Friday, 25 February 2022, the final day of the meeting, seemed to have crept up on the Open-ended Committee of Permanent Representatives (OECPR), almost by surprise. Delegates, though visibly tired from late night consultations, pressed forward, scrambling between different clusters of issues to finalize draft resolutions for consideration by UNEA 5.2, which is set to begin on Monday, 28 February 2022.
To dive deeper, read the full daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin report.
Delegates held back-to-back discussions, with a view to finalizing text, addressing, among others: the sound management of chemicals and waste; sustainable and resilient infrastructure; and mineral resource governance. These, and several other draft resolutions, were forwarded to UNEA for further consideration, after delegates were unable to complete their work.
In the closing plenary, they forwarded three clean resolutions to UNEA for adoption on: sustainable nitrogen management; the future of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO); and animal welfare-environment and sustainable development nexus. Although they did not complete their work, delegates discussing the intergovernmental negotiating committee on plastic pollution tentatively agreed that the committee would address plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
Informal meetings have been planned for the weekend, including on the draft ministerial declaration on UNEP@50.
Ukraine bracketed the entire draft resolution on compliance of equitable geographical representation and balance in the secretariat of UNEP, which had been proposed by the Russian Federation. In the closing plenary, several delegations subsequently rejected the resolution, reiterating that the OECPR is not the correct forum to address this issue.
Ukraine, the EU, US, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and the UK used this opportunity to condemn the violation of Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty by the Russian Federation.
In her closing remarks, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen thanked delegates for all their work, praising her staff for their dedication to the process. Closing the meeting, Committee of Permanent Representatives Chair Luísa Fragoso (Portugal), appreciated the “spirit of Nairobi” guiding negotiations on difficult issues, and wished delegations the best of luck as they finalize their work at UNEA. She gaveled the meeting to close at 11:44 pm.
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All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For UNEA-5.2, OECPR-5.2, and UNEP@50, please use: Photo by IISD/ENB Kiara Worth.
Working Group 1: Cluster 1
Negotiations continue on Cluster 1
Cluster 1 Co-Facilitator Robert Bunbury, Canada
Juliet Kabera, Rwanda
Elizabeth Nichols, US
Hugo-Maria Schally, EU
A delegate asks for the floor
Andrés Del Castillo, Center for International Environmental Law
Working Group 2: Cluster 2
Consultations continue on Cluster 2
Cluster 2 Co-Facilitators Sergio Salazar Alzate, Colombia, and Dragan Žiupanjevac, Serbia
Danny Rahdiansyah, Indonesia
Rahib Miah, UK
Osama Ebeid, Egypt
A delegate takes notes during the session
Alejandro Montero, Chile
Working Group 1: Cluster 3
Delegates gather to discuss matters under Cluster 3
Alejandra Guerra, Chile
Matheus Bastos, Brazil
Sverre Thomas Jahre, Norway
Felix Wertli, Switzerland
Delegates from Colombia consult
Delegates from Togo consult
Working Group 2: Cluster 4
Delegates resume discussions under Cluster 4
Yunus Emre Özigci, Turkey
Yousif Yousif, Iraq
Zhuo Zhuang, China
Cluster 4 Co-Facilitators Firas Khouri, Jordan, and Ana Elena Campos Jiménez, Costa Rica
Luca Marmo, EU
Simon Cardy, South Africa
Working Group 2: Cluster 5
Cluster 5 Co-Facilitator Marek Rohr-Garztecki, Poland
Clément Payeur, EU
Dan Burke, UK
Delegates from Finland
A delegate reviews the text
UNEP@50 Ministerial Declaration
Delegates discuss the UNEP@50 Ministerial Declaration
Co-Facilitator Ado Lohmus, Estonia
Lucianaro Fonseca, Brazil
Vladimir Lenev, Russian Federation
Marine Collignon, EU
Closing Plenary
Delegates gather for the closing plenary of OECPR-5.2
CPR Chair Luísa Fragoso, Portugal
President of UNEA Espen Barth Eide, Norway
Vladimir Lenev, Russian Federation
Andrii Pravednyk, Ukraine
Monica Medina, US
Aline Kuster-Menager, EU
Patrizia Heidegger, speaking on behalf of all Major Groups
Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme
Around the Venue
The Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY) held a press conference to highlight the achievements of the Youth Environmental Assembly
NGOs hold a press conference to share their views on UNEA5.2
Jill Hanna, Pure Earth
Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP, President of UNEA Espen Barth Eide, Norway, and CPR Chair Luísa Fragoso, Portugal
Delegates from Brazil
Delegates from Scandinavia
Delegates from the State of Palestine
