Global Steering Committee

The first Global Steering Committee was elected at the regional meetings in October – November 2006. The Global Steering Committee composed two representatives from each of the six UNEP regions, gender-balanced and representing five major groups is expected to help fostering inter-regional dialogue prior to and following the Global Civil Society Forum and addressing the need to have a GCSF “regionally balanced and representative”, per Decision SSVII.5.

The Global Steering Committee should also increase the ownership of the process in the regions, promote engagement of major groups at governance level and foster the continuous engagement of major groups in UNEP work.

The Global Steering Committee is composed of the following members:

• Pr. Michael Koech, Sustainable Development and Environment Network of Kenya (SENKE), Kenya (Chair)
• Ms. Dorcas Otieno, Kenya Organization of Environmental Education (KOEE), Kenya
• Dr. Mahmood A. Khwaja, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Pakistan
• Ms. Zhang Hehe, Friends of Nature, China
• Ms. Sascha Gabizon, Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF), Germany
• Mr. Jan-Gustav Strandenaes, Norway
• Ms. Esther Marianne Neuhaus, Brazilian Forum of NGOs and Social Movements for Sustainable Development (FBMOS), Brazil
• Mr. Gordon Bispham , Caribbean Policy Development Centre, Barbados
• Mr Tom Hammond, IUCN, Canada          
• Ms Melanie Nakagawa, Natural Resources Defense Council, USA
• Ms. Alia El-Husseini, Palestinian Arab Women League, Lebanon
• Mr Al-Sayrafi, Friends of the Environment Center, Qatar

One of the important tasks of the Committee is the drafting of the Global Statement which, along with the regional statements, will be included in the official ministerial documents of the upcoming Governing Council / Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF).  To read the terms of reference of the Global Steering Committee, please click here>>.

The Committee will meet on 2 February 2007 to review its work, the 8th GCSF programme of work as well as to discuss the engagement in the 24th GC/GMEF and the way forward to engage major groups in the work of UNEP.