This biennial meeting of Environment Ministers is organized by the regional office of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The Preparatory Meeting of High-Level Experts will take place from 31 January-1 February 2012, and will be followed by the Ministerial Segment on 2-3 February. Among other things, the Ministers are to review the implementation of the Rio 1992 commitments and agreements, and deliberate on new, emerging and priority issues for the region and other issues on the road to the June 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The Ministers are also expected to discuss cooperation on sustainable consumption and production, environmental indicators, and the way forward in negotiating a regional framework agreement on atmospheric pollution that includes emissions of short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs) such as methane, black carbon, ozone precursors, and many hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).  

dates: 31 January – 3 February 2012   venue: Hilton Colon Quito Hotel, Amazonas N 1914 y Patria Avenida 1   location: Quito, Ecuador   contact: UNEP Regional Office for Latin America & the Caribbean   phone: +507-305-3100   fax: +507-305-3105   www: http://www.pnuma.org/forumofministers/18-ecuador/html/documents.htm