The next UN Environment Assembly UNEA-5 will take place in Nairobi on 22-26 February 2021.
The theme of the next Assembly is “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.” The theme calls for strengthened action to protect and restore nature and nature-based solutions to achieve the sustainable development goals in their three complementary dimensions (social, economic and environmental). You can learn more about the theme here.
UNEA-5 will be presided over by the Norwegian Environment Minister Sveinung Rotevatn. Other European environment ministries who are part of the UNEA Bureau are Estonia, France and Serbia.
Given that Norway is presiding over the Assembly, the Norwegian Environment Minister is hosting a retreat for the Bureau in June in preparation of the Assembly. To allow for the early involvement of civil society and other stakeholders, they also decided with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to hold an international consultation for all stakeholders, i.e. for all Major Groups and other Stakeholders globally. This was originally planned to be an in-person meeting in Oslo but will now be held as an online conference on 7 June.
Please find the invite for this consultation below. It is not limited to, but gives preference to organisations who are accredited by UNEP (there is a limit of 200 participants). It is crucial that many of SDGWE’s members who are accredited participate – in particular those who focus on the theme of UNEA-5: nature’s protection and restoration, especially nature-based solutions. Given that the conference takes place online, it is easy to participate. It is a unique chance for all interested organisations to be part of the UNEA preparations early on, to learn more about the process and eventually get more involved.
The consultation will be followed by a series of five online global town hall discussions on a variety of themes open to all (max. 15,000 participants). Information can be found here: https://app.tappin.no/registration/?e=actfornatureglobalonlineforum062020.
The international consultation with stakeholders and events are organised by ForUM, the Norwegian federation of environmental and development NGOs and UNEP with support from the Global Major Groups and Stakeholder Forum.
Invitation: Welcome to The International Consultation of Major Groups and Stakeholders
Join us on June 7th to have a say in the virtual consultation of Major Groups and stakeholders, a preparatory meeting to ensure an impactful outcome from the Fifth Session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) taking place next year. Register your interest here.
2020 marks the beginning of the decade of action. This super year for nature was derailed by the COVID-19 outbreak, but the urgency to act #forNature has not diminished. How can we strengthen actions for nature to achieve the sustainable development goals in light of this global pandemic?
The consultation will center around the following themes:
- Health and Environment: What a post-pandemic recovery looks like
- Tackling Ocean Pollution
- Ecosystem Restoration, Biodiversity, and Development
- Involvement and Implementation
The output of the consultation will be handed over to the Bureau of the UNEA and the Committee of Permanent Representatives.
The consultation is the first event of the week-long Oslo Act #forNature Global Forum that includes Town Halls and the Preparatory Retreat for the UNEA Bureau. Check out the website for more information about the Oslo Act #forNature Global Forum and The International Consultation of Major Groups and Stakeholders.