On Monday, February 26, 2024, the sixth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) officially opened at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, with an ambitious plan for the week.
The Assembly aimed to restore harmony between humanity and nature, improve lives for vulnerable people, and tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and waste through multilateralism.
At the opening plenary, UNEA-6 President Leila Benali (Morocco) acknowledged the hard work of the various stakeholders in the lead-up to the Assembly and highlighted three nuances that may militate against the work of the Assembly. These included major conflicts impacting the world, the potential rise of populist movements in 2024 since fifty percent of the world’s population is preparing for the polls, and the opportunity to restore trust in multilateralism and humanity at UNEA-6.
The UNEP Executive Director, Inger Andersen, urged UNEA-6 delegates to unite in addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, urging for strong resolutions to build a peaceful, equitable, and sustainable future transcending political differences.
Many regional groups welcomed and expressed support for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Global Framework on Chemicals, and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Agreement on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).
Establishment of the Committee of the Whole
At the opening plenary of the UNEA6, the Assembly established a Committee of the Whole (COW) to negotiate outstanding draft resolutions and decisions brought forward by the Open-Ended Meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (OECPR).
The OECPR is a technical meeting for the UN Environment Assembly, preceding the Assembly from February 18–23, 2024. It prepares the agenda and considers proposals from countries for further negotiations by the COW.
Throughout the week, delegates met in plenaries and as the Committee of the Whole (COW) to finalize 19 draft resolutions and two draft decisions forwarded by the Open-Ended Committee of Permanent Representatives.
The Committee finalized its work on February 29, 2024, and submitted it to the Assembly for adoption on March 1, 2024.
