Statement prepared for delivery at the 151st meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives.
H.E. Mr. Fernando Coimbra, Chair of the Committee of Permanent Representatives
Ambassadors, Excellencies and colleagues
Thank you for joining us at the 151st meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives. My continued sympathies with Member States as we mark a grim milestone - infection rates from COVID-19 hit 25 million this past month. As we tackle the global pandemic, environmental catastrophes are adding an unwanted humanitarian burden. Beirut. Brazil. China. India. Mauritius. Sudan. United States. Yemen. In January, the World Meteorological Organization predicted that we will expect extreme weather throughout 2020. The science, unfortunately, continues to hold true to its findings.
The complex and urgent challenge of zoonotic diseases
In April, I outlined UNEP’s strategy to respond to COVID-19, a vital pillar of which is to deliver stronger science for informed policies. I am proud to update you that in July, UNEP along with the International Livestock Research Institute, and partners, released an update to previous work addressing the complex and urgent challenge of zoonotic diseases. The Report is clear and unambiguous in its call for a “One Health” approach, one which integrates human, animal and environmental health. “One Health” is not new, but its uptake has been uneven, and institutional support limited. The good news is that investing in such an approach will cost only a fraction of the stimulus packages announced to reboot the global economy. Widely reported by the media, findings from this report were published in more than 400 outlets in 42 countries. You will hear more about other milestones on the programmatic side a little later on.
Update on the next Medium-Term Strategy
It is this approach, to connect the dots between human activity, planetary health and human health that is the foundation of UNEP’s next Medium-Term Strategy (MTS - 2022 to 2025). In my remarks at the Sub-Committee Meeting in July, I outlined the triple planetary crisis – climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution - and our actions to deliver deeper and broader impact. I am pleased that much of this thinking resonated with Member States and we found significant support for the direction outlined. We also listened closely to your feedback including on the need for a greater emphasis on nexus issues between the strategic pillars and the focus on UN Reform. I trust the revised draft tabled before you for discussion reflects these insights.
A coherent and focused MTS is not a destination but rather, an entry point to align our systems, operations, procedures and culture, to deliver with greater impact. Building on the excellent work that is being done in a number of areas to strengthen our organization, we will have to work together to ensure that by the end of 2021, UNEP is in a position to respond to the promise of an ambitious strategy. This means ensuring that the whole of UNEP is greater than the sum of its parts.
UNEP’s accountability framework
UNEP is strengthening its accountability systems by embedding “lines of defence” to enhance effective risk management and control. These efforts, captured in our “back-to-basics model”, are enshrined in UNEP’s roadmap to strengthen foundational controls and principles for management and administration. While we will shortly share a written update on implementation progress, a key priority is to set the right tone at the top. We strive to achieve this through dialogues between and among managers and staff reinforcing appropriate behaviors. Likewise, we are investing heavily in internal controls and on re-sensitizing and training staff on their role as gatekeepers and custodians of policies. Beyond internal controls, independent audits continue to be a critical and a much welcome element of UNEP’s accountability framework. Since the last update to the CPR, three audits have been undertaken and implementation of recommendations of nine closed audits are underway. The audits have identified a need to strengthen grants management and our work with implementing partners. We have also revisited the benchmarking of best practices internally across UN agencies and concluded the need to prioritize UN efficiencies and UN reform as a non-resident agency. Three UN agencies have been identified for the benchmarking exercise and we are now looking for a suitable consultancy firm to undertake the exercise.
Key programmatic highlights
As we seek to dry the ink on the next MTS, I am pleased to report progress on our Programme of Work. Much of this is detailed in the Quarterly Report, but allow me to share some highlights. Our progress on securing the health of people and planet is situated within the broader framework of the Implementation Plan “Towards A Pollution-Free Planet”. Mandated by the Ministerial Declaration adopted by the Third UN Environment Assembly, the Implementation Plan aims to build synergies across various streams of UNEP work on pollution to strengthen coordination, information sharing, communication and reporting. You will hear more from the Team today.
The Global Tailings Review convened by UNEP, the Principles for Responsible Investment and the International Council on Mining and Metals launched the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management in August. This is the first global standard on tailings management. It aims to significantly raise the bar for the mining industry to achieve stronger social, environmental and technical outcomes against the backdrop of terrible tragedies such as the Brumadinho tailings facility collapse in Brazil. Working together with industry and investors, we have effectively used our convening power to achieve this important milestone. Building on this successful model, UNEP will explore whether comparable standards can be developed to minimize the risk of at least some of the environmental catastrophes I referenced at the beginning of my remarks.
Excellencies, the Outcome document The Future we want adopted by the General Assembly in 2012, called on UNEP to “disseminate and share evidence-based environmental information, and raise public awareness on critical, as well as emerging, environmental issues.” I am proud to report that we continue to hold true to this task. Millions of people may have been indoors for months, but undeterred and with host country Colombia, UNEP organized vibrant, engaging and completely virtual World Environment Day celebrations in the lead up to and on 05 June. A multi-lingual digital campaign #ForNature reached out to more than 100 million people. My appreciation to the Government of Germany for supporting this endeavour. We look forward to driving global conversation around nature at the UN Biodiversity Summit, the Fifth UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) and the 15th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
So a word on UNEA - My thanks to Ambassador Coimbra for the excellent summary of the Joint meeting of the UNEA and CPR Bureau. Irrespective of the decision we arrive at, UNEP is fully committed to being flexible, realistic and prudent, in support of a successful UNEA-5. Our hope at the very least is for Member States to deliberate on and gavel the next Medium-Term Strategy, the Programme of Work and the Budget.
Update on funding
I am pleased to report that contributions to the Environment Fund in 2020 at over US$ 71 million, have exceeded 2019 contribution. A huge thanks to Member States for this vote of confidence. Nevertheless, the liquidity crisis impacting the United Nations regular budget, and expenditure controls introduced by the UN Secretary-General – notably the freeze on the UN regular budget – are beginning to impact UNEP. As you may recall, following Rio + 20, UNEP saw an increase in regular budget funding for critical positions such as the Chief Scientist and Sub-Programme Coordinators. So while regular budget funding constitutes only five per cent of our budget envelope, a prolonged inability to fill regular budget-funded vacancies – including by way of illustration the Chief Scientist position - will have a detrimental effect on our ability to deliver vital parts of the Programme of Work. Mindful of global uncertainties, we will be prudent in expenditure controls that we have put in place. I look forward to continuing our dialogue on funding and resource mobilization at the upcoming Annual Sub Committee in October.
Inclusive multilateralism can rise to the challenge
As the UN Secretary-General has noted, this is a “make or break moment for the planet”. As we seek to reboot the global economy, how we prioritize and direct our resources can either secure human, economic and environmental health for generations to come, or take us down the grey path that has brought with it the suffering we are seeing today. We have little choice in the path we must take. Because if we look at the numbers, investing in a green recovery is the only thing that makes economic sense. Because spending on renewable energy can generate 2.5 times more jobs than fossil fuels. Because cleaner air can reduce the burden of disease from air pollution which is costing some countries 7 per cent or more of their GDP every year. Because as we embark on the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, we know that investing one dollar in restoring ecosystems can generate nine dollars by way of return on ecosystem services and livelihoods. Because we know, as we witness an extraordinary General Assembly – one that is virtual and marks the 75th anniversary of the United Nations –that inclusive and effective multilateralism can rise to meet the challenge of these turbulent times.
We need your leadership to put nature and environmental stewardship at the heart of COVID-19 recovery because iconic American civil rights leader John Lewis who passed away a few months ago noted, “ Whatever we do to the earth, we do to each other.” UNEP stands ready to support Member States on this journey.
Thank you.
Executive Director
