::UNEP:: Civil Society

The Eighth Global Civil Society Forum (8th GCSF)
Daily Update

Day One: Saturday 3 February 2007

Opening Session

At the podium (from left to right): Olivier Deleuze, Chief Major Groups and Stakeholders Branch; Beverly Miller, Secretary of the Governing Council; Shafqat Kakakhel, UNEP Deputy Executive Director; Cristina Boelcke, Director of the Division of Regional Cooperation and Representation and Professor M. Koech, Chair of the Global Steering Committee. More than 160 participants from 65 countries took part in the opening session of the 8th Global Civil Society Forum (GCSF) which is taking place in Nairobi from 3 to 4 February 2007. The Global Steering Committee presented the Global Civil Society Statement and UNEP presented the draft decisions of the GC/GMEF. Resource persons from UNEP and major groups elaborated further on the issues at stake during the GC/GMEF and highlight how perspectives from major groups can be brought in.
	K. Ramakrishna, UNEP Policy Advisor, Espoke of ecosystem services and human well-being during the first session.
	Tim Kasten, Chief of UNEP's Natural Resources Branch spoke of UNEP water policy and strategy.
	Mathew Gubb, Coordinator of the SAICM Secretariat, spoke of Chemicals management. He also answered questions from civil society delegates on the topic.