September 2007: On 26 September 2007, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner addressed civil society and business community representatives on the topic of international environmental governance (IEG) at an informal meeting in New York, US, hosted by the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS).

The overall aim of the meeting was for participants to share their visions on the way civil society and the private sector could engage in the formulation of a new IEG architecture. Reiterating the need to establish a UN Environment Organization (UNEO), Kouchner suggested that a formal working group within the UN General Assembly (UNGA) be formed to advance this matter. To achieve progress on IEG, Peter Maurer, Co-chair of the UN General Assembly consultations on IEG, said that progress is necessary on issues such as financing for development and UN reform. Representatives from non-governmental organizations noted the need to mainstream work on the environment and discuss if a UNEO can help achieve this, and stressed the importance of maintaining an open dialogue between governments and civil society on the UNEO issue. [UN-NGLS meeting’s report]