Highlights and images for 15 March 2019

Summary

Highlights for Friday, 15 March 2019

UNEA-4 President Siim Valmar Kiisler, and Jorge Laguna-Celis, Secretary of Governing Bodies, UNEP

On Friday, delegates attended two Leadership Dialogues in the morning, while ministers delivered national statements. The dialogues addressed, in turn, life-cycle approaches to resource efficiency, energy, chemicals and waste management, and innovative sustainable business development at a time of rapid technological change. Reporting back to plenary in the afternoon, the dialogue moderators highlighted the need for a significant shift toward sustainable consumption and production (SCP), They noted there is no single definition of a sustainable lifestyle, but that a collaborative effort by all stakeholders can create a chain reaction of change, “if we have the courage to make it happen.”In the afternoon closing plenary, delegates adopted the Ministerial Declaration, 26 resolutions and three decisions, addressing many global environmental issues including marine litter and microplastics, single-use plastics, sustainable nitrogen management, and the empowerment of women and girls in environmental governance. They also adopted the UNEP Programme of Work and budget for 2020-21. The US disassociated itself from the Ministerial Declaration, and expressed its reservation regarding references in the resolutions to several international agreements, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, stating that these have no standing with regard to negotiations on trade.Many delegates expressed appreciation for the efforts of UNEA-4 President Siim Kiisler, the Committee of Permanent Representatives, and the UNEP Secretariat in preparing for and supporting the meeting. They also welcomed incoming UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.The plenary elected Ola Elvestuen, Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway, as President of UNEA-5, and Nomvula Mokonyane (South Africa) as Rapporteur. They elected office bearers representing all regions.Delegates witnessed a presentation by children of water samples from special places around the world, and a video message from UN General Assembly President María Fernanda Espinosa (Ecuador). Kiisler thanked all participants warmly, and gaveled UNEA-4 to a close at 7.30 pm.

IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from OECPR-4 and UNEA-4, which is available in HTML and PDF.

Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis

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Plenary Session

Harry Verhaar, Philips Lighting

Marcin Krupa, Katowice City Mayor, Poland

View of the dais during the plenary session

Wael Aboulmagd, Egypt

Daniel Wai-Poi, New Zealand

Solitaire Townsend, Futerra

Rebecca Freitag, Youth Delegate for Sustainable Development

Wanjiru Waweru, Funkidz

Shady Rabab, Rabab Luxor Art Collective

Ola Elvestuen, President of UNEA-5, and Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway

UNEA-4 President Siim Valmar Kiisler receiving a Testimony of Appreciation from Jorge Laguna-Celis, Secretary of Governing Bodies, UNEP

Wael Aboulmagd, Egypt, and Michał Kurtyka, President of the 24th Conference of the Parties (COP24) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Committee of Permanent Representatives Chair Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, Ghana, and Committee of the Whole Chair Fernando Coimbra, Brazil

Koleka Anita Mqulwana, South Africa

Erasmo Martínez and Lino Santacruz Moctezuma, Mexico

Yannis Derbali, UNEP, and Pedro-José Espinosa, UN Office at Nairobi (UNON)

From L-R: UNEA-4 President Siim Valmar Kiisler; Erik Grigoryan, Minister of Nature Protection, Armenia; and Vigen Ananyan, Armenia

Patrick Luna, Brazil, and Hugo Schally, EU

Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo and Jamil Ahmad, UNEP

Leadership Dialogue: Life-Cycle Approaches to Resource Efficiency, Energy, Chemicals and Waste Management

From L-R: Moderator Janez Potočnik, Co-Chair, International Resource Panel; Inga Rhonda King, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); Sarah Chandler, Apple Inc; Michael Gotsche, BASF-Africa; Stefanie Hellweg, ETH Zurich; and Leyla Acaroglu, UNEP Champion of the Earth

Moderator Janez Potočnik, Co-Chair, International Resource Panel

Stefanie Hellweg, ETH Zurich

Sarah Chandler, Apple Inc

Inga Rhonda King, ECOSOC President

From L-R: Michael Gotsche, BASF-Africa; Stefanie Hellweg, ETH Zurich; and Leyla Acaroglu, UNEP Champion of the Earth

Leadership Dialogue: Innovative Business Development at a Time of Rapid Technological Change

Moderator Felix Dodds, University of North Carolina

Hugh Weldon, 2018 Young Champion of the Earth

From L-R: Pierre Courtemanche, CEO, GeoTraceability; Priya Mehra, Victory Farms; and Jane Nyakang'o, Kenya National Cleaner Production Centre

Elizabeth Taylor, Colombia

Carole Dieschbourg, Minister for the Environment, Luxembourg

National Statements in UNEA-4 Plenary

Michał Kurtyka, UNFCCC COP24 President

Suleiman Hassan Zarma, Minister of State in the Federal Ministry of Power Works and Housing, Nigeria

Fadi Jreissati, Minister of Environment, Lebanon

Josefa Leonel Correa Sacko, African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture

Alexander Teabo, Minister for Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development, Kiribati

Malik Amin Aslam, Federal Minister and Adviser to Prime Minister of Pakistan for Climate Change

Joseph Séka Séka, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Côte d'Ivoire

Eneida De León, Ministry of Housing, Territorial Planning and Environment, Uruguay

Closing Ceremony

L-R: Inger Andersen, incoming Executive Director, UNEP, Siim Kiisler, UNEA-4 President, and Joyce Msuya, acting Executive Director, UNEP, water seedlings with freshwater collected by children from special places around the world as a symbol of global unity.