Mon Jun 8th 9:00am - 10:00am

This opening session “Working with the Environment to Protect People in a post-Covid world” compromised of introductory remarks made by H.E. Mr. Sveinung Rotevatn, President of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) and Minister of Climate and Environment of Norway and Ms. Inger Andersen, Under Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), providing insights on the upcoming session fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly, whose theme is “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

Followed by a presentation based on the latest science on the status for nature and biodiversity and the conclusions from the Global Environment Outlook (GEO), Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and other global assessments on the need for transformative changes to turn the trends, in order to further provide context for the global townhalls and preparations towards the fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly.

Forum Host

Ms. Birgit M. Liodden, Founder & CEO, The Ocean Opportunity Lab

Confirmed Speakers

H.E. Mr. Sveinung Rotevatn, UNEA President and Minister of Environment and Climate of Norway

Twitter: @Rotevatn

Inger Andersen, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)

Twitter: @andersen_inger

Dr. Anne Larigauderie, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

Twitter: @ibrahimthiaw

Watch the Video of the Opening Session