• Overview

When: 13 - 27 September 2022

Where: New York, United States of America

All 193 Member States of the United Nations are represented in the General Assembly. The General Debate is each member's opportunity to discuss and work together on a wide array of international issues.

All updates were shared on the UNEP at the UN General Assembly feed.

Representatives from UNEP organized and/or took part in the following events:

7 September - 5 October 2022 | Jaguar Parade Exhibition in New York

Jaguar Parade is an open-air art exhibition of decorated jaguar statues. It is an art installation with a purpose: to raise funds and awareness about the urgent need to conserve jaguars and their habitats.

The sculptures were displayed in public and private places in New York, in areas of high traffic and social, cultural or historical importance. Simultaneously, some sculptures were part of the 77th General Assembly of the United Nations.

16 September 2022 | 8:30 - 18:00 EDT | Transforming Education Summit: Youth Mobilization Day

During this day, young representatives to the Summit launched the Youth Declaration of Transforming Education.

A youth-led and youth-organized Mobilization Day kickstarted the Summit proceedings on Friday, 16 September 2022. On this day young people shared their commitments and views on transforming education with decision-makers through meaningful intergenerational dialogues including with education champions and education authorities.

17 September 2022 | 11:45 - 12:45 EDT | Transforming Education Summit: Rewiring and Transforming Education through cross-sectoral action

Government delegates, civil society representatives, and youth leaders gathered in an interactive conversation on the cross-sectoral nature of education and its important role in tackling major global challenges.

19 September 2022 | 8:30 - 19:00 EDT | Transforming Education Summit: Leaders Day

Leaders Day was dedicated to the presentation of National Statements of Commitment by Heads of State and Government in the form of Leaders Roundtables. A limited number of thematic sessions were also held to place a focus on cross-cutting priorities for transforming education. Leaders Day also featured the presentation of the Summit Youth Declaration and the Secretary-General’s Vision Statement for Transforming Education.

19 September 2022 | 8:30 - 11:30 EDT | SDG Moment

The SDG moment, which was convened by the Secretary General, provided world leaders with a platform to showcase the bold actions and solutions that are needed to set the world on course towards achieving the SDGs, which are a blueprint for ending poverty, tackling the climate crisis and boosting the economy.

The forum was an opportunity to mobilise urgent actions and bold solutions needed to set the world on course towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

21 September 2022 | 08:00 - 09:30 EDT | Roadmap to End Plastic Pollution by 2040

This side-event provided an opportunity to discuss how to define an evidence-based vision and roadmap to End Plastic Pollution by 2040 and developing science-based solutions, insights and policy scenario to achieve it. This could involve looking at the assumptions, enablers, interventions for systems change, standards, policy frameworks, technology and incentives for government, private sector and finance institutions towards this ambition.

21 September 2022 | 15:30 - 17:00 EDT | Leaders’ Roundtable on Climate Action

The Secretary-General and the President of Egypt hosted a closed Leaders’ Roundtable on Climate Action, that facilitated a frank and informal exchange between world leaders on worsening climate impacts and the rising carbon emissions that are hitting vulnerable communities the hardest.

It highlighted significant gaps on climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience, climate finance, as well as loss and damage and build a common understanding on how world leaders can strengthen international cooperation and re-energize the multilateral system to deliver demonstrable progress through a successful outcome at COP27 that will help to bridge these gaps.