Carole Excell -UNEP's First-Ever Access to Information Panel

Carole Excell, Project Director of The Access Initiative (TAI) at the World Resources Institute, WRI, has resumed as the sole external member of United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) Access to Information Panel. Appointed by the Executive Director of UNEP, Excell will join Jochem Zoetelief and Sara Rahman of UNEP on the first-ever panel to monitor implementation of UNEP's newly revised policy, created to expand openness and access to environmental information.

Excell will review cases where citizens have requested information and provide input to bolster UNEP's policy. UNEP and WRI have a shared interest in enhancing transparency and public participation when it comes to environmental decision-making, and the two organizations have a long history of working together on these issues.

A statement by Mark Robinson, Global Director for Governance, WRI says "We are delighted to have a WRI governance expert joining UNEP's Access to Information Panel. Carole and TAI colleagues played an active role in shaping the new UNEP Access to Information policy. UNEP has been far sighted in opening up the Panel to external representation as this will further strengthen its legitimacy and independence”.

Robinson explained that Carole is an excellent choice of the role because of her extensive experience in implementing freedom of information laws from work at the Carter Center and for the governments of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. “She has an open and collaborative spirit and is an excellent choice for this important role" – he concluded.

Chief of UNEP's Major Groups and Stakeholders Branch, Alexander Juras, also stated that "With Carole Excell, UNEP is happy to have an individual on its new Access to Information Panel who is widely known for her knowledge, professionalism and enthusiasm for promoting free access to information. Carole, a key contributor to UNEP's Access to Information Policy, will help ensure that stakeholder interest in transparency is looked after in the best way possible."

PR/Kech.

PC:UNEA

Governments Agree to 25 Landmark Resolutions to Drive Sustainability Agenda and Paris Climate Agreement


The world’s environment ministers, gathered at the second session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2) in Nairobi late Friday have passed far reaching decisions on issues such as marine litter, the illegal trade in wildlife, air pollution, chemicals and waste, and sustainable consumption and production – which are an integral part of the global action needed to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Agreement. 

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner stated that “The environment has always been, and will always be, at the heart of humanity’s prosperity. World nations recognized this in 2015 with global accords, such as the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement, the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. 

“What we have seen in the last five days is the same political will and passion for change that brought about the groundbreaking international agreements of 2015. With global consensus affirmed, we are taking steps to bring about a real transformation of our development models. The United Nations Environment Assembly is providing leadership and guidance the world needs to take these unprecedented steps. 

“In the decisions made here at this assembly for the environment, we see a significant directional shift that will inform Ministers’ decisions in their home countries. We will now need to see the bold and decisive commitment observed at UNEA transmitted at the national level to drive forward the 2030 Agenda and ensure a brighter future for people and planet.” 

Thousands of delegates from 174 countries, 120 at the ministerial level, took part in UNEA-2 and associated side events on issues of global importance, including the Sustainable Innovation Expo and the Science-Policy Forum. 

UNEA-2 sessions were attended by UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson; the President of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta; UN Habitat Executive Director Joan Clos; and Vice-President of Iran and Minister of Environment Masoumeh Ebtekar. The sessions were presided over by Costa Rica’s Minister of Environment Edgar Gutiérrez, who took over from Oyun Sanjaasuren, former Minister of Environment and Green Development for Mongolia. 

Among the 25 resolutions and actions decided at UNEA-2, the theme of which was “Delivering on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, the following themes dominated: 

2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement Implementation 

The main theme of UNEA-2, Delivering on the 2030 Agenda, was a particular focus. The implementation of the work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be a primary undertaking of the UN system, and the Assembly showed their full understanding of this. 
UNEA asked UNEP to initiate new partnerships and strengthen existing ones, including with the private sector and civil society. 

Building on its work in sustainable finance with the UNEP Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System and the UNEP Finance Initiative, member states also asked UNEP to continue to build on its work at the intersection of finance and the environment. 

With the Paris Agreement one the most significant environmental agreements in recent decades, UNEA also agreed that UNEP should accelerate support to countries, especially developing countries, to build national readiness capacity to implement the Agreement, build implementation capacity and capacity to access finance and technology. 

Illegal Trade in Wildlife 

A key issue at UNEA-2 was the illegal trade in wildlife, which is pushing species to the brink of extinction, robbing countries of their natural heritage and profiting international criminal networks. 

UNEA-2 passed a resolution building upon previous commitments made at the first UNEA and General Assembly resolution 69/134, urging Member States to take further steps at the national level and through regional and international cooperation to prevent, combat and eradicate the supply, transit and demand related to the illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products. 

This includes implementing strategies and action plans, strengthening governance systems on issues such as anti-corruption and anti-money-laundering, supporting the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime and the African Elephant Fund, and developing sustainable and alternative livelihoods for communities affected by the illegal trade in wildlife and its adverse impacts. 

UNEP and partners – with the backing of celebrities such as Gisele Bündchen, Neymar Jr. and many others – also launched a new campaign, Wild For Life, to engage millions of members of the public to end the illegal trade in wildlife. Angola, which is hosting World Environment Day on 5 June, will make new commitments to combat the trade, particularly in ivory. 

Marine Litter and Debris 

It is estimated that there are 5.2 trillion pieces of plastic floating in our oceans, harming both the marine environment and biodiversity. To address this problem, member states resolved to encourage product manufacturers and others to consider the lifecycle environmental impacts of products containing microbeads and compostable polymers, including possible downstream impacts. 

Delegates also sought the assistance of UNEP to assess the effectiveness of governance strategies and approaches to combat marine plastic litter and microplastics, and identify how to address gaps. They asked UNEP to help develop and implement national and regional action plans to target marine litter, with emphasis on those regions that are the largest sources. 

Healthy Environment, Healthy People 

World Health Organization estimates show that an estimated 12.6 million deaths are attributable to environmental factors each year, highlighting the importance of a healthy environment to healthy people. Several resolutions related to human health and the environment were passed. The resolution on sound management of chemicals and waste targeted actions on chemicals such as lead – exposure to which claimed an estimated 654,000 lives in 2010 and causes developmental damage to young children. 

Delegates called on UNEP to develop research on actions that could be adopted to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relevant to the issue; asked the private sector to play a bigger role in an integrated approach to the sound management of chemicals and waste; and requested nations to ensure better recycling of lead-acid batteries at national or regional facilities. 

Another resolution called on UNEP to establish a global research network on the threat posed by sand and dust storms and integrate the issue into its work. Sand and dust storms contribute to lowered air quality – a worldwide problem that claims seven million lives each year. 

Other resolutions 

Armed conflict and its relation to the environment was also a significant source of discussion at UNEA-2. A symposium focused on environment and displacement : root causes and implecations. 

One decision called on Member States to take appropriate measures to ensure compliance with international obligations under international humanitarian law in relation to the protection of the environment in times of armed conflict. 

Resolutions on food waste and sustainable consumption and production, which both impacts on the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement in terms of increasing emissions and resource use and holding back efforts to reduce hunger, were passed. The resolution called for increased efforts and cooperation to decrease the one third of all food produced each year that is lost or wasted and committed Member States to achieving SDG 12, which focuses on Sustainable Consumption and Production. 

Kech.

New Technologies "Provide smart solutions" to Change the World

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Message from UN Chief, Ban Ki-moon, marking World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD-2016):

New information and communication technologies (ICTs) "provide smart solutions" to help change the world for the better and foster sustainable development.

Ban has said that the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) specifically single out the key role of ICTs in improving life for all, by 2030.

The Secretary-General stated that ICTs provide smart solutions to address key challenges posed by climate change, hunger and poverty, all important parts of the sustainable development agenda.

He called on leaders around the world to invest in young innovators in particular, saying that "as entrepreneurs they can pioneer transformative technology, create jobs and benefit whole economies."

He explained that the day provided an opportunity to harness the power of technology, to "create a better future for us all."

His message was echoed by the ITU Secretary-General, Houlin Zhao.

"Billions of people have now been brought into the information society, in a remarkably short period of time. Let's put our resources together in achieving sustainable development and delivering economic growth, social inclusion and environmental balance."

Mr Zhao stressed the need to focus on small local growth in the tech sector, to meet local needs.

UN/Kech

The Minister of Environment Rings the Trade Closing Bell at the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Mrs. Amina Mohammed, has urged the private sector to be more responsible to the environment by adopting sustainable business models. Mrs Mohammed who rang the Trade Closing Bell at the Nigerian Stock Exchange in Lagos remarked ‘’as we strive to green the economy, we must begin to reduce environmental degradation, pollution, and the effects of climate change’’.

The Minister was received by the Chief Executive Officer of the Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema to share the ‘New Narrative’ at Federal Ministry of Environment that focuses on Empowering People, taking Climate Action and Protecting the Environment’. Mrs. Mohammed said she believes that Environment and private sector partnership is key towards a sustainable transition to a green economy, as it will ensure that industries adhere to standard and regulations on environmental protection.

The meeting with some of the CEOs of listed companies on the issue of sustainable development in Nigeria beyond Cooperate Social Responsibility (CSR), discussed the era of sustainable development as the paradigm shift needed to ensure that the world protects the planet for future generations through the promotion of healthy interactions between the environment, the social/political and economic lives of nations. Putting people at the centre is good for business says Mrs. Mohammed. She said the Federal Ministry of Environment is working to create opportunities that will grow the nation through an empowered people capable of taking action and contributing to the protection of the planet. According to her, the Private Sector must contribute to government’s change agenda by adopting a business model that is sustainable, transparent, and accountable, as well as promotes women in decision-making roles.

PR/Kech.

Cost Of Adapting To Climate Change Could Hit $500 Billion Per Year By 2050

UNEP's: Failure to cut emissions will dramatically increase the annual costs of adaptation, which could be up to five times higher by 2050 than previously thought.

PC:UNEP

The United Nations Environment Programme has reported that the cost of adapting to climate change in developing countries could rise to between $280 and $500 billion per year by 2050, a figure that is four to five times greater than previous estimates, according to a new United Nations Environment (UNEP) report.

The system’s Adaptation Finance Gap Report which was released as nations sign the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change, assesses the difference between the financial costs of adapting to climate change in developing countries and the amount of money actually available to meet these costs – a difference known as the “adaptation finance gap”.

The report, the second in UNEP’s series of Adaptation Gap reports, finds that total bilateral and multilateral funding for climate change adaptation in developing countries has risen substantially in the five years leading up to 2014, reaching $22.5 billion. But the report warns that, despite this increase, there will be a significant funding gap by 2050 unless new and additional finance for adaptation is made available.

“It is vital that governments understand the costs involved in adapting to climate change,” Ibrahim Thiaw, the Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme stated.

“This report serves as a powerful reminder that climate change will continue to have serious economic costs. The adaptation finance gap is large, and likely to grow substantially over the coming decades, unless significant progress is made to secure new, additional and innovative financing for adaptation.”

Previous estimates place the cost of adapting to climate change at between $70 to $100 billion annually for the period 2010-2050 - a figure based on a World Bank study from 2010. The Adaptation Finance Gap Report, which is written by authors from 15 institutions and reviewed by 31 experts, builds upon these earlier estimates by reviewing national and sector studies.

As a result, the report finds that the World Bank’s earlier figures are likely to be a significant underestimate. The true cost of adapting to climate change in developing countries could range between $140 and $300 billion per year in 2030, and between $280 and $500 billion per year in 2050, it says.

Adaptation costs are likely to increase sharply over time even if the world succeeds in limiting a global rise in temperatures to below two degrees Celsius by 2100, the report warns. For higher scenarios of global warming, estimates of the adaptation costs in developing countries are higher even in early years.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has called on developed countries to provide $100 billion annually by 2020 to help developing countries mitigate climate change, and adapt to its impacts, such as drought, rising sea levels and floods.

However, the UNEP report notes that “There is no agreement as to the type of funding that shall be mobilised to meet this goal. This hampers efforts to monitor progress toward meeting the goal.” It further highlights the need for the proper measurement, tracking, and reporting system of adaptation investments, to help ensure that finance is used efficiently and targeted where it is most needed.

While dedicated climate funds are breaking down the barriers to investing in adaptation projects in developing countries, contributions to these funds are low when compared to the contributions made to funds that mitigate climate change.

The Green Climate Fund, which was set up by the UNFCCC, with its stated goal of splitting funding equally between mitigation and adaptation efforts, is expected to play a significant role in efforts to fund adaptation.

“The adaptation finance gap is large, and likely to grow substantially over the coming decades, unless significant progress is made to secure new and additional finance for adaptation,” the report concludes.

“To meet finance needs and avoid an adaptation gap the total finance for adaptation in 2030 would have to be approximately six to 13 times greater than international public finance today”.

Adaptation costs are already two to three times higher than current international public funding for adaptation, states the report, which was launched today at Adaptation Futures – the biennial conference of the Global Programme of Research on Climate Change Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation.

Closing this gap will be vital if the world is to address future adaptation needs, especially those of developing countries.

The Paris Agreement on climate change, which 195 countries negotiated in December, includes several key provisions designed to advance adaptation. Three are particularly momentous: the adoption of a global goal on adaptation, the commitment to increase developed country funding to developing countries and the requirement that all parties draw up and regularly update adaptation plans and strategies.

In an unprecedented move, the Paris Agreement also calls for a balance between adaptation and mitigation finance and support in a bid to meet longstanding demand for adaptation finance from developing countries.

PR/

175 NATIONS SIGN PARIS AGREEMENT, 15 RATIFY TREATY

PC: UNEP
In support of the Paris climate agreement adopted by the United Nations last December, 175 countries have signed the Paris Agreement at a ceremony at UN Headquarters.

The ceremony which held the first day the Paris Agreement was opened for signature, marked the initial step to ensure the agreement enters into force.  The agreement will enter into force 30 days after 55 countries accounting for 55 per cent of global emissions deposit their instruments of ratification.

According to United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, “The world will have met the requirement needed for the Paris Agreement to enter into force if all 175 countries that have signed today take the next step at the national level and join the Agreement.”

Fifteen countries submitted their ratifications during the signing ceremony, including small island developing countries that are on the frontlines of climate impacts.

Several countries announced plans to join the agreement in 2016, including Australia, Argentina, Cameroon, Canada, China, France, Mali, Mexico, Philippines, and the United States.  Other countries, including Brazil, the European Union, and the Russian Federation, pledged to swiftly work to complete the necessary steps for joining the agreement.

“I am very pleased to see so much support and political momentum to move the Agreement forward,” said the Secretary-General. “The spirit of multilateralism is strong” – he added.

The Secretary-General stated that participation by so many countries, and the attendance by 55 world leaders, along with leaders from civil society and the private sector, leave no doubt that the world is determined to take climate action.

French President François Hollande, who hosted the Paris climate conference, said his country would take the lead to set a price on carbon.

There was strong business engagement at the Signature Ceremony, and United Nations Global Compact Executive Director Lise Kingo called on companies around the world to set an internal carbon price at a minimum of $100 per metric ton over time.

“The Paris Agreement sends a clear signal that business and investors must put climate at the heart of decision-making,” said Ms. Kingo. “We believe that setting a $100 internal price on carbon is one of the most effective ways to drive climate deep into corporate strategy and investment. While leading companies have taken steps to price carbon, we need to see an ascent in ambition and price across the board.”

PC: UNEP

Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said: “Today is a remarkable, record-breaking day in the history of international cooperation on climate change and a sustainable future for billions of people alive today and those to come.”

Figueres added, “The urgency now is to implement the Paris Agreement’s visionary pathways at a speed and scale that can deliver the next crucial steps; namely a swift peaking of global emissions, a climate neutral world in the second half of the century and the building of resilient countries and communities for every man, woman and child.”

The Paris Agreement marked a watershed moment in taking action on climate change.  After years of negotiation, countries agreed to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius, while pursuing efforts to keep temperature rise to 1.5 degrees.

Even as the agreement was adopted, countries recognised that present pledges to reduce emissions were still insufficient to reach these goals.  The Paris Agreement mandates regular meetings every five years, starting in 2018, to review progress, and to consider whether it is necessary to increase ambition.

ACTION AGAINST DESERTIFICATION IN NIGERIA

The Great Green Wall project office in Nigeria has collaborated with United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) to organise a Capacity Assessment Workshop on Action Against Desertification (AAD) in Sokoto state, North west Nigeria.

At the opening ceremony, the Director General, National Agency for Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Mr. Goni Ahmed, said that as a framework of action for rural development, the Great Green Wall programme is important to rural families and is designed to improve the sustainability, integration and adaptability for dryland agricultural practices to enhance crop production, livestock and fisheries, promote commercialization and marketing of agricultural products, enhance accessibility of farmers, pastoralists and other land users to agricultural funds, increase security and accessibility to basic resources by affected people especially women among others.

Mr. Ahmed said the NAGGW approach to the rural development will include provision of opportunities for the grass roots to participate fully in the development programmes and getting the beneficiaries to queue into the development process. He reiterated the Agency’s commitment to sharing and exchange of research based knowledge, local knowledge, values and practices, and mechanism for exchange of and dissemination of technological information.

The DG remarked that FAO has been one of Nigeria’s strong partners on the Great Green Wall projects across Africa, noting that similar workshop was organized a year ago by FAO in Niamey, Republic of Niger on Baseline Assessment and Ongoing Monitoring of Agrosilvopastoral System of which five staff of the Agency participated. He also noted participation of women and the youth at the workshop, adding that women are very good managers of natural resources and the youth, vanguard of positive change.

The DG was represented by Mr. Saminu Ado, Head of Afforestation Programme Coordinating Unit (APCU), Kano state.

The FAO Representative, Dr. Louise Sethwaelo stated that FAO's approach will help overcome hunger and poverty, ensure sustainable management of resources, building resilience of local communities and landscapes across the globe. She said capacity development is at the core of FAO's global mandate, stressing that the Organisation supports member countries to build their capacities for better policy formulation and strategy development, implementation of programmes, monitoring and evaluation, including support to communities to ensure sustainable livelihoods.

The Action Against Desertification (AAD) which is a support project to achieve the objectives of the Great Green Wall for Sahara and Sahel Initiative (GGWSSI) project, is a Pan African Programme launched by African Union, with the aim of addressing land degradation and desertification in the Sahara region, boost food security and support communities to adapt to climate change. Dr. Sethwaelo was represented at the event by FAO’s Assistant Representative, Mr. Rabe I. Mani.

Great Green Wall Initiative as an integrated action related to issues affecting people's livelihoods in the sahara and sahel, has one of its goals to address the menace of degradation and desertification in the region by engaging the rural communities.

The AAD intervention is being implemented in Nigeria to cover two main very populated basins - the Sokoto basin with one site in Basanta/Tangaza community of the state and the Chad basin in Jeke community of Jigawa sate and Maluri community in Bauchi state.

In attendance at the workshop are representatives from NAGGW (Nigeria), FAO (Ethiopia and Rome), FAO (Nigeria), NOA, WIA, BUK, State Ministries of Environment, Water Resources, Animal Resources, Animal Livestock, NAGGW Niger, NGO's and community members from the GGW corridor.