February 2005: The 23rd session of the UNEP Governing Council/ Global Environment Ministerial Forum concluded with key decisions on chemicals management, UNEP’s water policy and strategy, and international environmental governance (IEG).

During the week, delegates convened in plenary sessions, a Committee of the Whole, a drafting group and two open-ended contact groups to consider draft decisions. A three-day ministerial consultation considered the implementation of the internationally agreed development goals, including those in the Millennium Declaration, with a focus on environment and poverty, environmental sustainability, and gender and the environment.

The Governing Council/GMEF concluded its work by adopting decisions on issues relating to small island developing States, chemicals management, UNEP’s water policy and strategy, international environmental governance, gender equality and the environment, keeping the world environment situation under review, Programme of Work and Budget, administrative and other budgetary matters, poverty and the environment, environmental and equity considerations in the procurement practices of UNEP, and strengthening environmental emergency response and developing disaster prevention, preparedness, mitigation and early warning systems in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster.

International environmental governance: The GC’s decision on IEG focused on six topics: the Bali Strategic Plan, strengthening the scientific base of UNEP, universal membership of the GC, strengthening UNEP’s financial base, MEAs, and enhancing coordination across the UN system and the Environmental Management Group (EMG).

Chemicals management: Governments supported the development and implementation of partnerships to reduce risks to human health and the environment from mercury. They also asked UNEP to prepare a report summarizing supply, trade and demand information on mercury. While some countries, including those belonging to the European Union, advocated a legally-binding instrument to address the mercury problem, others, such as the United States, Australia and Japan, expressed reservations on the subject. However, delegates agreed to assess the possibility of a legally-binding instrument and other actions at the 24th session of the UNEP Governing Council.

On other chemicals management issues, the Governing Council discussed cooperation between UNEP, relevant multilateral environmental agreements and other organizations; the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM); lead and cadmium; and the mercury programme. On SAICM, the Council requested that funding be provided to support SAICM development. On lead and cadmium, the Council asked UNEP to conduct an assessment of scientific information available on long-range environmental transport in order to inform future discussions on the need for global action.

UNEP’s water policy and strategy: The GC/GMEF decided to adopt UNEP’s updated policy and strategy as a general framework/guidance for its activities in the field of water and sanitation, and noted governments’ reservations on substantive and procedural issues in developing the strategy. The GC/GMEF recommended that the Executive Director, in his review of the water policy, take into account several concepts (including ecosystem approaches to IWRM, and others) and ensure that it contributes to the achievement of internationally agreed goals contained in the Millennium Declaration and the JPOI. [Earth Negotiations Bulletin report of the meeting, 28 February 2005] [Action on Heavy Metals among Key GC Decisions, UNEP press release, 25 February 2005]