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Summary of the First Substantive Session of the Ad Hoc Open Ended Working Group

The first substantive session of the Ad hoc Open-ended Working Group towards a Global Pact for the Environment convened on Monday, 14 January 2019 at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya. During the week-long session, delegates considered the report of the United Nations Secretary-General titled “Gaps in international environmental law and environment related instruments: towards a global pact for the environment” (A/73/419).  Approximately 288 participants attended the meeting, including government delegates, representatives of international organizations, and civil society.

General Statements

Ethiopia, for the Group of 77 and China (G-77/China), recalled  the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) outcome on strengthening UNEP. He highlighted links between finance, technology transfer, and capacity building, and fully operationalizing IEL and related instruments, and stressed the principles of sovereignty over national resources and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR).

Cameroon noted the need to discuss other gaps in addition to those identified by the UNSG’s report.

Mexico said the fragmentation of IEL is not necessarily a weakness, but reflects a diversity of environmental problems and associated solutions. She called for strengthening the coordination role of UNEP.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) noted inconsistency between IEL and the law on armed conflict.

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