For the first time, the UN Environment Program’s Committee of Permanent Representatives (UNEP OE CPR) allowed non-governmental and business representatives to attend a preparatory meeting in Nairobi, from March 24 to 28. The meeting discussed proposed decisions for the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) to be held in Nairobi in late June.
USCIB Vice President Norine Kennedy represented U.S. business at the week-long meeting, where she also serves as co-chair of the Stakeholder Coordinating group for UNEP. Joining Kennedy was Weru Macharia of the Kenyan Employers’ Organization. Business submissions to UNEP can be found here.
Government representatives at the UNEP session considered new international policy efforts on:
– air quality, proposed by the United States
– strengthening scientific assessments by UNEP
– chemicals and waste, and
– non-governmental stakeholder engagement.
USCIB will be preparing for the June UNEA in order to communicate member priorities and views to the U.S. and other government representatives that will attend. UNEA will lay the groundwork for environmental considerations in the UN Post 2015 Development agenda, and extend UNEP influence into scientific assessment and agenda setting for international policy.
UNEP is the recognized central UN agency for environmental issues, comprising several multilateral environmental agreements, international chemical regulatory policy, green economy and scientific assessment. At last year’s Rio+20 meeting and UN General Assembly, governments agreed to expand UNEP’s membership to include all 193 country members of the UN, and to give it primary authority for environmental policy. USCIB has had consultative standing with UNEP since 2010.
Staff contact: Norine Kennedy
