EMG Contributions

Contributions

The EMG focuses its work on practical contributions to the implementation of the global environment and human settlements agenda as defined by major international conferences. The Group acts as an instrument for all its members to share their views or concerns on issues of common interest, review progress or identify obstacles, set policy directions to address such issues, and convey their views and recommendations to intergovernmental forums, like the UNEP Governing Council, the UN-HABITAT Governing Council and the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). In line with the spirit of the Johannesburg Summit, the EMG intends to involve NGOs, the private sector, scientific organisations and other stakeholders in its work.

Since its establishment, the EMG held three meetings and discussed mainly the issue of international environmental governance. The Group provided its contribution to the Intergovernmental process in response to the UNEP Governing Council decision 21/21.

Contributions in the area of strengthened international environmental management:

Enhanced coordination across the United Nations system, specifically the role of the EMG, was discussed within the Open-ended Intergovernmental Group of Ministers or Their Representatives (IGM) (established pursuant to UNEP Governing Council decision 21/21) which undertook a comprehensive policy-oriented assessment of existing institutional weaknesses as well as future needs and options for strengthened international environmental governance. As reflected in the report of the IGM, adopted by the Governing Council at its seventh special session in February 2002, the EMG was discussed in terms of its role as an instrument to enhance policy coordination across the environmental activities of the UN system, its potential for bringing the environment into the mainstream of relevant activities of the UN system, and its relationship with intergovernmental processes (the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum, the Commission on Sustainable Development, and other forums in the United Nations system).

During its interim period, the EMG held three meetings and discussed mainly the issue of international environmental governance. The Group provided its contribution to the Intergovernmental process in response to the UNEP Governing Council decision 21/21.

Contributions of the EMG on selected issues:

Contributions on specific issues by EMG have included the harmonisation of biodiversity-related reporting (with UNEP as the lead agency), the development of a system-wide approach to environmental education and training (with UNESCO as the lead agency), waste management (with UNEP and UNIDO as lead agencies) and chemicals (with UNEP as the lead agency). EMG has also addressed issues such as international environmental governance, and its relationship to the Ecosystem Conservation Group (ECG) (Report of EMG 1-2-3-4-5).

To date, the full set of issues for which the EMG has made contributions includes: