Accredited organizations may participate in the meetings of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) as observers. They have the right to provide oral contributions and present written submissions. They also have designated seats in all meetings of UNEA.
Additionally, they have access to all publicly available documents, including pre-session, in-session and post-session documents and may also access the UNEP Resolutions Portal to submit written input regarding draft resolutions and decisions.
Through these practices and platforms, major groups and stakeholders continue to play an important role in providing expert input and advice on agenda-setting, decision-making and implementation of resolutions and decisions of the Environment Assembly.
Regional consultative meetings
Accredited representatives of major groups and stakeholders are invited to actively participate in the preparation processes for UNEA. One opportunity to engage at the regional level is through the Regional Consultative Meetings (RCM). RCMs take place at least once during the period between sessions of the Environment Assembly and are organized by the UNEP regional offices in coordination with the UNEP Civil Society Unit and in close cooperation with the regional facilitators, elected by major groups and stakeholder representatives of the respective region. The RCMs bring together UNEP-accredited representatives of the major groups and stakeholders from each region, but nonaccredited and new actors can also be invited to participate in the discussions as they prepare for the session of the Environment Assembly.
Read more about Regional Consultative Meetings
Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum
The Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum is an event organized by the major groups and stakeholders with the assistance of the UNEP Civil Society Unit. Sessions of the Forum serve to prepare the contributions of the major groups and stakeholders to the work of the Environment Assembly. The Forum session is traditionally held a few days before each session of the Assembly.
Read more about Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum
Multi-stakeholder dialogue
A multi-stakeholder dialogue is part of the high-level segment of UNEA and is usually held in the form of a panel discussion among representatives of Member States, representatives of major groups and stakeholders and other participants on a topic closely related to the theme of UNEA. A summary of the dialogue is presented, by one of its participants, at the closing plenary meeting of UNEA.
The multi-stakeholder dialogue organized during UNEA-6 engaged delegates on the topic of “Partnering for the Environment: Inclusive Multilateralism Fit for Purpose”.
Green Room
The Green Room is a designated venue typically set aside exclusively for major groups and stakeholders during the meetings of the Open-ended Committee of Permanent Representatives and the sessions of the Environment Assembly. It serves various purposes such as hosting briefing sessions, information events, bilateral discussions, meetings, planning sessions and press or multi-stakeholder events, including side events organized by the major groups and stakeholders.
Global Youth Environment Assembly
Since UNEA 5, The Global Youth Environment Assembly is a platform gathering young environmental enthusiasts and policy advocates from around the world to participate in policy discussions, knowledge-sharing and preparations for UNEA. The Youth Assembly is self-organized by UNEP’s Children and Youth Major Group with the support of the Civil Society Unit. The outcome of the Youth Assembly is a Youth Declaration on the Environment which is presented to UNEP’s Executive Director and to UNEA.
