Delegates to the 25th Session of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC25/GMEF), which met from 16-20 February 2009, in Nairobi, Kenya, took 17 decisions including on international environmental governance, a significantly increased UNEP budget, support to Africa on climate change, and mercury.

In the decision on support to Africa, the GC requests the UNEP Executive Director to work with the UN Economic Commission for Africa to provide technical support to the African Climate Policy Centre once established, and to promote the mainstreaming of climate change into social and economic development processes. On coordination within the UN, the GC welcomes the Executive Director’s efforts as chair of the UN Environment Management Group, including in promoting the UN’s commitment in moving towards climate neutrality. In addition, the GC approved funding to support climate change activities.

Another key outcome of the meeting was a decision to elaborate a legally binding instrument on mercury. It is projected that mercury pollution will rise in part as a result of increased coal-burning in Asia. The decision established an intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) to develop a legally-binding instrument on mercury, and states that the INC is to develop a comprehensive and suitable approach to mercury. The decision represents the first coordinated global effort to tackle mercury. An open-ended working group meeting will be convened in the second half of 2009, to prepare for the work of the INC, which will hold its first meeting in 2010, with the goal of completing its work by GC27 in 2013.
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IISD RS coverage of GC25/GMEF