Highlights for Wednesday, 27 June 2018
A group photo of high-level participants at sixth GEF Assembly
The sixth Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) opened on Wednesday, 27 June 2018, in Da Nang, Viet Nam, with participants electing Trần Hồng Hà, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Viet Nam, as Chair.In his opening address, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Viet Nam, called on delegates to: identify key environmental challenges and formulate effective solutions; evaluate the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms; and propose inter-regional and interdisciplinary projects to address the underlying causes of environmental degradation. GEF CEO and Chairperson Naoko Ishii said that the ecosystems that are at the very foundation of economies and societies must be restored, and that transformations are not only needed but possible and “good for all of our lives.” After hearing a “message from science” delivered by Johan Rockström, Executive Director, Stockholm Resilience Centre, and Rosina Bierbaum, Chair, GEF Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel, delegates heard interactive panel discussions on delivering transformation and the seventh GEF replenishment’s role in systems change. Participants also heard inspiring messages from President Hilda Heine of the Marshall Islands and Former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet.In the afternoon, participants met in seven parallel roundtable discussions sessions on:
food, land use and restoration;
sustainable cities;
blue economy;
partnerships for implementing the 2030 Agenda;
science-based targets for the Earth;
circular economy; and
marine plastics.
In the evening, the government of Viet Nam hosted a reception.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, is providing daily photo and video coverage, and will produce a summary report from the GEF Council Consultation Meeting with CSOs, 54th GEF Council Meeting, 24th Meeting of the LDCF/SCCF Council, and 6th GEF Assembly.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu
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Opening Ceremony
Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Viet Nam
Participants standing to welcome Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Viet Nam
GEF Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairperson Naoko Ishii
Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Viet Nam
L-R: William Ehlers, GEF Secretariat; Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF; Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Viet Nam; and Trần Hồng Hà, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Viet Nam
Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Viet Nam, greeting participants at the end of the opening session
Opening Plenary
Hilda Heine, President of the Marshall Islands
Michelle Bachelet, Former President of Chile
Johan Rockström, Executive Director, Stockholm
Resilience Centre
L-R: Andrew Steer, President and CEO, World Resources Institute (WRI); Michelle Bachelet, Former President of Chile; Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment; Takehiko Nakao, President, Asian Development Bank; and Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever
Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever
Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment
L-R: Andrew Steer, President and CEO, WRI; Cristiana Paşca Palmer, Executive Secretary, CBD; Sunny Verghese, Co-Founder and Group CEO, Olam International; Suma Chakrabarti, President, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD); and Achim Steiner, Administrator, UNDP
Suma Chakrabarti, President, EBRD
Cristiana Paşca Palmer, Executive Secretary, CBD
Achim Steiner, Administrator, UNDP
High-Level Round Tables
Roundtable discussions on 'food, land use and restoration'
Ajay Jakhar, Chairman, Bharat Krishak Samaj (farmers’ organization)
Agnes Kalibata, President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever
Roundtable discussions on 'sustainable cities'
Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director, UN-Habitat
Emani Kumar, Deputy Secretary General, Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI)
Juan Pablo Bonilla, Manager, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector, Inter-American Development Bank
Roundtable discussions on 'blue economy'
Andrew Steer, President and CEO, WRI
Guido Schmidt-Traub, Executive Director, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network during the roundtable on 'partnerships for implementing the 2030 Agenda'
Roundtable discussions on 'science-based targets for the Earth'
An artist illustrates the discussions in real time during the roundtable on 'science-based targets for Earth'
Johan Rockström, Executive Director, Stockholm Resilience Centre
Roundtable discussions on 'circular economy'
Steve Yurich, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp, speaking on the circular economy
Timo Mäkelä, Senior Advisor, Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra (left) with participants during the roundtable on the circular economy
Roundtable discussions on 'marine plastics'
Atle Hamar, State Secretary, Ministry of Climate and Environment, Norway, speaking in the roundtable on marine plastics
Around the Venue
