Establishment of UNEP and its Governing Council (GC)
At its 27th session, the General Assembly (GA), by resolution 2997 (XXVII) of 15 December 1972, established the United Nations Environment Programme and its Governing Council (GC) composed of 58 elected members. The resolution was in response to the need for institutional and financial arrangements for international environmental cooperation.
From Governing Council to UN Environment Assembly (UNEA)
The first universal session of UNEP’s Governing Council was held in Nairobi, on 22 February 2013, adopting GC decision 27/2, paragraph #1 that recommended renaming the Governing Council to ‘the United Nations Environment Assembly’ allowing representation of all 193 Member States of the UN, including businesses, civil society, and other stakeholders. On 13 March 2013, the General Assembly adopted resolution A/Res/67/251 that approved the change of name from Governing Council to United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)
