8 August 2018: The UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) President circulated an outline of the draft ministerial outcome document from UNEA-4 for comment. UNEA-4 will take place from 11-15 March 2019, in Nairobi, Kenya, on the theme, ‘Innovative Solutions for Environmental Challenges and Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP)’.
Siim Kiisler, Minister for Environment, Estonia, and President of UNEA, is inviting comments from environment ministers and members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) ahead of a retreat for senior policy makers on the environment in Tallinn, Estonia, scheduled for 6-7 September 2018. Kiisler explains in an accompanying letter that the draft outline is a result of informal consultations and written submissions from Member States and stakeholders.
The outline highlights three main priorities for enabling SCP to become a reality around the world: better global environmental data and partnerships; sustainable and efficient resource management; and robust engagement of civil society, citizens and academia in promoting innovative approaches. The outline calls for ensuring the transparency, accountability and comparability of global environment data, and developing science-policy-business partnerships on innovative data technologies and digital solutions. Comprehensive monitoring systems are envisaged through citizen monitoring and the use of satellite data to establish, for example, real-time monitoring of air quality and deforestation monitoring systems. On resource management, the outline refers to decarbonization, detoxification and decoupling of resource use through measures that include circular economies, waste management focusing on food, plastics and marine litter, and sustainable land management, as well as targets on biodiversity and chemicals management. The third priority, citizen engagement, covers research and development funding, access to environmental education, indigenous knowledge, nature-based solutions, and sustainable tourism.
Kiisler notes that comments on the draft outline will be used to develop a zero draft of the ministerial outcome document by the end of September 2018, and informal consultations will take place in October and November 2018 through the CPR, UN regional preparatory meetings, and key stakeholders. A full draft of the ministerial outcome document will be circulated in December, followed by further consultations to produce a final draft by February 2019. Kiisler will lead final consultations during the meeting of the Open-Ended Committee of Permanent Representatives (OECPR) convening from 5-9 March, prior to adoption of the document at the close of UNEA-4.
The retreat in Tallinn, hosted by the Government of Estonia, will include a UNEP-led discussion on the topic, ‘A vision for the future environmental agenda linking to prospects for a Stockholm + 50 and Rio + 30 stocktaking debate and the role of UNEA.’ [SDG Knowledge Hub Sources] [UNEA-4 Webpage] [UNEA-4 Concept Note]