UN Reforms
GEG REFORM INITIATIVES
Ministerial Consultative Process on International Environmental Governance
At the 25th session of UNEP’s Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum in February 2009, environment ministers agreed to establish a consultative process of ministers and high level representatives to develop concrete recommendations for the reform of international environmental governance. This group is to deliver its recommendations to the 11th special session of the Governing Council, to be held in February 2010. It will take into account the work of the United Nations General Assembly, particularly the outcomes of the 2005 World Summit and the recommendations of the Co-Chairs of the General Assembly’s Informal Consultations on Environmental Governance. The Governing Council has also instructed the group to be formed to take into account the Joint Inspection Unit’s recent report “Management review of environmental governance within the United Nations system” and the Executive Director’s discussion papers on international environmental governance.” View Source
- Earth Negotiations Bulletin, Summary Of The 25th Session of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum: 16-20 February 2009
- Management review of environmental governance within the United Nations system: Report of the Joint Inspection Unit
United Nations Reform Initiative
High Level Panel on System-Wide Coherence ”The Secretary-General has established a High-level Panel to explore how the United Nations system could work more coherently and effectively across the world in the areas of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment…The Panel’s first consultation took place May 4-5 in Nairobi, Kenya, where issues regarding the Environment were discussed. On day 1 of the meeting, Panel members participated in the consultations held by the President of the General Assembly as part of the inter-governmental review process of the UN’s environment architecture. On day 2, Panel members met with key actors in the field of environment to enhance their common understanding of (a) the key environmental challenges that the UN system will have to effectively address, (b) the institutional framework within which environment is dealt with by the UN system, (c) the major challenges to mainstreaming environment into development decision-making and best practices, and (d) the type of recommendations that could be put forward in this area.” View Source
- Terms of Reference for New Study on United Nations System-Wide Coherence in the Areas of Development, Humanitarian Assistance, and the Environment
- Environment Consultation, Issues Note, Nairobi, 5 May 2006
- UNSG Remarks at 1st Meeting of High-level Panel, 5 April 2006
- Annotated Agenda for the Nairobi Meeting, 5 May 2006
- UN Reform
- Stakeholder Forum, Outreach 2015: Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on System Wide Coherence holds Seminar in Nairobi on the theme of ‘Environment’ *View complete Outreach 2015
General Assembly
Informal consultations on International Environmental Governance
“The General Assembly, on 19 April 2006, launched informal consultations on the institutional framework for the UN’s environmental activities. In
order to provide a framework for these consultations, its co-chairs, Ambassador Enrique Berruga (Mexico) and Ambassador Peter Maurer (Switzerland) have asked Member States to focus on the following two questions in order to come to a preliminary assessment of the issues:
In your country’s view, what are the major problems and challenges of the UN system in its environmental work, specifically with regard to the needs identified in paragraph 169 of the outcome document? What could be envisaged in terms of a more coherent institutional framework aimed at addressing these major problems and challenges? -View Source
- Letter of UNGA President, 26 January 2006
- Letter from Co-Chairs, 24 May 2006
- Background Note by the Secretariat on the Institutional Framework for the Environment Activities of the UN
- Co-Chairmen’s Summary of the Informal Consultative Process on the Institutional Framework for the UN’s Environmental Activities, 27 June 2006
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
“On 23 September 2003 at the United Nations General Assembly, President Chirac called for the creation of a United Nations Environment Organization (UNEO) based on the present United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). A UNEO would strengthen the effectiveness, efficiency and coherence of international environmental governance. It would pursue three objectives: give more political weight to international environmental action, make this action more coherent and allow developing countries to devise and implement their national environment policies.
In February 2004, an informal intergovernmental working group was launched in New York and Nairobi. It comprises representatives of countries sharing our goal (of rationalizing and strengthening international environmental governance) and of those simply open to dialogue: Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Senegal, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Vietnam, together with the European Commission.
Many meetings have been held since 2004: with the foreign ministers on 22 September 2004 at the United Nations General Assembly, on several occasions with the environment ministers (February, April and December 2004), with the Ambassadors in New York and Nairobi, and a total of over a dozen technical meetings at expert level.
The aim of France’s foreign policy is to get this issue on to the United Nations’ agenda.” -View Source