The resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly convened in a hybrid format under the theme, “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”. UNEA-5.2 was an opportunity for Member States to share best practices for sustainability and create momentum for governments build on multilateral environmental efforts to protect and restore the natural world on which the world and its people depend.

It was followed by a Special Session, UNEP@50, on 3-4 March 2022, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The overall theme of the Special Session was "Strengthening UNEP for the implementation of the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

Open-ended Committee of Permanent Representatives

UNEA-5.2 was preceded by the resumed fifth session of the Open-ended Committee of Permanent Representatives (OECPR-5.2), which is UNEA’s main intersessional organ. Comprising all accredited Permanent Representatives to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Committee prepares for the meetings of UNEA and regularly reviews the implementation of its decisions.

Due to COVID-19 and related travel restrictions, the Committee’s 2021 meeting was truncated and substantive discussions were postponed. At OECPR-5.2, which took place from 21-25 February 2022, delegates addressed matters related to budget and programme performance, as well as UNEA’s contribution to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). Further, Committee members considered progress in the implementation of resolution 5/2 on the application of the principle of equitable geographical distribution within UNEP’s recruitment strategy and discussed options for the future of the Global Environment Outlook.

Throughout the week, Committee members also met to consider draft decisions and resolutions to forward to UNEA for discussion and adoption, including on plastic pollution. They were also scheduled to hear an update on the implementation of UN General Assembly Resolution 73/333, which relates to strengthening the implementation of international environmental law and governance. During these discussions, members also discussed the preparations for the UNEA Special Session and recommended the adoption of a draft political declaration.

United Nations Environment Assembly

UNEA-5.2 began on Monday, 28 February 2022. The meeting was originally scheduled to take place during the last week of February 2021 in Nairobi, Kenya. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UNEA Bureau decided that UNEA-5 would follow a two-step approach. The first part of UNEA (UNEA-5.1) was conducted virtually from 22-23 February 2021 and took urgent action on procedural and administrative decisions.

The resumed session of UNEA (UNEA-5.2) was held in a hybrid format to discuss substantive matters that require in-depth negotiations, including, inter alia: the way forward on plastic pollution; nature-based solutions for supporting sustainable development; a science-policy panel on chemicals, waste and pollution; the future of the Global Environment Outlook; and biodiversity and health. The meeting also included a Leadership Dialogue with multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) on the theme Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Building back greener: International environmental protection and achieving the SDGs in the context of COVID-19.

Delegates convened through the week to discuss several draft resolutions forwarded to the Assembly by the OECPR. These draft resolutions have been broadly clustered under five groups on:

• Marine/plastic pollution;
• Nature-Based solutions and biodiversity;
• Chemicals and minerals;
• Green recovery and circular economy; and
• Organizational and administrative matters.

UNEA was also expected to adopt a ministerial declaration. Over a two-year consultation period beginning in 2020, Member States and stakeholders have agreed on the vision of the declaration: to achieve the SDGs and rebuild a resilient and sustainable post-pandemic world, there is a fundamental need for urgent and transformative actions to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The declaration was expected to serve as UNEA’s input to the upcoming Stockholm+50 meeting to be held in Stockholm, Sweden, on 2-3 June 2022.

UNEP@50: Special Session of the UN Environment Assembly

UNEP@50 aimed to provide a platform to reflect on how best to tackle the triple planetary crises of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. Delegates were scheduled to meet in a high-level opening ceremony, and engage in two high-level leadership dialogues, and a multistakeholder dialogue.

During the dialogues, delegates reflected on UNEP’s 50th anniversary, as well as on how to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They also addressed the findings in the stakeholder report, “The UNEP We Want,” and the UNEP Science-Policy Interface Report. Delegates were also expected to adopt a political declaration.

The Special Session was held both online and in-person, due to COVID-19 related restrictions.