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.
2023 Calendar
14-18 August 2023, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
3 to 6 October 2023, Colombo, Sri Lanka
24-25 October 2023, Muscat, The Sultanate of Oman
24-26 October 2023, Panama City, Panama
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.
2023 Calendar
- Africa Regional Consultative Meeting
12 to 13 August 2023, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Asia Pacific Regional Consultative Meeting
3 October 2023, Colombo, Sri Lanka - West Asia Regional Consultative Meeting
22 to 23 October 2023, Muscat, Oman - Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Consultative Meeting
23 to 27 October 2023, Panama City, Panama - Regional Consultative Meeting: North America 2023
21 November 2023, online - Regional Consultative Meeting for Europe
27 to 29 November 2023, Bratislava, Slovakia
Outcome
UNEP/EA.6/INF/3 - Compilation of statements and recommendations by major groups and stakeholders from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, West Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America and Europe for consideration by the United Nations Environment Assembly at its sixth session