeing their implementation; (d) Convene thematic and/or programmatic debates (e) Promoting effective ways and means to facilitate participation of the non-resident members of the Committee, particularly from developing countries; (f) Perform any other functions delegated to it by its governing body. Advance negotiation of decisions for adoption by UNEA Inter-sessional work: (a) Examine reports and policy documents (b) Reviews draft decisions (c) Rules of procedure

6 Expectations from UNEA Send a powerful message to the world on behalf of Ministers of environment Spell out concrete actions to address the key environmental challenges discussed at UNEA Recommend draft resolutions for adoption at the United Nations General Assembly for the United Nations system-wide implementation Inform the discussions in UN HQ in New York on the Post-2015 Development Agenda and SDGs development Highlight the environmental costs of illegal trade in wildlife and timber Discuss issues of critical environmental significance with diverse actors (i.e. green economy, rule of law)

7 Its potential outcomes Recommendations Formal decisions Declaration Resolutions

8 Its schedule Timing Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Opening ceremony of the UNEA COW session COW session Opening of the High level segment Ministerial Plenary (cont'd) 13:15-14:45 (side events) GMGSF GMGSF Improving Air Quality in African Cities Transforming consumption and production systems through the SDGs Detoxifying Illegal Trade Sustainable in Wildlife Development Symposium on the Rule of law Green and Decent Jobs SIDS Ministerial Consultation Symposium on Financing a Green Economy UNEP Briefing on the two themes of the high-level segment Lunch hosted by G77 and China for its 50th anniversary 15:00-18:00 Opening of the COW Gender Forum COW session Gender Forum COW session Africa-China Ministerial Meeting ECO Consultative Ministerial Meeting on Environment Ministerial Plenary on SDGs and Post-2015 Development Agenda including Sustainable Consumption and Production UNEA closing plenary 18:00-19:00 Reception 18:30-21:00 MGS Reception Welcome reception Screening of documentary film "Waste Land" (2010) by Brazil BRICS Environment Ministers Meeting (tbc) Ministerial Working Dinner on Climate Change hosted Ministerial Dialogue on by Poland, Peru and France Illegal Trade in Wildlife 21:00-22:00

9 Its agenda Amendments to the rules of procedure Policy issues and emerging environmental issues: 1. Report on the implementation of decision 27/2 1. Stakeholder engagement; 2. Strengthening science-policy interface; 3. Enhancing coordinating role of UNEP in the UN system on environmental matters: process to prepare a United Nations system-wide strategy on the environment; 4. UNEP s access-to-information policy 2. Report on the implementation of decisions adopted by past sessions of the governing body 1. Implementation of decision 27/3 on international water quality guidelines for ecosystems 2. Implementation of decision 27/4 on Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services 3. Implementation of the Montevideo programme on environmental law 3. State of the environment 4. Chemicals and waste management 5. International environmental governance 6. Environment Management Group s work 7. Relationship between UNEP and MEAs 8. Programme of work and budget

10 Its high-level segment Sustainable development goals and the post-2015 development agenda, including sustainable consumption and production Illegal trade in wildlife

11 Rules of procedure Rules of procedure: UNEP/GC/3/Rev.3, 4 January rules: Organisations and conduct of sessions Agenda Officers Voting procedures Sessional committees Languages and records Public and private meetings Participation of specialized agencies and other inter-governmental organisations Participation of observers Amendments and suspension of rules and procedure

12 Opportunities for engagement Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum Committee of the whole Working groups and contacts group on specific topics Symposium on the Rule of Law Symposium on Financing Green Economy Gender Forum Greenroom Side events High-level segment Ministerial dialogue Social events In the corridors

13 Modalities for engagement (1) Access to all meetings Designated seats in sessions: Opening and closing ceremonies Committee of the whole plenaries Opening plenary of the high-level segment Ministerial plenaries and dialogues Ministerial roundtables Access to all in-session documents, decisions, meeting online portal Oral statements and written inputs through the Secretariat Access to other sessions are discretion of the President of the GC/GMEF or the organizing party or the Chair, e.g. special lunches, working groups, contact groups, etc. Work in all six United Nations languages

14 Modalities for engagement (2) Nine major groups structure Women Children and youth Indigenous people and their communities Non-governmental organizations Local authorities Workers and their trade unions Business and industry Scientific and technological community Farmers Coordination through the Major Groups Facilitating Committee (MGFC) and Regional Representatives Daily morning briefings in the Greenroom Major groups and stakeholders badges for all non-governmental observers

15 Pre-registered participants per major groups and stakeholders Total number of major groups and stakeholders pre-registered for UNEA: 246 delegates Workers and Trade Unions 1% Indigenous People 5% Scientific and Techonological Communities 11% Farmers 2% Other 6% Local Authorities 2% Business and Industry 10% Women 6% West Asia 8% North America 8% Latin America and the Caribbean 6% Africa 37% Children & Youth 8% Non-Governmental Organisation 49% Europe 26% Asia and the Pacific 15% List of pre-registered participants distributed by Region

16 Thank you! Link to UNEA: Link to UNEA Working documents: Link to UNEA Information documents: Link to UNEA paper smart system: Link to UNEP civil society webpage: