Negotiations

UN Environment Assembly – UNEA

The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment, with a universal membership of all 193 UN Member States. UNEA meets biennially to set priorities for global environmental policies and develop international environmental law. The Assembly provides leadership, catalyzes intergovernmental action on the environment, and contributes to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNEA also serves as the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

UNEA was established as a result of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, also known as Rio+20) in June 2012, where the outcome document, The Future We Want, called on the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to strengthen and upgrade UNEP. The UNGA then adopted resolution 67/213 on strengthening and upgrading UNEP and establishing universal membership of its GC. In March 2013, the UNGA further adopted resolution 67/251, which changed the designation of the UNEP Governing Council (GC) to the UNEA of the UNEP.

Events

Showing 1 - 10 of 31 results

OECPR-7 and UNEA-7

Delegates at UNEA-7 confronted new and emerging issues, linking the environment to technology, health, and the global economy, while also considering how best to deal with ever-growing concerns pertaining to climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

Event 1 December 2025 - 12 December 2025

Resumed 3rd Meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on a Science-Policy Panel to Contribute Further to the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste and to Prevent Pollution and Intergovernmental Meeting

Bolstering scientific knowledge on the impact of chemicals and waste pollution on ecosystems and human health is an urgent priority. Governments have now successfully established the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution (ISP-CWP) to bridge the gap between science and policy.

Event 15 June 2025 - 20 June 2025

3rd Meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on a Science-Policy Panel to Contribute Further to the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste and to Prevent Pollution

Delegates were expected to make significant progress in establishing the scientific foundations for better management of chemicals and waste. However, they were unable to reach consensus on the “foundational document” outlining the basic structure of the science-policy panel.

Event 17 June 2024 - 21 June 2024

UN Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment Special Sessions at UNEA-6

The United Nations Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment (UN-SPBF) convened a day-long Special Session at UNEA-6. Building on recent UN-SPBF regional and thematic processes and outcomes of expert groups, and with a focus on “solution-driven thought-leadership,” the day was organized around moderated, interactive debates and deep-dive segments introducing perspectives and contributions from multiple sectors and stakeholders.

Event 27 February 2024

Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum (GMGSF) at UNEA-6

Serving as the prep meeting for major groups and stakeholders attending the UN Environment Assembly, talks will be organized around the UNEA-6 theme of “Effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.”

Event 24 February 2024 - 25 February 2024

UNEA-6 and OECPR-6

Under the theme “Effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution,” delegates adopted 15 resolutions, two decisions, and a Ministerial Declaration, covering topics including the highly hazardous pesticides, sustainable lifestyles, sand and dust storms, and environmental recovery in areas affected by armed conflict.

Event 19 February 2024 - 1 March 2024

2nd Meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on a Science-Policy Panel to Contribute Further to the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste and to Prevent Pollution

Delegates worked to develop proposals for the establishment of the science-policy panel to contribute to the sound management of chemicals and waste, and the prevention of pollution. Discussions focused on: scope, functions, operating principles, and conflict of interest; institutional arrangements and relationships with key stakeholders; and work-related processes and procedures.

Event 9 December 2023 - 15 December 2023

OEWG1-2: Science-Policy Panel to Contribute Further to the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste and to Prevent Pollution

In their discussions toward the establishment of a science-policy panel to contribute to the sound management of chemicals and waste and the prevention of pollution, delegates focused on the scope and functions of the panel. Capacity building attracted particular attention, and was supported as an additional function of the panel.

Event 30 January 2023 - 3 February 2023

OEWG1: Science-Policy Panel to Contribute Further to the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste and to Prevent Pollution

This meeting provided the opportunity for Member States and other stakeholders to state their views on what the future science-policy panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution should look like. Many agreed it should be lean, flexible, and policy-relevant, not policy prescriptive.

Event 6 October 2022

Big Data for the Planet Breakfast and Ministerial Dialogue: The Next 50 Years

The event formally launched the Data for the Environment Alliance, which promotes cooperation and synergies on environmental data and solutions between state and non-state actors. 

Event 4 March 2022