The 26th Session of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC-26/GMEF) was held from 21 to 24 February 2011 in Nairobi, Kenya. Over 1000 participants from 140 countries, including ministers, representatives of UN agencies, civil society and industry attended the Session.
Ministerial consultations and roundtables covered a wide range of issues related to Green Economy and International Environmental Governance (IEG), thus contributing to the preparatory process for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (also known as “Rio +20”), to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2012.
With respect to International Environmental Governance, the basis for the discussions was the Nairobi-Helsinki Outcome of the Consultative Group of Ministers or High-level Representatives on IEG (the Consultative Group), established by the Governing Council in order “to consider the broader reform of the international environmental governance system, building on the set of options, but remaining open to new ideas” (Decision SS.XI/1 of 26 February 2010).
In the adopted Decision on IEG (UNEP/GC.26/CW/L.4/Add.1), the Governing Council stresses the importance of securing political momentum for, and efficient follow-up to, the international environmental governance process and welcomes the findings of the Nairobi-Helsinki Outcome*. Furthermore, it invites the Preparatory Committee (PreCom) of United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) to initiate a full analysis of the financial, structural and legal implications and comparative advantages of the options identified in the Nairobi-Helsinki Outcome utilizing the expertise of relevant United Nations system entities, including the United Nations Environment Programme and relevant stakeholders as well as major groups eligible to participate in the PrepCom.
* Note
Nairobi-Helsinki Outcome
Six methods of reinforcing international environmental governance:
1) Enhance the science – policy interface with the full and meaningful participation of developing countries; to meet the science-policy capacity needs of developing countries and countries with economies in transition, including improvement of scientific research and development at the national level; and to build on existing international environmental assessments, scientific panels and information networks.
2) Develop a system-wide strategy for environment in the United Nations system to increase the effectiveness, efficiency and coherence of the United Nations system and in that way contribute to strengthening the environmental pillar of sustainable development.
3) Encourage synergies between compatible multilateral environmental agreements and to identify guiding elements for realizing such synergies while respecting the autonomy of the conferences of the parties.
4) Create a stronger link between global environmental policy making and financing aimed at widening and deepening the funding base for environment with the goal of securing sufficient, predictable and coherent funding and increasing accessibility, cooperation and coherence among financing mechanisms and funds for the environment, with the aim of helping to meet the need for new and additional funding to bridge the policy-implementation gap through new revenue streams for implementation.
5) Develop a system-wide capacity-building framework for the environment to ensure a responsive and cohesive approach to meeting country needs, taking into account the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity Building.
6) Continue to strengthen strategic engagement at the regional level by further increasing the capacity of UNEP regional offices to be more responsive to country environmental needs. The aim of such strengthening should be to increase country responsiveness and implementation. Environmental expertise within United Nations country teams should be strengthened, including through UNEP.
Source: UNEP, IISD Reporting Services
For further Information:
http://www.unep.org/gc/gc26/
http://www.iisd.ca/unepgc/26unepgc/
About the author
MEPIELAN Centre
MEPIELAN Centre is an international research, training and educational centre established by Professor Evangelos Raftopoulos at the Panteion University of Athens in 2008.
Before its establishment as a University Centre, MEPIELAN operated as a successful international research, training and informational programme (2002-2007) under the scientific direction of Professor Evangelos Raftopoulos and the aegis of the Panteion University of Athens, supported by the Mediterranean Action Plan/UNEP and the Greek Ministry of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works.
MEPIELAN Centre is an accredited UNEP/MAP PARTNER (since 2013), a Member of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) (since 2016), and a Member of the Steering Committee of the MCSD (since 2019).
On 22 May 2022, MEPIELAN Centre proceeded to the development of MEPIELAN as a Non- Profit Civil Organization (INGO) for the more effective and efficient advancement of its Goals and Missions and furtherance of its activities. MEPIELAN Centre as a Non- Profit Civil Organization (INGO) is registered in Greek Law (Hellenic Business Registry, Reg. No. 16477300100) in accordance with Laws 4072/2012 & 4919/2022 as applicable
