The World Summit 2005 identified a number of issues that need to be addressed for the implementation of more efficient environmental activities in the United Nations system, including: enhanced coordination; improved policy advice and guidance; strengthened scientific knowledge, assessment and cooperation; better treaty compliance, while respecting the legal autonomy of the treaties; and better integration of environmental activities in the broader sustainable development framework at the operational level, including through capacity-building. Based on these issues, the Summit agreed to “explore the possibility of a more coherent institutional framework to address this need, including a more integrated structure, building on existing institutions and internationally agreed instruments, as well as the treaty bodies and the specialised agencies.” As part of the follow-up to the Summit Outcome Document, Ambassador's Enrique Berruga of Mexico and Peter Maurer of Switzerland were appointed to co-chair informal consultations of the General Assembly on international environmental governance.
On 20 March 2006, the co-chairs wrote to Member States outlining the substance and timing of the informals, identifying questions to be addressed by Member States in the first rounds of informal consultations, which took place on 19 and 25 April 2006. The Co-Chairs requested that delegations respond to two questions:
- 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, including:
- enhanced coordination;
- improved policy advice and guidance;
- strengthened scientific knowledge, assessment and cooperation;
- better treaty compliance, while respecting the legal autonomy of the treaties; and
- better integration of environmental activities in the broader sustainable development framework at the operational level, including through capacity-building.
- What could be envisaged in terms of a more coherent institutional framework aimed at addressing these major problems and challenges?
ieg-dossier coverage: proposals
The Group of 77 and China
Volume 1 Edition 1 ¦May 2006
New York, 19 April 2006: Statement to the Informal Consultations on International Environmental Governance: In a statement delivered to the April 19 Informal Consultations of the Plenary on Environment, South Africa, speaking behalf of the G77 and China, outlined their views on environment reform
Jakarta, November 2005: South-South Cooperation and the Bali Strategic Plan: The High-level consultation to consider the way forward for the South-South Cooperation component of the Bali Strategic Plan on Technology Cooperation and Capacity Building was convened in Jakarta, Indonesia from 23-24 November 2005
India
Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006
Geneva, April 2006: India, Brazil, Peru Set to Propose TRIPS Amendment on Biodiversity: According to reports by IP-Watch (2006), a group of countries led by Brazil, India and Peru has indicated that it intends to present a text relating to the discussions at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on biodiversity “in days, not weeks” suggesting an amendment to current trade law, sources say
European Union
Volume 1 Edition 1 ¦May 2006
New York, 29 April 2006: EU statement to the General Assembly Informal Consultations on International Environment Governance: Speaking during the informals of the General Assembly on Environmental Reform (29 April 2006), Ambassador Gerhard Pfanzelter, Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations, presented a “tour d'horizon of issues the EU would like addressed in depth” on behalf of the European Union
Brussels, 10 April 2006: EU Council adopts conclusions on UN Reform, calls for UNEO: The European Union's 2722nd General Affairs Council meeting held in Luxembourg on April 10, 2006 adopted Conclusion on follow-up to the UN World Summit, including humanitarian emergencies, Management Reform, the Mandate Review, the Secretary-General's High-level Panel on System-wide coherence, and transforming the UNEP into a UN Environment Organisation
France
Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006
Paris, 17 May 2006: France: Girardin on the UN Environment Organisation: According to official press releases, during a meeting between Brigitte Girardin, Minister Delegate for Cooperation, Development and Francophone, and Achim Steiner, Director-General of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and future executive director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the minister delegate reaffirmed France's commitment to the proposal to transform UNEP into a United Nations Environment Organisation
Vienna , 12 May 2006: France : Chirac on the UN Environment Organisation: In an address to the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean, French President Jacques Chirac called on “ Latin America to join the European Union in promoting the rapid creation of a UN Environment Organisation”
Volume 1 Edition 1 ¦May 2006
New York, February 2006: French Proposal on a UN Environment Organisation submitted to General Assembly: In February 2006, the French Ambassador to UN, Jean-Marc de la Sablière, submitted a progress report on the Group's activities to be circulated as an official document of the sixtieth session of the General Assembly, under agenda items 46 (Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields) and 120 (Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit)
United Kingdom
Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006
US, 26 May 2006: Blair: Calls for UN Reform, including UNEO : In an address to Georgetown University UK Prime Minister Tony Blair outlined several proposals for reforming the United Nations, including the: Security Council; role of the UN Secretary-General; humanitarian and development operations; IMF and World Bank; safe enrichment of nuclear power; the G+5; and a UN Environment Organisation. The address was the third of series of speeches by the Prime Minister on the challenges facing the international community.
Germany
Volume 1 Edition 1 ¦May 2006
Germany , March 2006: Germany: Support for UN Environment Organisation: Following the appointment by the General Assembly of Achim Steiner as the new Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in March 2006, German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier issued a joint statement reiterating Germany 's support for a UN Environment Organisation (UNEO).
United States of America
Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006
New York, 25 April 2006: US: Statement to the Informals on Environment In statement by Samuel Kotis, Adviser, during the informal plenary session of the General Assembly on the environment, the US outlined their views on the proposals for a UNEO, strengthening the science base, mainstreaming capacity building, and improving policy advice and guidance
Volume 1 Edition 1 ¦May 2006
US: Views on UNEP and proposals for a UN Environment Organisation: The US has, as yet, no specific proposals on international environmental governance. In an April 2005 statement in the General Assembly informals, Howard Stoffer, Minister Counsellor at the US Mission in New York stated that “the principal responsibility for environmental governance should remain with national governments, not with a supranational authority.”
US: Views on financing treaty bodies from the UN Core budget: Another key issue to possibly surface during the UN reform discussions is the financing of treaty bodies and the secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements from the UN Regular Budget.
Sweden
Volume 1 Edition 1 ¦May 2006
Sweden: Report of the Panel: Issues of the Secretary-General's High-level Panel on System-wide Coherence were also addressed during the High-Level Dialogue between the UN's Economic and Social Council and the Bretton Woods Institutions on 24 April. According to transcripts provided by the UN's Department of Public Information, Ruth Jacoby, Sweden 's Director-General for Development Cooperation, speaking in her capacity as a Panel member, briefed the Dialogue on a recent meeting between the General Assembly and members of the Panel.
Sweden's strategy in the United Nations Environment Programme 2004-2006: Sweden 's strategy for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 2004-2006 gives priority to issues of environmental monitoring, chemicals, water, sustainable consumption and production patterns, NGO participation and the implementation of environmental agreements (MEAs).
Sweden: International seminar on the future governance of UNEP: In November 2004, the Swedish government hosted an international seminar on the future governance of UNEP.
Norway
Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006
New York, 25 April 2006: Norway: Statement to the Informals on the Environment: In a statement to the Informal Consultations of the Plenary of the General Assembly on the Environment, Ambassador Johan L. Løvald outlined Norway’s views regarding the process, building on existing environmental structures, funding, science base, coherence, and normative functions.
Belarus
Volume 1 Edition 1 ¦May 2006
New York, 6 April 2006: Belarus: Statement to the Panel: In statement to the informal meeting between the General Assembly and the Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on System-wide Coherence (6 April), Sergei Rachkov, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Belarus, encouraged the Panel to hold “informal meetings with the members of the Executive Boards of UNICEF and UNDP/UNFPA, since these bodies provide a strategic guidance to the activities of the largest UN agencies at the country level.”
Japan
Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006
New York, 25 April 2006: Japan: Statement to the Informals on Environment: In a statement by Ambassador Toshiro Ozawa to the Informal Plenary of the General Assembly on the Environment, Japan supported the improvement of international environmental governance.
Iceland
Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006
New York, 19 April 2006: Iceland: Statement to the Informals on Environment: In a statement to the informal consultation of the plenary on environment, Iceland’s Ambassador, Hjálmar W. Hannesson, outlined Iceland’s views on scientific knowledge, and strengthening existing institutional frameworks.
New Zealand
Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006
New York, 19 April 2006: New Zealand: Statement to the Informals on the Environment: In a statement to the informal plenary on environment, New Zealand’s Ambassador, Rosemary Banks, outlined New Zealand’s views on multilateral environmental agreements, technology transfer, coordination among the UN Environment Programme and the Commission on Sustainable Development, funding, improving coordination, and procedural issues.
UN Environment Management Group
Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006
Geneva , February 2006: UN Environment Management Group Initiates Review: In response to the World Summit 2005, UNEP Executive Director and EMG Chair Klaus Töpfer initiated the EMG High-level Forum in order to revitalise support arrangements for UN System-wide cooperation. The High-level Forum took place on 24 January 2006.
IUCN-World Conservation Union
Volume 1 Edition 2 ¦May 2006
New York, 25 April 2006: IUCN-World Conservation Union: Statement to the Informals on Environment: Statement delivered by Special Advisor for Global Policy, Dr. Andrew M. Deutz, to the informal consultations of the plenary on environment the IUCN.
Non Governmental Organisations
Volume 1 Edition 2¦May 2006
Paris , 2004: IDDRI: Proposals on International Environmental Governance: IDDRI (Institute for sustainable development and international relations) is a policy research institute based in Paris . As part of the debate on international environmental governance, the IDDRI is coordinating a series of studies commissioned to international experts. This series of studies looks at various facets of international environmental governance.
Geneva : IISD/IUCN: Proposal for a Standing Conference on Trade and Environment: This proposal by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and IUCN - The World Conservation Union calls for the convening of a Standing Conference on Trade and Environment (SCTE).
General Assembly: Informal consultations on International Environmental Governance
Volume 1 Edition 1 | May 2006 |
The World Summit 2005 identified a number of issues that need to be addressed for the implementation of more efficient environmental activities in the United Nations system, including: enhanced coordination; improved policy advice and guidance; strengthened scientific knowledge, assessment and cooperation; better treaty compliance, while respecting the legal autonomy of the treaties; and better integration of environmental activities in the broader sustainable development framework at the operational level, including through capacity-building. Based on these issues, the Summit agreed to “explore the possibility of a more coherent institutional framework to address this need, including a more integrated structure, building on existing institutions and internationally agreed instruments, as well as the treaty bodies and the specialised agencies.” As part of the follow-up to the Summit Outcome Document, Ambassador's Enrique Berruga of Mexico and Peter Maurer of Switzerland were appointed to co-chair informal consultations of the General Assembly on international environmental governance. On 20 March 2006, the co-chairs wrote to Member States outlining the substance and timing of the informals, identifying questions to be addressed by Member States in the first rounds of informal consultations, which took place on 19 and 25 April 2006. The Co-Chairs requested that delegations respond to two questions:
- 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, including:
- enhanced coordination;
- improved policy advice and guidance;
- strengthened scientific knowledge, assessment and cooperation;
- better treaty compliance, while respecting the legal autonomy of the treaties; and
- better integration of environmental activities in the broader sustainable development framework at the operational level, including through capacity-building.
- What could be envisaged in terms of a more coherent institutional framework aimed at addressing these major problems and challenges?
Source: UNEP, 2006
General Assembly Follow-up; http://www.un.org/ga/president/60/summitfollowup/enviro.html
Letter from the co-chairs, 20 March, 2006;
http://www.un.org/ga/president/60/summitfollowup/060320.pdf
Background Note by the Secretariat on the Institutional Framework for the Environment Activities of the UN; http://www.un.org/ga/president/60/summitfollowup/060126b.pdf