• Overview
  • Documents
  • Background Information Docouments

Join us on June 7th to have a say in the virtual consultation of Major Groups and stakeholders, a preparatory meeting to ensure an impactful outcome from the Fifth Session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) taking place next year. Register your interest here.

2020 marks the beginning of the decade of action. This super year for nature was derailed by the COVID-19 outbreak, but the urgency to act #forNature has not diminished. How can we strengthen actions for nature to achieve the sustainable development goals in light of this global pandemic?

The consultation will center around the following themes:

  • Health and Environment: What a post-pandemic recovery looks like
  • Tackling Ocean Pollution
  • Ecosystem Restoration, Biodiversity, and Development
  • Involvement and Implementation

The output of the consultation will be handed over to the Bureau of the UNEA and the Committee of Permanent Representatives.

The consultation is the first event of the week-long Oslo Act #forNature Global Forum that includes Townhalls and the Preparatory Retreat for the UNEA Bureau. Check out the website for more information about the Oslo Act #forNature Global Forum and The International Consultation of Major Groups and Stakeholders.

For any questions or suggestions, please contact Ingrid Rostad from ForUM Norway (ingrid[at]forumfor.no) or the representative of your Major Group in the Major Groups Facilitating Committee.

The MGS consultation will be followed by so called “Global Townhalls” on June 8 to 10, with the following themes:

  • Townhall 1: Healthy ecosystems for healthy people: limiting the impact and future emergence of zoonotic diseases
  • Townhall 2: Adapt to Thrive: transformational change for nature and business
  • Townhall 3. Turning the Tide on Marine Plastics: How UNEA-5 can be a turning point
  • Townhall 4. Connecting People and Nature:  transforming the global food system
  • Townhall 5. Youth Voices for Nature: Environmental Governance in the Time of Covid-19 ( organized by the Children and Youth Major Group)

Please note that the themes of Townhall 1 – 4 are very close to the subthemes of UNEA 5 which has the overall theme “Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”.

Townhalls 1, 2, 3 and 4 are organized by UNEP, while Townhall 5 is organized by the Children and Youth Major Groups which will also organize its  own preparatory meetings prior to June 7 (for more information please contact: Yugratna Srivastava (yugratn[at]@gmail.com) and/or Teresa  Oberhauser (Teresa.oberhauser[at]posteo.net). We are encouraging all Major Groups to consider to organize similar preparatory consultations themselves, e.g. by Major Group, or by region.

To participate in the townhalls, kindly register here

One June 9 and 10, the Bureau of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to UNEP (CPR) and the UNEA Bureau will meet for a retreat. Prior to that, on June 9, there will be a joint virtual session of representatives of MGS and the UNEA and CPR Bureaus, allowing for Major Groups to share the outcomes of the consultations on June 7 with member states.

We are looking forward to your active participation in the preparations for the consultations and the consultations itself. Please stay healthy!

Links to relevant background and information documents and publications on the way to UNEA- 5:

Resource Efficiency and Climate Change: Material Efficiency Strategies for a Low-Carbon Future

Illegal Trade in Chemicals

Geo4business

Marine Litter: Adhoc Open Working Group on Marine and microplastics was established at the third session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) in response to UNEP/EA.3/Res.7 Marine Litter and Microplastics.

COVID-19 updates from the United Nations Environment Programme

Medical Waste

Factsheets on Zoonotic Diseases, Trade and the Environment, Enhancing Nationally Determined Contributions through Nature-Based Solutions and Resource Efficiency, Global Environmental Governance, Green Jobs, Greening Fiscal Stimulus and Finance Packages to Achieve the SDGs, Waste Management

Emerging zoonotic diseases and links to ecosystem health – UNEP Frontiers 2016 chapter

Building resilient societies after the covid-19 pandemic

Growing popularity of alternate food systems for environment and health

The state of the world’s forests 2020: forests, biodiversity and people

Global Status Report 2019: Towards a zero-emission, efficient, and resilient buildings and construction sector

The Emissions Gap Report 2019

GEO-6 for Youth - Africa

Resource Efficiency and Climate Change

Consumer Information Tools and Climate Change - Facilitating low-carbon choices in Tourism, Buildings and Food Systems

GEO-6: Sixth Global Environment Outlook – Healthy Planet, Healthy People

FRONTIERS 2018/19: EMERGING ISSUES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN

Collaborative Framework for Food Systems Transformation