The UN Environment Assembly (UNEA), the highest decision-making body on environmental matters in the UN system, will hold the online part of its fifth session virtually.

The meeting was originally scheduled to take place during the last week of February 2021 in Nairobi, Kenya. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and following consultations with Member States and stakeholders, the UNEA Bureau decided that UNEA-5 will follow a two-step approach. An online session of UNEA-5, conducted virtually from 22-23 February 2021, will focus on urgent and procedural decisions. The resumed session of UNEA-5 will be held in person in February 2022 to discuss substantive matters that require in-depth negotiations.

Under the overall theme “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” UNEA-5 provides a platform for discussing and implementing nature-based solutions that contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda by holistically addressing the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of the SDGs. The online session of UNEA-5 will consolidate environmental actions within the context of sustainable development and discuss ways to ensure that policies for economic recovery following COVID-19 lead to a resilient and inclusive post-pandemic world.

UNEA-5 will discuss environmental governance and policy issues, and focus on the medium-term strategy for 2022-2025 and the related programme of work and budget. Delegates will further consider the report of the Committee of Permanent Representatives and contributions from stakeholders. The high-level segment will include statements by key dignitaries, leadership dialogues, and a multi-stakeholder dialogue. It will focus on environmental protection and sustainable development in recovery efforts.

The online session of UNEA-5 will be preceded by an online session of the fifth meeting of the Open-Ended Meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (OECPR-5), which will take place virtually from 15-16 February 2021. UNEA-5 will also be preceded by online meetings of the Global Major Groups and Stakeholder Forum (9-11 February 2021), the Youth Environment Assembly (12-13 and 18-20 February 2021), and the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment (18-20 February 2021).

IISD, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from the on-line session of UNEA-5.