Environment and human settlements

Transcription

1 Chapter VII Environment and human settlements In 2010, the United Nations and the international community enhanced efforts to strengthen the protection of the environment and to address emerging environmental challenges through legally binding instruments and the activities of the United Nations Environment Programme (unep). The eleventh special session of the unep Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum discussed the environment in the multilateral system as an emerging policy issue. It adopted the Nusa Dua Declaration, which addressed fundamental environmental concerns, particularly those related to climate change, sustainable development, the green economy and biodiversity. The Council established a consultative group of ministers or high-level representatives to consider the broader reform of the international environmental governance system. It adopted guidelines for the development of national legislation on access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters, and for the development of domestic legislation on liability, response action and compensation for damage caused by activities dangerous to the environment. The Council also adopted decisions on unep support for Haiti following the devastating January earthquake in that country; enhanced coordination across the UN system, including the Environment Management Group; the intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services; the environmental situation in the Gaza Strip; oceans; and financing options for chemical wastes. On 22 September, the General Assembly held a high-level meeting as part of the observance of the International Year of Biodiversity. The meeting discussed core strategic and political issues, including the framing the post-2010 biodiversity strategy; the benefits of biodiversity for development and poverty alleviation; and measures to meet the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (unfccc). The tenth meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization on Biological Diversity, and the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity , including the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity Serving as The Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety adopted the Strategic Plan for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for the period The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to unfccc adopted the Cancún Agreements, setting out a plan for long-term cooperative action towards a global goal to substantially reduce global emissions by 2050, and to cooperate in achieving the peak of global and national greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible. The Agreements also established the Cancún Adaptation Framework to enhance action on adaptation, and an Adaptation Committee to promote coherent implementation of such action. The Assembly re-elected Achim Steiner as unep Executive Secretary for a four-year term of office beginning on 15 June 2010 and ending on 14 June The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) continued to support the implementation of the 1996 Habitat Agenda and the Millennium Development Goals. The fifth session of the World Urban Forum was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in March, under the theme The right to the city Bridging the urban divide. The Forum discussed emerging urban inequality, policy alternatives and effective practices in human settlements development. The World Urban Campaign, designed to advance the drive by UN-Habitat and its Habitat Agenda partners for better, smarter, greener and more equitable cities, was launched during the session. In August, the Assembly elected Joan Clos as Executive Director of UN-Habitat for a four-year term of office beginning on 18 October 2010 and ending on 17 October Environment UN Environment Programme Governing Council/Ministerial Forum The eleventh special session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (gc/gmef) of the United Nations Environment Programme (unep) was held in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, from 24 to 26 February [A/65/25]. 1005

2 1006 Part Three: Economic and social questions Ministerial-level consultations (24 26 February) held under the overarching theme Environment in the multilateral system discussed international environmental governance and sustainable development, the green economy, and biodiversity and ecosystems. The Council/Forum had before it the President s summary [UNEP/GCSS.XI/INF/9] of the discussion by ministers and heads of delegation at the twentyfifth (2009) gc/gmef session [YUN 2009, p. 1002]. The unep Executive Director delivered a policy statement [UNEP/GCSS.XI/2], which was summarized in the report of the proceedings of the session [UNEP/GCSS. XI/11]. The Committee of the Whole, established by the Council/Forum, held four meetings to consider the agenda items assigned to it. On 26 February, the President of the Council/Forum presented a draft summary of the views expressed during the ministerial consultations on each theme, which was annexed to the report of the session. The Council/Forum also had before it a document on regional civil society statements: major groups stakeholders messages to gc/gmef [UNEP/GCSS.XI/INF/5], which contained their observations and recommendations related to the theme of the special session. On 26 February [A/65/25 (dec. SS.XI/9)], the Council/Forum adopted the Nusa Dua Declaration, which addressed the most fundamental environmental aspects and concerns, in particular, climate change, sustainable development, the green economy and biodiversity. Coming a decade after the adoption of the Malmö Ministerial Declaration [YUN 2000, p. 968], the Nusa Dua Declaration provided a future strategy for tackling environmental challenges in the short, medium and long terms. On 21 July (decision 2010/237), the Economic and Social Council took note of the Governing Council s report on its eleventh special session. The General Assembly took note of the report in resolution 65/162 of 20 December (see below). Subsidiary body In 2010, the Committee of Permanent Representatives, which was open to representatives of all UN Member States and members of specialized agencies, held an extraordinary meeting on 4 February [UNEP/ CPR/110/3] and regular meetings on 16 March [UNEP/ CPR/111/2], 15 June [UNEP/CRP/112/2] and 15 December [UNEP/CPR/114/2]. The Committee discussed, among other subjects, the outcome of the eleventh (2010) gc/gmef special session and preparations for the twenty-sixth (2011) session. In December [UNEP/GC.26/INF/4], the Executive Director transmitted the report on the work of the Committee since the twenty-fifth (2009) gc/gmef session [YUN 2009, p. 1002]. GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION On 20 December [meeting 69], the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Second (Economic and Financial) Committee [A/65/436/Add.7], adopted resolution 65/162 without vote [agenda item 20 (g)]. Report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on its eleventh special session The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 2997(XXVII) of 15 December 1972, 53/242 of 28 July 1999, 55/200 of 20 December 2000, 57/251 of 20 December 2002 and 64/204 of 21 December 2009 and other previous resolutions relating to the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum of the United Nations Environment Programme, Recalling also the 2005 World Summit Outcome, Recalling further the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals and its outcome document, Taking into account Agenda 21 and the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development ( Johannesburg Plan of Implementation ), Reaffirming the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and its principles, Reaffirming its commitment to strengthening the role of the United Nations Environment Programme as the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimensions of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment, as set out in the Nairobi Declaration on the Role and Mandate of the United Nations Environment Programme of 7 February 1997 and in the Nusa Dua Declaration of 26 February 2010, Noting the role played by the United Nations Environment Programme in the organization of the three ad hoc intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder meetings on an intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services, Reiterating that capacity-building and technology support to developing countries in environment-related fields are important components of the work of the United Nations Environment Programme, Recalling the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity-building, Recognizing the need for heightened efforts to increase the political priority attached to the sound management of chemicals and wastes and the increased need for sustainable, predictable, adequate and accessible financing for the chemicals and wastes agenda, 1. Takes note of the report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on its eleventh special session and the decisions contained therein; 2. Welcomes the Nusa Dua Declaration of 26 February 2010 as a contribution to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, to be held in 2012, and calls for the active and effective participation of the United Nations Environment Programme in the preparatory process of the Conference;

3 Chapter VII: Environment and human settlements Recognizes that the ratification and implementation of relevant multilateral environmental agreements contribute to more effective international environmental governance and better protection and management of the global environment, and in this context invites Member States to ratify and implement relevant multilateral environmental agreements; 4. Welcomes the outcome of the Simultaneous Extraordinary Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, held in Bali, Indonesia, from 22 to 24 February 2010, also welcomes the consultative process on financing options for chemicals and wastes and supports further efforts through the United Nations Environment Programme to continue these discussions, and in this regard encourages cooperation and coordination among the secretariats of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions and support for Governments in their efforts to implement, comply with and enforce these multilateral environmental agreements; 5. Stresses the importance of the implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, particularly through its Quick Start Programme; 6. Notes with appreciation the progress achieved at the first session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee to prepare a global legally binding instrument on mercury, held in Stockholm from 7 to 11 June 2010, and encourages further efforts towards a successful conclusion to the negotiations, and invites the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme to continue to ensure full support for the negotiation process with the goal of completing the instrument prior to the twenty-seventh session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum with the aim of agreeing on a legally binding instrument on mercury, to include provisions, among others, aimed at reducing atmospheric emissions of mercury and to specify arrangements for capacity-building and technical and financial assistance, recognizing that the ability of developing countries and countries with economies in transition to implement some legal obligations effectively under a legally binding instrument is dependent upon the availability of capacity-building and adequate technical and financial assistance; 7. Recognizes the important role played by the regional centres of the Basel and Stockholm conventions, particularly in the implementation of international commitments and in the area of technology transfer, and in this regard encourages Member States and other stakeholders to promote the full and coordinated use of the centres to strengthen the regional delivery of assistance for the implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions; 8. Takes note of United Nations Environment Programme Governing Council decision SS.XI/1 of 26 February 2010 on international environmental governance, the set of options for improving international environmental governance identified by the consultative group of ministers or high-level representatives referred to therein and the invitation by the Governing Council to the President of the Council to transmit the set of options to the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session as an input to the continuing process of improving international environmental governance, and notes the ongoing work of the consultative group of ministers or high-level representatives, which will present its final report to the Governing Council at its twenty-sixth session in anticipation of the contribution of the Council; 9. Encourages the United Nations Environment Programme to support the ongoing work of the Joint Liaison Group of the secretariats and offices of the relevant subsidiary bodies of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( the Rio Conventions ) and the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions, acknowledges the importance of improving coherence in the implementation of the Rio Conventions, recognizes the importance of enhancing synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions, without prejudice to their specific objectives, and encourages the conferences of the parties to the biodiversity-related multilateral environmental agreements to consider strengthening efforts in this regard, taking into account relevant experiences and bearing in mind the respective independent legal status and mandates of all these instruments; 10. Underlines the need to further advance and accelerate the full implementation of the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity-building with a view to achieving its objectives in the areas of capacitybuilding and technology support for developing countries and countries with economies in transition, invites relevant United Nations funds and programmes and the specialized agencies and the secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements to consider mainstreaming the Bali Strategic Plan in their overall activities, and calls upon Governments and other stakeholders in a position to do so to provide the funding and technical assistance necessary to further advance and fully implement the Bali Strategic Plan; 11. Recognizes that South-South cooperation is not a substitute for, but rather a complement to, North-South cooperation, and in this regard requests the United Nations Environment Programme to deepen its cooperation with related United Nations agencies, regions, subregions and existing South-South cooperation initiatives to develop joint activities and synergies of capacity in advancing South-South cooperation in support of capacity-building and technology support in the context of the Bali Strategic Plan; 12. Invites the United Nations Environment Programme to contribute, notably by providing ideas and proposals reflecting its competencies, experiences and lessons learned, to the preparatory process of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development; 13. Reiterates the continuing need for the United Nations Environment Programme to conduct up-to-date, comprehensive, scientifically credible and policy-relevant global environment assessments, in close consultation with Member States, in order to support decision-making processes at all levels, and in this regard notes that the fifth report in the Global Environment Outlook series and its related summary for policymakers is currently under development, and stresses the need to enhance the policy relevance of the Outlook by, inter alia, identifying policy

4 1008 Part Three: Economic and social questions options to speed up the achievement of the internationally agreed goals and to inform global and regional processes and meetings where progress towards the agreed goals will be discussed, including the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development; 14. Emphasizes the need to further enhance coordination and cooperation among the relevant United Nations organizations in the promotion of the environmental dimension of sustainable development and to enhance cooperation between the United Nations Environment Programme and regional and subregional organizations, and welcomes the continued active participation of the Programme in the United Nations Development Group and the Environment Management Group, as well as in the United Nations exercises at the country level, including United Nations Development Assistance Framework processes and Delivering as One programmes for those countries implementing this initiative; 15. Reiterates the instrumental role of regional offices of the United Nations Environment Programme in assisting countries in mainstreaming their environmental priorities and maintaining the strategic presence of the Programme at the national and regional levels as part of the continued efforts of the Programme in shifting emphasis from delivery of outputs to achievement of results within its budget and programme of work, and calls for increased support to strengthen the human, financial and programmatic capacities of all regional offices; 16. Notes the cooperation of the Environment Management Group, including by working with the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination and its subsidiary bodies, in enhancing, inter alia, cooperation in programming environmental activities in the United Nations system in the areas of biodiversity and land degradation, including by supporting the implementation of the strategic plans of the secretariats of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the Convention on Biological Diversity, including the post-2010 biodiversity targets; 17. Takes note of United Nations Environment Programme Governing Council decision SS.XI/4 of 26 February 2010 entitled Intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services, the Busan outcome of the third ad hoc intergovernmental and multistakeholder meeting on an intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services, held in Busan, Republic of Korea, from 7 to 11 June 2010, the decision entitled Science-policy interface on biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being and consideration of the outcome of the intergovernmental meetings adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity at its tenth meeting, held in Nagoya, Japan, from 18 to 29 October 2010, and the decision on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services adopted by the Executive Board of that Organization at its one hundred and eighty-fifth session, and requests the United Nations Environment Programme, without prejudice to the final institutional arrangements for the intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services and in consultation with all relevant organizations and bodies, in order to fully operationalize the platform, to convene a plenary meeting providing for the full and effective participation of all Member States, in particular representatives from developing countries, to determine modalities and institutional arrangements for the platform at the earliest opportunity; 18. Calls upon international and bilateral donors and other countries in a position to do so to support the full and effective participation of representatives from developing countries in the plenary meeting; 19. Welcomes the activities undertaken by the United Nations Environment Programme with a view to strengthening the protection and sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems and further mainstreaming the marine and coastal strategy of the Programme in line with the United Nations Millennium Declaration and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States; 20. Also welcomes the efforts undertaken to date by the United Nations Environment Programme in response to the devastating impact of the earthquake of 12 January 2010 on the people, economy and environment of Haiti, and in this regard urges the Programme, in coordination with the United Nations country team, to continue to perform its key role in ensuring that environmental considerations are mainstreamed into the overall humanitarian relief and recovery programme; 21. Further welcomes the increased contributions to the Environment Fund, and reiterates its invitation to Governments that are in a position to do so to increase their contributions to the Fund; 22. Reiterates the need for stable, adequate and predictable financial resources for the United Nations Environment Programme, and, in accordance with resolution 2997(XXVII), underlines the need to consider the adequate reflection of all the administrative and management costs of the Programme in the context of the United Nations regular budget; 23. Also reiterates the importance of the Nairobi headquarters location of the United Nations Environment Programme, and requests the Secretary-General to keep the resource needs of the Programme and the United Nations Office at Nairobi under review so as to permit the delivery, in an effective manner, of necessary services to the Programme and to the other United Nations organs and organizations in Nairobi; 24. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its sixty-sixth session, under the item entitled Sustainable development, a sub-item entitled Report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on its twenty-sixth session. International environmental governance The eleventh gc/gmef special session (see p. 1005) held ministerial consultations (24 26 February) on international environmental governance and sustainable development on the basis of a discussion paper submitted by the Executive Director [UNEP/GCSS. XI/10]. The paper addressed, among other matters, the outcomes of the 2009 consultative group meetings on international environmental governance [YUN

5 Chapter VII: Environment and human settlements , p. 1005]; the recommendations contained in the 2009 report of the Joint Inspection Unit (jiu) on the management review of environmental governance within the UN system [ibid., p. 1004]; the benefits to States Parties from the continuing synergies process between the 1989 Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal [YUN 1989, p. 420], the 1998 Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade [YUN 1998, p. 997] and the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants [YUN 2001, p. 971]; preparations for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, to be held in 2012; and the way forward. In the Nusa Dua Declaration [A/65/25 (dec. SS.XI.9)], adopted by the Governing Council in February, gmef noted that the international environmental governance architecture had become complex and fragmented, and committed to making it more effective. In a separate decision [dec. SS.XI/1], the Governing Council noted the options for improving international environmental governance identified by the Consultative Group of Ministers or High-level Representatives on International Environmental Governance. It requested the Executive Director to identify, in consultation with Governments through the Committee of Permanent Representatives, incremental changes in the options that could be implemented during the biennium and those to be integrated into the development of the programme of work, and to report to gc/gmef at its twenty-sixth (2011) session. It invited the Council President to transmit the options to the General Assembly at its resumed sixty-fourth (2010) session as an input to the continuing process of improving international environmental governance. The Council decided to establish a regionally representative, consultative group of ministers or high-level representatives, as well as highlevel representatives of relevant UN agencies designated through the Environment Management Group. The Executive Director, who would participate as an adviser, would invite the UN system to provide input to the group, including by assessing gaps, needs and considerations related to how the system was achieving the objectives and functions for international environmental governance. The group would consider the broader reform of the international environmental governance system, building on the options but remaining open to new ideas. It would seek inputs from civil society groups and present a final report to the Governing Council at its twenty-sixth (2011) session in anticipation of the Council s contribution to the second meeting of the open-ended preparatory committee of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development and the Assembly s sixtyfifth (2010) session. Note by Assembly President. In May [A/64/778], the General Assembly President transmitted to the Assembly a 19 April letter from the President of the eleventh gc/gmef special session, which contained the options presented by the Consultative Group for improving international environmental governance. Meeting of Consultative Group. The Executive Director, in a December note [UNEP/GC.26/18], reported that the Consultative Group of Ministers or High-level Representatives on International Environmental Governance met in Nairobi, from 7 to 9 July, and in Espoo, Finland, from 21 to 23 November. The Consultative Group identified potential system-wide responses to the challenges of international environmental governance, including the development of a system-wide strategy for the environment in the UN system to increase its effectiveness, efficiency and coherence, and the strengthening of the environmental pillar of sustainable development. Other responses dealt with strengthening the science-policy interface with the full participation of developing countries; encouraging synergies between compatible multilateral environmental agreements; creating a stronger link between global environmental policymaking and financing; and developing a system-wide capacitybuilding framework for the environment. The Consultative Group suggested that the Governing Council, at its twenty-sixth (2011) session, consider the unep contribution to identifying the implementation of, and actors responsible for, follow-up to functions and system-wide responses. The Group also considered institutional forms that would best implement those responses and achieve the objectives and functions identified during the Belgrade Process of international environmental governance reform [YUN 2009, p. 1005]. It recognized the need to develop all the options for improving international environmental governance, and suggested that those relating to the establishment of a new umbrella organization for sustainable development and the reform of the Economic and Social Council and the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development would best be addressed in the wider sustainable development context. The Group suggested that existing institutions be strengthened and enhanced. Report of Executive Director. In a December report [UNEP/GC.26/3] submitted in response to the Governing Council s request [dec. SS.XI/1], the Executive Director stated that the secretariat had prepared a table identifying incremental reforms of and changes to international environmental governance to serve as a basis for consultation with the Committee of Permanent Representatives. Five consultations were held with the Committee in 2010, on 9 April, 3 June, 5 and 28 October and 9 December. Overall, the reforms were received positively and suggestions were made for implementation and follow-up action.

6 1010 Part Three: Economic and social questions Requests were made for additional analysis of the financial implications of some suggested actions; such an analysis would be provided by the secretariat in a supplementary document. UNEP activities Monitoring and assessment In a December report [UNEP/GC.26/4] on the state of the environment and the unep contribution to meeting substantive environmental challenges, the Executive Director summarized the key policy issues emanating from unep assessment and early warning activities. The issues were drawn from the findings of various integrated and thematic assessments conducted over the previous two years across six subprogrammes: climate change, disasters and conflicts, ecosystem management, environmental governance, harmful substances and hazardous waste, and resource efficiency. The report also discussed intergovernmental scientific assessments, technology support, capacity-building and the identification of emerging environmental issues for reviewing the world environmental situation. It concluded that, after decades of producing science-based environmental assessments, countries had developed significant capacity to engage in, and undertake, environmental assessments. The assessments generally resulted in sound recommendations for policymakers based on the best available science, using recognized and accepted assessment methodologies. Those methodologies had produced tools, training packages, methodology manuals, e-learning platforms and trainers networks, and built capacity to undertake assessments at multiple scales across a variety of themes. The evidence indicated, however, that the process of applying the policy recommendations emanating from environment and ecosystem-based assessments was difficult and could further impede the already slow rate of progress in meeting national policy needs and achieving internationally agreed environmental goals. The Executive Director also submitted a detailed inventory of all assessments led and supported by unep since 2009 [UNEP/GC.26/INF/13], which provided updated information on assessments in progress. General Assembly action. The General Assembly, in resolution 65/173 of 20 December (see p. 808) on the promotion of ecotourism for poverty eradication and environment protection, underlined the importance of conducting an environmental impact assessment, in accordance with national legislation, for the development of ecotourism opportunities. UNEP-Live In a December report [UNEP/GC.26/4/Add.1], the Executive Director, in response to a 2009 Governing Council decision [YUN 2009, p. 1006], described the requirements for a migration to targeted assessments in thematic priority and, in particular, the characteristics of a supporting framework for such assessments referred to as unep-live. The goals of unep-live were to provide a coordinating node for displaying and having access to a global federation of assessment and reporting systems, and ready access to tools and information supporting two-way assessment processes at a level that was meaningful to decision makers. The objectives of the framework were to increase the use and reuse of the results of existing assessment processes and products; provide a context in which national capacity-development requirements could be identified and presented as candidates for resource mobilization; and develop and document institutional mechanisms to establish and maintain a global federation of assessment producers and consumers. Migrating to a dynamic platform for developing and delivering thematic and integrated environmental assessments would require, among other things, the development of a process for unep to identify, beginning in 2011, future assessment requirements; assessment of the requirements of unep member States to be reported in 2012 at the twelfth gc/gmef special session; a fund-raising strategy; and the establishment of a federation of partners and a secretariat. The unep-live framework would be implemented in a phased approach with the goal of achieving the migration between 2012 and Phase 1: consolidation and exploration of future options ( ) would broaden the use of existing inputs to, or the results of, environmental assessment processes, including data, assessments, information systems, methodologies, expertise, institutional relationships, and regional and thematic informationsharing networks. The initial phase would focus on making unep assessment products more accessible and useful; and characterizing unep assessment partners and their requirements. The main goal of phase 2: elaboration ( ) would be to design an assessment support system that met defined user needs. A key task would be the refinement of the assessment and reporting needs and requirements of unep and its partners. The goal of phase 3: transformation ( ) would be to increase the use of unep-live as designed and tested during the previous two phases by unep and its partners. The end product would be a fully operational unep-live framework that would enable migration to targeted and thematic assessments and build capacity in countries for assessment and reporting. UNEP Year Book The unep Year Book presented new developments and scientific insights of particular interest to policymakers. The Year Book 2010: New Science and

7 Chapter VII: Environment and human settlements 1011 Developments in our Changing Environment reported on progress in areas corresponding to the six unep thematic priorities: environmental governance; the effects of continuing degradation and loss of the world s ecosystems; impacts of climate change; the effects of harmful substances and hazardous waste on human health and the environment; environmentally related disasters and conflicts; and unsustainable use of resources. Other activities In 2010, unep coordinated efforts across 49 UN entities to prepare the first generation of greenhouse gas inventories. By the end of the year, 15 UN organizations had submitted emission-reduction action plans. It also launched a UN-wide campaign on inhouse sustainability, known as Greening the Blue, to highlight ways in which staff could contribute to resource efficiency. Unep assisted the Department of Field Support in conducting the first environmental impact assessments for new base camp sites in Mogadishu, Somalia, and Mombasa, Kenya. It supported baseline studies on energy, water and waste reduction options for peacekeeping camps, recommending practical measures that could cut more than 25 per cent in energy consumption, 40 per cent in water use, and reduce the amount of solid waste reaching landfills. Environment and sustainable development The Commission on Sustainable Development, at its eighteenth session (New York, 3 14 May) [E/2010/29], considered its thematic cluster: transportation, chemicals, waste management, and mining and a 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production patterns. The Commission had before it, among other reports by the Secretary-General, an overview [E/CN.17/2010/3] of the implementation of Agenda 21 [YUN 1992, p. 672] and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation [YUN 2002, p. 822], and specific implementation reports on chemicals [E/CN.17/2010/5], waste management [E/CN.17/2010/6], and the 10-year framework of programmes in support of consumption and production [E/CN.17/2010/8 & Corr.1]. The unep Governing Council, in the Nusa Dua Declaration [dec. SS.XI/9] (see p. 1006), welcomed the decision made by the General Assembly in resolution 64/236 [YUN 2009, p. 802] to organize the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in It encouraged unep participation in the Conference s preparatory process, as called for in the resolution, and the contribution of unep to the programme of work outlined for the eighteenth (see above) and nineteenth (2011) sessions of the Commission on Sustainable Development. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals The General Assembly, at its High-level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (mdgs) (see p. 813), adopted, in resolution 65/1 (see p. 815), the outcome document Keeping the promise: united to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. In the section on mdg 7 (ensuring environmental sustainability), Assembly members committed to, among other actions, pursuing environmental sustainability through nationally owned comprehensive and coherent planning frameworks, adopting national legislation, and promoting the development and dissemination of affordable and sustainable technology; supporting implementation of the 1994 United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/ or Desertification, Particularly in Africa [YUN 1994, p. 944]; strengthening political commitment and action to implement the global objectives on forests and the sustainable management of all types of forests in order to reduce the loss of forest cover and improve the livelihoods of those who depend on forests; and pursuing more efficient and coherent implementation of the objectives of the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity [YUN 1992, p. 683] and addressing implementation gaps. The Assembly committed to calling on States to take action to address climate change in accordance with the principles identified in the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [YUN 1992, p. 681], including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities; ensuring the sustainable management of marine biodiversity and ecosystems, including fish stocks, and addressing the adverse effects of climate change on the marine environment and marine biodiversity; supporting countries to preserve fragile mountain ecosystems as an important source of fresh water and as repositories of rich biological diversity; and promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns. The Assembly also committed to increasing sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by prioritizing integrated water and sanitation; promoting integrated waste management systems; redoubling efforts to close the sanitation gap; and working towards cities without slums, beyond current targets. Small island developing States In a July report [A/65/115] on the five-year review of the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States [YUN

8 1012 Part Three: Economic and social questions 2005, p. 946], the Secretary-General provided a global synthesis of the national and regional review reports of the Strategy for consideration by the General Assembly at its high-level review meeting (New York, September). The report reviewed threats facing small island developing States, especially from climate change and natural and environmental disasters. It also addressed issues related to sustainable production and consumption, waste management and biodiversity, as well as coastal and marine, freshwater and land resources. (For information on the five-year review of the Mauritius Strategy, see p. 848.) South-South cooperation In response to a 2009 Governing Council decision [YUN 2009, p. 1009], the unep Executive Director submitted a December report on progress made in promoting South-South cooperation to achieve sustainable development [UNEP/GC.26/9]. In implementing its and programmes of work, unep employed a range of South-South cooperation approaches in the delivery of capacity-building and technology-support activities; it initiated consultations with organizations, institutions and networks to forge new strategic partnerships and alliances. Specific activities included strengthening interaction with the United Nations Development Programme (undp) Special Unit for South-South Cooperation, focusing on unep contribution to and participation in global South-South cooperation processes and events, and on unep input to meetings of the Highlevel Committee on South-South Cooperation; and participating in the UN inter-agency meeting on South-South cooperation (New York, February), and a High-level Event on South-South Cooperation and Capacity Development (Bogotá, Colombia, March). Unep developed policy guidance and updated its operational guidelines to facilitate and enhance the systematic integration of South-South cooperation into its programme of work. The guidance provided direction for, among other things, stronger policy and programming support for South-South cooperation, specifically in determining how that cooperation was to be integrated into each thematic priority in the new unep matrix approach to programming; strengthening and facilitating opportunities for exchanges between countries through the regional offices and in collaboration with UN country teams; strengthening engagement in UN country team processes to enhance the integration of environmental sustainability into programming processes; strengthening coordination structures and capacities for South-South cooperation at unep headquarters and regional offices; and establishing strategic partnerships and participation in multilateral forums to promote South-South cooperation on environmental matters and to leverage synergies and technical expertise and resources for such cooperation. Unep was also developing an exchange mechanism to advance South-South cooperation in its work and among key partners. The report concluded that the unep South-South cooperation policy guidance and operational guidelines, which were expected to become operational in 2011, would serve as agency-wide reference tools for and substantive inputs into efforts to meet the objectives in the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity-building [YUN 2004, p. 1040]. In December, the Executive Director submitted a note on unep regional and national activities to promote South-South cooperation [UNEP/GC.26/INF/14]. (For information on South-South cooperation, see p. 891.) International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management In December [UNEP/GC.26/INF/16], the Executive Director submitted the report of the International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management. The Panel, comprising 26 international experts and scientists from a broad spectrum of disciplines, was tasked with preparing assessment reports on resource issues critical to the international community regarding the environment and sustainable development. A Steering Committee provided strategic guidance to the Panel s work, with unep hosting its secretariat. As at December, the Panel had completed assessment reports on biofuels, metal stocks in society, and the environmental impacts of consumption and production. Assessment reports were being prepared on decoupling the use of natural resources and environmental impacts from economic activity; environmental impacts; sustainable land use and soil management; further assessments on metals; water efficiency; and cities and urbanization. Coordination and cooperation In a February decision on enhanced coordination across the UN system, including the Environment Management Group (emg) [dec. SS.XI/3], the Governing Council requested the Executive Director to enhance the capacity of the regional offices to participate effectively in mainstreaming environmental sustainability in common country assessments and the United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks. Emg was encouraged to continue its cooperation, including by working with the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (ceb) and its subsidiary bodies, in enhancing the promotion of sustainable UN system management practices. This included making further progress

9 Chapter VII: Environment and human settlements 1013 towards climate neutrality and sustainable procurement; cooperation in programming UN system environmental activities in biodiversity, land degradation and the green economy, including by supporting implementation of the strategic plans of the 1994 United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa [YUN 1994, p. 944], the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity [YUN 1992, p. 683] and the post biodiversity targets; and assessing how the UN system could more coherently assist countries in transitioning to a green economy. It also encouraged emg to enhance coherence in mainstreaming environmental considerations in UN country-level operational activities, in particular by identifying options for the development of a UN system-wide approach to environmental concerns. In December [UNEP/GC.26/15], the Executive Director submitted a report on enhanced coordination across the UN system, including emg. The report summarized the Group s work during the year, directions for further work, and the unep secretariat s contribution to environmental, inter-agency cooperationrelated work under ceb. At its sixteenth meeting (New York, 21 September), senior emg officials reviewed the Group s work in 2010, which included the preparation of the first common greenhouse gas inventory for the UN system and a report entitled Advancing the biodiversity agenda a UN system-wide contribution. Emg members contributed to the July and November meetings of the Consultative Group of Ministers or High-level Representatives on International Environmental Governance (see p. 1009). The Group also participated in the consultative process on environmental and social safeguards, which assessed conceptual frameworks that could provide a balanced approach to the challenge of cross-cutting environmental and social issues. Working with ceb and its High-level Committees on Programmes and on Management, as well as the United Nations Development Group, unep promoted coordination of environmental activities within the UN system. Unep was also instrumental in bringing an environmental dimension to the responses by ceb and the High-level Committee on Programmes to the financial and economic crisis through the implementation of the Board s joint crisis initiatives. Unep was the lead agency in the joint crisis initiative on the green economy. In that capacity, it highlighted the importance of mobilizing and refocusing the global economy towards green growth and the need to safeguard the integrity of ecosystems, in the context of work by the Board and the High-level Committee on Programmes on moving towards a process of globalization that was fairer, greener and more sustainable. Memorandums of understanding In February [dec. SS.XI/3], the Governing Council welcomed progress in the implementation of the revised memorandum of understanding (mou) between unep and undp [YUN 2009, p. 1009], signed in December 2008 [YUN 2008, p. 1151] to achieve deeper cooperation between the two agencies, including by joint programming. The Council encouraged the Executive Director to expedite implementation of the mou, in particular through the immediate establishment of the joint working group provided for therein, and an annual progress report. In response to the Council s request, the Executive Director, in December 2010 [UNEP/GC.26/INF/9/ Add.1], transmitted the annual report on the implementation of the mou. Unep and undp cooperated on the Poverty and Environment Initiative, a programme with joint management, programme design and budgeting. Unep/undp collaboration was expanded to address the need for a more coherent and systemic approach within the UN system in environment and climate change, and guidance notes were issued on mainstreaming environmental sustainability and integrating climate change considerations into country analyses. Global and regional projects were the main drivers of collaboration on the ground, generating new opportunities and funding options. Collaborative arrangements focused on administrative services, program management support and institutional coordination; project/programme design, technical expertise, and monitoring and evaluation services; and communications, dissemination, funding, resource mobilization, publications and training. In a December note [UNEP/GC.26/INF/9], the Executive Director presented a summary of corporate mous concluded between unep and other UN system bodies since the last report on the subject [YUN 2008, p. 1151]. Mous were signed in 2009 with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific. Environment in the multilateral system: the green economy Ministerial consultations on the environment in the multilateral system were held during the eleventh special session of the unep Governing Council on the basis of a background paper on the green economy [UNEP/ GCSS.XI/10/Add.1]. The green economy was defined as a system of economic activities related to the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services that resulted in improved human well-being over the long term, while not exposing future generations to significant environmental risks or ecological scarcities.