“Environment for Europe” Ministerial Conference, Batumi, 8-10 June 2016

The 8th Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe” (EfE) – facilitated by the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) – is taking place from 8 to 10 June 2016, in Batumi (Georgia). This major gathering of Environment Ministers in Europe which is organized in close collaboration with UNEP, will mainly focus on “Greening the economy in the pan-European region”, “Improving air quality for a better environment and human health” and education for sustainable development.

UNEP is working closely with UNECE, countries and partners on the “strategic framework for greening the economy in the pan-European” that shall contribute to frame more sustainable pathways for the development of the region.

Among the many milestones towards Batumi conference, the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development for Central Asia will meet in Ashgabad, Turkmenistan, in February 2016 . At that opportunity, UNEP will present – for discussion – a draft Green Economy Scoping Study and Outlook on Climate Change and Adaptation in Central Asia mountains

The EfE process and Ministerial meetings take place every three or five years to provide a high-level platform for stakeholders to discuss, decide and join in efforts addressing environmental priorities across the 56 countries of the region, and serve as a regional pillar of sustainable development.

The last EfE Minesterial Conference took place in 2011 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

About UNEP and UNECE:

UNEP and UNECE are working closely on environmental protection, supporting the shift to a green economy and promoting sustainable development in Europe. To further strengthen this collaboration, a MoU has been signed in May 2015 between UNEP and UNECE in order to allow the two organizations to provide coherent assistance to Member States on a range of topics, from improvement of air quality, to boosting cooperation on environmental governance, to a shift to green economy. UNEP's and UNECE's common delivery on these issues will support the region's countries in overcoming the challenges they face in terms of sustainable development and energy, environment and climate change. More

For more information: http://bit.ly/1NZlEcM and http://bit.ly/1UXru47