This New York meeting, organised jointly by Stakeholder Forum, UNEP and CIVICUS, will provide an opportunity for major groups and other stakeholders to prepare for the second UN Environment Assembly, which will take place during 23-27 May 2016 in Nairobi.

Implementing the SDGs nationally and globally, while integrating the three dimensions of sustainable development, social, economic and environment, can only be successfully carried out through involving all players of the UN: Member States, the UN system and representatives of major groups and other stakeholders.

To this end, during the event participants will become informed about how to engage successfully in processes leading up to and during UNEA2, as well as being offered the opportunity to debate the prominent themes of this year's meeting with expert panellists, on the topics 'Implementing the Environmental Aspect of the Sustainable Development Agenda', 'Environmental Partnerships' and 'Healthy People, Healthy Planet'.

This is the second in a series of three international events, including in Geneva and London, aimed at increasing stakeholder engagement in UNEA2. Stakeholder Forum will incorporate important points arising from the discussions into a synthesis of stakeholder views from across the three events for UNEP and the UNEA process.

Please RSVP to confirm your attendance and secure a free lunch. Lunch will be served from 12.45 and speakers will commence at 13.00.

Agenda

Chaired by Eleanor Blomstrom, Programme Director, Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), Co-Organising partner for the Women’s Major Group

12:45 - A light lunch will be served with coffee and tea

13:00 - Welcome remarks by Ms. Blomstrom

13:05 – “The UN Environment Assembly, UNEA 2 – a new way to approach environment challenges – a must to successfully implement the SDGs” – Mr. Jamil Ahmad, Deputy Director of the UNEP New York Office

13:15 – “UNEA and UNEP involvement of major groups and other stakeholders in policy shaping and implementation”, by Jan-Gustav Strandenaes, senior policy adviser on governance, Stakeholder Form

13:25 – “What can we bring into the debate from yesterday’s Expert Group Meeting?” – by Priscilla Achakpa Executive Director, Women Environmental Programme (Nigeria), Co-Organising Partner for the Women’s Major Group.

13:35 – “Environmental partnerships – an old idea in a new shape – how do partnerships shape up for implementing the SDGs with a focus on the environmental dimension” – Norine Kennedy, VP, Strategic International Engagement, Energy and Environment, US Council for International Business, Co-organising Partner for Business and Industry Major Group

13:45 – “Environment and Health – the overarching theme of UNEA2: How do environment and health issues affect us all and are universal responsibilities for all ” – by Dr. Natalie Jeremijenko, Environmental Health Clinic and Associate Professor in Art, Affiliated faculty in Computer Science and Affiliated faculty in Environmental Studies New York University

14:00 – Plenary discussions, Q&As, the panellists and participants will engage in discussing the issues raised during the introductions.

14:50 – Summary of the meeting and closure by J.Huffines, CIVICUS and JG.Strandenaes

15:00 – Meeting concluded

Background and follow up to the meeting:

The idea of the event is to engage the global non-governmental community in policy shaping and implementation of the SDGs in general and the environment in particular to respond to the challenge expressed by the UN Secretary General in his January 17 report this year, quoted below.

As decided by the Rio+20 Summit and specified in the Outcome Document, paragraphs 87 and 88 specify UNEP’s role and responsibility in the multilateral intergovernmental world – UNEP is designated as the pre-eminent body of the UN to deal with the environmental dimension of sustainable development.

Following the Expert Group Meeting (EGM) of Major Groups and other Stakeholders on the High Level Political Forum, organised by UNDESA and its Division for Sustainable Development on the preceding day, this meeting will pursue the environmental dimension of the SDGs and sustainable development, to see how major groups and stakeholders can contribute to policy shaping, implementation and fulfilling the 2030 agenda on sustainable development

“2015 was a momentous year for multilateralism and international policy shaping. Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted in September… with seventeen sustainable development goals and their accompanying targets at its heart. The SDGs were developed by the UN Member States in a broad consultative process that included unprecedented engagement with civil society.”

These are extracts from the Secretary General’s report to the General Assembly, of January 19 this year. Implementing the SDGs while integrating the three dimensions of sustainable development, social, economic and environment can only be successfully carried out through involving all players of the UN: Member States, the UN system and representatives of major groups and other stakeholders.

Realising that the environment is often taken for granted, the UN Member States, through their universal membership of UNEA, have decided to upgrade its efforts to focus on the environmental dimension of the SDGs. This UNEA and its agenda will be proof of that realisation. And to fulfil the challenge voiced by the UN Secretary General in his January 19, 2016 report, summarising the responses from 119 of the UN Member States, he calls for the integration of major groups and stakeholders, the scientific community and business to be actively involved in the process and implementation.

That is also why UNEP has begun this outreach from Nairobi to a few international hubs to involve more directly major groups and stakeholders. In the years to come, it is the ambition to follow up these pilot efforts and expand them. That is also why we hope this invitation is taken seriously by all prospective participants.