Once a year, the Major Groups and Stakeholders Branch in conjunction with the Regional Offices convenes Regional Consultative Meetings(RCM) with Major Groups and Stakeholders in all six UNEP regions. These consultations taking place in 2015 will be in preparation of the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEA) which will convene for the second time from 23-27 May 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya. The UNEA represents the highest level of governance of international environmental affairs in the UN system. The Rio+20 conference agreed in June 2012 to strengthen and upgrade UNEP through measures including universal membership of its Governing Council and ensuring the active participation of all relevant stakeholders. In March 2013, the 67th session of the UN General Assembly changed the designation of the Governing Council of UNEP to become UNEA, reflecting the intention to elevate its status.
The Regional Consultative Meetings will provide an opportunity for Major Groups and Stakeholders to prepare their inputs into the Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum (GMGSF) which will precede the UNEA. Furthermore, the RCMs serve as capacity building and networking exercises for Major Groups and Stakeholders in the regions and constitute platforms for Regional Offices to engage with their civil society partners.
One of the main outcomes of the Regional Consultative meetings resulted in a compilation of statements and recommendations by major groups and stakeholders for consideration by the United Nations Environment Assembly at its second session. The outcome of the regional consultation meetings usually takes the form of a statement or key messages and recommendations to the governing body of UNEP. The regional consultation meetings held in 2015 and early 2016 served as a platform for engaging major groups and stakeholders from the regions in addressing the main areas and topics for discussion by the United Nations Environment Assembly at its second session, to be held in Nairobi from 23 to 27 May 2016.
