By decision 22/17 of February 2003, the Governing Council of UNEP requested the Executive Director to provide the Governing Council, at its twenty-third session, “a comprehensive report on the implementation of the” Programme for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law for the first Decade of the Twenty-first Century (Montevideo Programme III).

Work on the review has started and will be carried out throughout 2004 and into 2005 when the outcome will be presented to the twenty-third session of the Governing Council. The review, while focusing on the implementation of the programme of work during the past five years, will also provide guidance on new areas of concentration of UNEP’s environmental law programme in the coming years within the framework of the Montevideo Programme III. The areas identified so far include: Legal aspects of trade and environment, freshwater resource management, coastal and marine ecosystems, progressive development of international environmental law and the implementation, compliance with and enforcement of environmental law at the national level. Additional subjects for possible consideration during the present decade are also being gathered for the review process.

UNEP has established an ad-hoc group of independent legal experts, including representatives of a few selected Governments from all regions, to provide periodic performance review and independent feedback as well as to assist in the review of the work done so far in the implementation of Montevideo Programme III. The review process will also be included as a part of each Regional/sub-regional workshop that will convene during 2004 with a view to achieveing a regional perspective. The Review Report will be discussed and finalised within the Committee of Permanent Representatives to UNEP, before being submitted to the Twenty-third session of the UNEP Governing Council in 2005.