Briefing on preparations and presidency priorities for the resumed session of the fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly

 This online briefing will provide an update on the UNEA-5 President’s priorities and preparations for the resumed Fifth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, taking place online and in Nairobi on 28 February – 2 March 2022.

The United Nations Environment Assembly is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment. The fifth UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) will be the opportunity to strengthen international efforts to tackle the triple planetary crisis we are facing – climate change, nature loss & pollution.

UNEA-5 is taking place in two-parts. A first online session took place in February 2021 (UNEA-5.1), and a resumed session will take place from 28 February to 2 March 2022 (UNEA-5.2).

The theme “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals” calls for strengthened action to protect and restore nature and the nature-based solutions to achieve the sustainable development goals in its three complementary dimensions (social, economic and environmental). Full of diversity and complexity, nature underpins our economies and our societies. However, humanity is destroying these life-giving services through over-exploitation, unchecked development and climate change. UNEA-5 emphasizes that collectively we have the knowledge, technology and the resources to protect and restore our natural world by making the transition to a nature-positive future that will benefit our health, our economies and our future.

Immediately after UNEA-5.2, the Assembly will hold a Special Session on 3 – 4 March 2022, which is devoted to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the creation of UN Environment Programme in 1972 (UNEP@50).

Beside this high-level briefing, a number of events are hosted by various actors in International Geneva and beyond in the run-up to UNEA-5. More information is available in our update Towards UNEA-5.2.

Towards UNEA5-2

Speakers

H.E. Espen BARTH EIDE

President of UN Environment Assembly, Minister of Climate and the Environment of Norway | Video message

Hans BRATTSKAR

Special envoy to the UNEA President | Ministry of Climate and the Environment, Norway

Aline NSENGIMANA UMUTONI

Advisor Officer, Governing Affairs, UN Environment Programme

Felix WERTLI

Head, Global Affairs Section, International Affairs Division, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland

Sascha GABIZON

Executive Director, WECF International

Bruno POZZI

Director, Europe Office, UN Environment Programme

Registration

The event will take place online. Kindly register directly on the Webex platform.

Register on Webex