Delegates discuss informally during the 2nd Substantive Session of the Ad Hoc Open Ended Working Group Towards a Global Pact for the Environment
The third and final substantive session of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) to consider a global pact for the environment will take place at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya, from Monday, 20 May, to Wednesday, 22 May 2019.
The OEWG was established in May 2018 by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in Resolution 72/277, to consider a technical and evidence-based report by the United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) (A/73/419) identifying and assessing possible gaps in international environmental law and environment-related instruments with a view to strengthening their implementation. The Resolution also recommends, if necessary, consideration of the scope, parameters, and feasibility of an international instrument, with a view to making recommendations that may include the convening of an intergovernmental conference to adopt an international instrument. The conceptual origins of the proposal can be found in a 2015 report by the Environmental Commission of Le Club des Juristes (CDJ), “Increasing the Effectiveness of International Environmental Law: Duties of States, Rights of Individuals.”
The first substantive session of the OEWG convened in January 2019 to consider the report of the UN Secretary-General, “Gaps in international environmental law and environment-related instruments: towards a global pact for the environment” (A/73/419). See the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) summary and analysis.
The second session convened in March 2019. Delegations used a series of questions provided by the Co-Chairs, Amal Mudallali, Lebanon, and Francisco Duarte Lopes, Portugal, to facilitate a discussion on possible options to address possible gaps in international environmental law and environment-related instruments. See the ENB summary and analysis.
At the conclusion of the second session, the Co-Chairs invited delegations to submit concrete proposals not later than 12 April 2019 for consideration at the third session. These will be taken up during consideration of draft recommendations.
The Co-Chairs circulated a summary of the second substantive session, including views on principles in international environmental law:
- Negotiation of a new instrument: different views were expressed on the nature and format of such an instrument:
- a legally-binding instrument,
- a high–level political declaration, or
- a document agreed by the General Assembly.
- Views were also expressed that the nature of the instrument can be determined later, namely in the context of a negotiation process launched for the purpose of developing such an instrument;
- Views were also expressed on the inclusion of means of implementation in the negotiation of a new instrument.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from the 3rd Substantive Session of the Ad Hoc Open Ended Working Group Towards a Global Pact for the Environment. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Natalia Mroz
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