The UNEP Mid-Term Strategy 2022 – 2025 (MTS) vision of a healthy, prosperous and resilient people and planet builds on the three strategic objectives: Climate Stability by reducing emissions and enhancing adaptation and resilience; Living in Harmony with Nature and Achieving Land Degradation Neutrality by reducing biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, maintaining ecosystem functions and services, and reducing desertification, land degradation and drought; and A Pollution-Free Planet by preventing, reducing and controlling exposures to harmful chemicals, waste and pollution.
Countries have taken steps over the past years on the road to building collaboration and cooperation between the biodiversity and the chemicals and waste clusters at the global, regional and national levels, especially in light of the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and the Global Framework on Chemicals- For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste. These steps include various exploratory studies, decisions from governing bodies of MEAs, the Fifth session of International Conference on Chemicals Management, and other international events, such as the Bern III Conference held in January 2024, which all aim at promoting collaboration within and across clusters in areas of common interest. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework makes clear that active engagement of other biodiversity-related conventions and MEAs is imperative to achieving the KMGBF goals and targets. The environmentally sound management of chemicals and waste is relevant for the achievement of many of the framework’s targets, including Target 7, ‘Reduce pollution risks and negative impact of pollution’ and Targets 10, 11, 14, 16, 22, and 23.
UNEP has been providing substantive input and technical support to countries in strengthening coordination and cooperation in the implementation of MEAs and other instruments at the national level, particularly in the context of the KM-GBF on Chemicals. These two frameworks provide a new opportunity to enhance coordination and cooperation. The COPs to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions welcomed the adoption of the KMGBF at their respective meetings in 2025 and called upon the Parties to the conventions to take into account the objectives of the framework in their actions to implement the conventions. Similarly, the COP5 to Minamata Convention considered areas of mutual supportiveness and co-benefits between the Convention and the KMGBF.
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) through its resolution 6/6 on Fostering national action to address global environmental challenges through increased cooperation between the United Nations Environment Assembly, the United Nations Environment Programme and multilateral environmental agreements further strengthened UNEP’s mandate to support coherent and effective implementation of MEAs at the national level including through the Fifth Programme for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law (Montevideo Environmental Law Programme). Progress on the implementation of UNEA resolution 6/6 is elaborated in the report by UNEP’s Executive Director.
