14 August 2018: Governments will gather in early September to discuss options for a working group on possible gaps in international environmental law. The co-chairs of the working group, Francisco António Duarte Lopes, Permanent Representative of Portugal, and Amal Mudallali, Permanent Representative of Lebanon, have circulated the programme of work for a three-day organizational session in September 2018, as well as an advance version of the provisional agenda for future substantive sessions.

The ad hoc open-ended working group to consider options to address possible gaps in international environmental law and environmental related instruments was created by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in May 2018, by resolution 72/277 titled, ‘Towards a Global Pact for the Environment.’ By the resolution, UNGA requests the Secretary-General to submit a report during its 73rd session that identifies and assesses possible gaps in international environmental law and environment-related instruments.

The resolution calls for the working group to hold its first substantive session at least one month after the submission of the Secretary-General’s report. The working group can make recommendations to the UNGA “during the first half of 2019,” which may include the convening of an intergovernmental conference to adopt an international instrument. The substantive sessions will take place in Nairobi, Kenya.

The organizational session will take place from 5-7 September 2018, in New York, US. Per the co-chairs’ letter, the first day will be dedicated to a general discussion, the second day to addressing the agenda for the substantive sessions, and the third day to discussing the financing of the activities of the working group. [Co-Chairs’ Letter] [SDG Knowledge story on adoption of Resolution 72/277] [SDG Knowledge Hub story on appointment of co-chairs] [UNEP webpage for Global Pact process]