Regional Ministerial Environment Forums

Regional Ministerial Environment Forums are an important space for political dialogue and collaboration on environmental matters. They serve as a platform for the Member States to contribute regional perspectives to the upcoming session of the UN Environmental Assembly. The Regional Ministerial Environment Forums take place during the inter-sessional period of UN Environmental Assembly and are organized by UNEP Regional Offices.

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History and Mandate

The first Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean took place in 1982.  The African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) was created in 1985. A cooperation with the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment and UNEP regional offices for West Asia and Africa was established in 1999. The First Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia and the Pacific was held in 2015.

The decision 27/2 of the twenty-seventh and first universal session of the Governing Council in 2013, stressed:

"the importance of the regional ministerial environment forums for which the United Nations Environment Programme serves as the secretariats, and invites these forums to contribute, as appropriate, to the work of the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme".

The UNEA Resolution 2/2 in 2016 defined further the role and functions of the regional forums of ministers of environment and environment authorities:

“Welcoming the progress and achievements of regional forums of environment ministers to which the United Nations Environment Programme provides support and recognizing those forums as important platforms for strengthening the engagement of countries in the preparation of and follow-up to sessions of the United Nations Environment Assembly (...)

1. Requests the Executive Director, within the mandate of the United Nations Environment Programme, and in accordance with the programme of work and budget to support and to facilitate convening and/or strengthening the existing regional forums of ministers of environment and environment authorities”.

Major Groups and Stakeholders Regional Consultative Meetings

Regional Consultative Meetings (RCM) take place at least once during the inter-sessional period between sessions of UNEA and are organized by the UNEP Regional Offices in close cooperation with the Regional Facilitators as elected by the Major Groups. During the regional consultations, joint positions are developed and challenges relevant to the region are discussed. 

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