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UNEP's Open-ended
Intergovernmental Group of Ministers, or their Representatives,
on International Environmental Governance
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 Attendance
at Wednesday morning's multi-stakeholder dialogue session was
noticeably affected by the parallel meeting of the Open-Ended
Intergovernmental Group of Ministers or their Representatives,
on International Environmental Governance. Chaired by the Canadian
Minister of the Environment, David Anderson, the meeting considered
the report of the UNEP Executive Director (UNEP/IGM/I/2), which
presents a number of options for strengthening institutional structures
for international environmental governance. Discussion of the
paper was moderated by Raul Estrada, Argentina. During the discussions
there was broad agreement on the need to: strengthen UNEP's role
and increase its funding, improve coordination between existing
multilateral environmental agreements; and ensure the participation
of stakeholders. Delegates also agreed that the process should
be undertaken within the broader context of sustainable development,
with the results to be fed into the preparatory process for the
World Summit for Sustainable Development. After the meeting, some
observers commented on the irony surrounding the G-77/CHINA's
preference that the organization of work for the Intergovernmental
Group should take place largely within New York, despite the insistence
of developing countries that UNEP remain in Nairobi. Others said
the session's outcome bodes well for UNEP's future, but casts
a shadow over the CSD's future, regretting that the CSDs efforts
over the last couple of years to mainstream poverty and social
issues were being overlooked.
Photo:
UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer
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Klaus
Toepfer makes some introductory remarks as UNEP Governing Council
President and Canadian Environment Minister David Anderson (right)
looks on
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Raúl
Estrada-Oyuela, Special Representative for International Environmental
Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Argentina (left) moderated
discussion of the paper on governance; David Anderson, Canadian
Environment Minister and GC President (right)
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Kjell
Larsson, EU President and Minister for the Environment, Sweden, strengthening
UNEP, stable, predictable and adequate funding; improving coordination
of MEAs, integrating environment all policy areas, |
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Raul
Estrada, Argentina, speaks with the environment minister from Costa
Rica (left), who supported keeping UNEP in Nairobi. Elizabeth Dowdeswell,
former Executive Director of UNEP, before the convening of the session
(right)
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Siri
Bjerke, Environment Minister of Norway called for improving compliance
of MEAs and increasing public funding through better funding the
GEF. Dominique Voynet, French Environment Minister, underlined the
lack of political will and funding and called for the progressive
strengthening of existing structure.
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Side
Event: Towards Sustainable Consumption: The Role of NGOs
Organized
by the CSD NGO Caucus for Sustainable Transport
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Photo: Enrique
Penalosa, Mayor, Bogota Colombia.
With the
implementation of the "TransMilenio" high capacity mass transit
system, combined with dedicated lanes, over 33 km of bicycle paths,
centralised GPS monitoring/control, strict environmental requirements,
and other supplementary activities such as "Car-Free Days" and
weekly closures of main transportation arteries, Bogota forged
a highly popular system with large consumer buy-in, and resulting
in positive political support. According to the Mayor, its most
important result was the increased social integration this fostered
among communities, and the user-pride in the city's services,
alongside the environmental benefits.
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Side
Event: Energy Development and Security in Island Countries
Sponsored by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the South
Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission
 The
Pacific islands context is significantly different from that face
by other developing countries, and requires unique responses. This
event will address the challenges identified in the Pacific region
and the resultant priorities. This event will address the challenges
identified in the Pacific region and the resultant priorities for
sustainable development: Environmental vulnerability; Energy security
and efficiency; Appropriate forms of renewable energy;and Human
and institutional capacity building. During this discussion, a presentation
on Energy Development and Security in Island Countries was given,
which highlighted the Pacific Regional Commission's Submission to
CSD-9. It also highlighted the Pacific context, Pacific concerns,
and key issues (accessibility, rural energy, financing the energy
sector, energy efficiency, advanced fossil fuel and nuclear fuel
technologies, renewable energy, energy-related issues in transportation,
and international cooperation). The presentation also included,
inter alia, analysis of priorities for development, regional energy
sector coordination, national energy sector planning and policy.
Photo:
Ambassador David Stuart, Australia, and Teaiwa Tenieu, Minister
for Works and Energy, Kiribati
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Paul L. Fairbairn,
Energy Manager, South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC)
paul@sopac.org.
For more information
on SOPAC's activities, visit: www.sopac.org
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