Outcomes of IEG Consultations in Nairobi
On the 7-9 July 2010, the first meeting was conducted in Nairobi, Kenya, for the Consultative Group of Ministers or High-level Representatives on International Environmental Governance (IEG), established under UNEP Governing Council decision SSXI/1. Delegates from 59 countries participated in the meeting which was co-chaired by Ms. Paula Lehtomäki, Minister for Environment of Finland, and Mr. John Njoroge Michuki, Minister for Environment and Mineral Resources of Kenya.
The outcomes of the consultations are presented in a Co-Chair’s Summary, reflecting the interactive dialogue that occurred among the delegates. The starting point for discussion was a background document entitled ‘Ideas for Broader Reform of International Environmental Governance’ which outlined 24 possible reform options. Annex I of the Co-Chair’s Summary contains a revised table reducing the number of options to an indicative number of 9. The remaining options do not necessarily command consensus and other ideas will still be considered, but the new table shows what has the broadest support by governments so far. Annex II of the Co-Chair’s Summary outlines a revised roadmap for the implementation of decision SSXI/1. A standardized format for analysis of options was also tabled.
The consultation meeting in Nairobi was closed to observers, but views from civil society on IEG was considered through a Major Groups and Stakeholders Input Summary, compiled by the Global Environmental Governance Project Director Maria Ivanova based on input from a broad range of civil society actors around the world, and circulated to governments as an official background document. The second meeting of the Consultative Group will take place in Helsinki, Finland in November 2010. According to the roadmap, civil society will be invited to contribute through web-based consultations in September.