The Division of Environmental Conventions convened a High-Level Brainstorming Workshop for MEAs on Mainstreaming Environment Beyond MDG 7 on 13-14 July 2005 at UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi.

In the context of the upcoming review of the Millennium Declaration at the 2005 World Summit, the Workshop aimed at identifying possible future common activities between UNEP, Secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and development agencies in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Approximately 50 participants attended the Workshop, including heads and senior representatives of the Secretariats of global and regional MEAs, the UN Millennium Project, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) and UNDP, as well as internationally recognized experts in the fields of environment and development.

Following keynote presentations on the various aspects of the issues of mainstreaming environment into the MDGs and the development process by Guido Schmidt-Traub, UN Millennium Development Project, David Runnalls, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Mohan Munasinghe, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and A.H. Zakri, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies, participants engaged in open and constructive dialogue under the chairmanship of Gary Sampson, Former Senior Counselor at the World Trade Organization.

Participants recognized that the environment is a precondition to the achievement of the MDGs and that these will not be met unless the sustainable use of ecosystem services is made an integral part of development strategies. It was agreed that the crucial question is how to operationalize environment in the MDG process.

Participants identified several avenues to place environmental sustainability at the centre of the MDGs, including:

discussions between MEA Secretariats, through an appropriate existing or new forum, to identify areas for synergies and better focus to contribute to the MDGs;
bringing together national focal points of MEAs to work together and with development agencies on MDGs;
using quick-win initiatives where environmental problems can be addressed while alleviating poverty;
developing an inventory of best practices in the field of mainstreaming environment;
establishing appropriate mechanisms for a two-way process to consider requests from countries for technical assistance on issues related to the environment and the MDGs; and
increasing information, education and awareness raising efforts.

Several short-, mid- and long-term follow-up activities were identified as set out in the Chairman's Conclusions. It was agreed that, for these activities, UNEP should play a coordinating role.