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
 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: 23 - 27 June 2014, Nairobi, Kenya

Dual mandate:

highest global political forum on environmental issues

governing body of UNEP

 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;
Its structure
 OECPR and
Intersessional work
Open-ended meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (OECPR),
24-28 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
 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)
 Its potential outcomes

Recommendations
Formal decisions
Declaration
Resolutions
 Its schedule
Timing Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Opening ceremony of the Opening of the High Ministerial Plenary

10.00 - 13.00 COW session COW session
UNEA level segment (cont'd)

Transforming
consumption
Improving
and Detoxifying UNEP Briefing on the Lunch hosted by G77
13:15 - 14:45 Air Quality Illegal Trade Green and SIDS Ministerial
production Sustainable two themes of the and China for its 50th
(side events) in African in Wildlife Decent Jobs Consultation Symposium
systems Development Symposium high-level segment anniversary
Cities on Financing
GMGSF GMGSF through the on the Rule
SDGs a Green
of law
Economy

Ministerial Plenary on
ECO
SDGs and Post-2015
Africa-China Consultative
Opening of Gender Development Agenda
15:00 - 18:00 Gender Forum COW session COW session Ministerial Ministerial UNEA closing plenary
the COW Forum including Sustainable
Meeting Meeting on
Consumption and
Environment
Production

18:00 - 19:00 Reception

Screening of
BRICS
MGS Reception documentary Ministerial Working Dinner
Environment
18:30 - 21:00 film "Waste on Climate Change hosted Ministerial Dialogue on
Ministers
Welcome reception Land" (2010) by by Poland, Peru and France Illegal Trade in Wildlife
Meeting (tbc)
Brazil

21:00 - 22:00
 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. UNEPs 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 Groups work
7. Relationship between UNEP and MEAs
8. Programme of work and budget
 Its high-level segment

Sustainable development goals and the post-2015

development agenda, including sustainable
consumption and production

Illegal trade in wildlife

 Rules of procedure
Rules of procedure: UNEP/GC/3/Rev.3, 4 January 1988
72 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
 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
 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
 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
civil.society@unep.org
 Pre-registered participants per major groups and stakeholders

Farmers
2%
Local Authorities
2%
Total number of major groups and Other
6%
stakeholders pre-registered for UNEA:
Business and
246 delegates Scientific and Industry
Workers and Techonological 10%
Trade Unions Communities
1% 11% Women
6%
Indigenous
People
5%

West Asia Children & Youth

8% 8%
North America
8%
Latin America
Africa
and the
37%
Caribbean
6% Non-Governmental
Organisation
49%

Europe
26%
Asia and the
Pacific
15%

List of pre-registered participants distributed by Region

 Thank you!
Link to UNEA: http://www.unep.org/unea/en/

Link to UNEA Working documents:

http://www.unep.org/unea/working_documents.asp

Link to UNEA Information documents:

http://www.unep.org/unea/information_documents.asp

Link to UNEA paper smart system: http://papersmart.unon.org/UNEA/

Link to UNEP civil society webpage: http://www.unep.org/civil-

society/GlobalFora/2014OECPRandUNEA/tabid/132030/Default.aspx