WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/TE/INF/11 
20 March 2007 
 (07-1168) 
Committee on Trade and Environment Special Session Original:   English/ 
                 French/                  Spanish 
 
  
PRESIDENT’S SUMMARY OF THE DISCUSSIONS BY MINISTERS AND HEADS OF 
DELEGATION AT THE TWENTY-FOURTH SESSION OF THE GOVERNING 
COUNCIL/GLOBAL MINISTERIAL ENVIRONMENT FORUM OF THE UNITED 
NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME 
 
 The following communication is being circulated at the request of UNEP
 at the 
1-2 March 2007 Meeting of the CTE in Special Session.    
_______________ 
Summary 
1. Ministers and heads of delegation from 140 Un ited Nations Member States attending the 
twenty-fourth session of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing 
Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum at  UNEP headquarters in Nairobi from 5 to 9 
February 2007 held ministerial consultations to discuss the themes of globalization and environment 
and United Nations reform. During those consultations, the ministers and heads of delegation put 
forward their views on how to maximize the opportunities arising from globalization and discussed how to be better prepared to face the challenges it posed. In addition, they took note of the United 
Nations reform activities currently under way a nd the emerging consensus in areas where forward 
movement appeared possible. The aim was to place on record their opinions on how progress should 
be made in those areas over the coming months a nd to set out options for achieving that goal.  
2. The twenty-fourth session of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment 
Forum was attended by a significant number of h eads of United Nations bodies. They included: Mr. 
Kemal Dervis, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Mr. Francesco Frangialli, Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization; 
Mr. Pascal Lamy, Director General of the World Tr ade Organization; Ms. Anna Tibaijuka, Director 
General of the United Nations Offi ce at Nairobi and Executive Director of the United Nations Human 
Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat); and Mr. Kande h Yumkella, Director General of the United 
Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). 
3. The discussions were conducted under the leadersh ip of the President of the Council/Forum, 
Mr. Roberto Dobles of Costa Rica, with the assistance of ministers and heads of delegation from 
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Brazil, Burkin a Faso, China, Congo, Cuba, Denmark, France, 
Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Kenya, Latvia, Mexico, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Republic of 
Korea, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Syrian Ar ab Republic, Thailand, Uganda, United Kingdom of 
Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania and United States of America.   
4. In the panel and roundtable discussions which form ed part of the ministerial consultations, the 
President of the Council/Forum was assisted by a number of distinguished scholars and leaders of 
civil society organizations. They included: Ms. E. Da no of the Third World Network; Mr. J. Gerber of 
the World Business Council for Sustainable Developm ent; Mr. J. Leape of WWF International; Ms. J. 
Marton LeFevre of the World Conservation Union; Ms. J. McGlade of the European Environment TN/TE/INF/11 
Page 2  
 
  Agency; Mr. J. Rockstrom of the Stockholm Environm ent Institute; Mr. G. Ryder of the International 
Trade Union Confederation; Mr. D. Runnalls of  the International Institute for Sustainable 
Development; Mr. R. Ortiz-Menendez of the International Centre for Trade and 
Sustainable Development; Ms. L. Tubiana of th e Institute for Sustainable Development and 
International Relations (Institut du  développement durable est des re lations internationales (IDDRI)); 
and Mr. K. Otto-Zimmerman of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives – Local 
Governments for Sustainability. 
5. The President of the Council/Forum also had the benefit of contributions by the co-chairs of 
the informal consultative process in itiated by the President of the United Nations General Assembly 
on the institutional framework for United Nations environmental activities, Mr. Enrique Berruga and 
Mr. Peter Maurer. Also assisting the President in the plenary discussions were Mr. Y. de Boer, 
Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framewor k Convention on Climate Change; Mr. H. Diallo, 
Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertificatio n, Particularly in Africa; and Mr. A. Djoghlaf, 
Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. 
6. A new format for the ministerial consultations, introduced at the current session, facilitated 
exchanges between ministers and heads of delega tion and contributed to a rich, wide-ranging and 
interactive dialogue. The format consisted of pane llists introducing the broad contours of topics in 
plenary to set the stage for smaller, simultane ous roundtable discussions. Participants in the 
roundtable discussions then reported their conclusions  in plenary and received feedback from a final 
group of panellists. The discussions underscored the need to develop a range of clear and specific 
policy options based on the activities outlined in th e present document, in close collaboration with 
trade and environment ministers and with relevant  international agencies and stakeholders, and to 
prepare options on the matter to be presented to th e Council/Forum at its tenth special session, in 
2008, for consideration by ministers. The discussions  also underscored the need for greater precision 
in future deliberations on the United Nations environment reform exercise. 
7. The present document is a summary of the rich and interactive dialogue among the ministers 
and other heads of delegations attending the m eeting; it reflects the ideas presented and discussed 
rather than a consensus view of all points.  
8. The present document is issued without formal editing. 
I. SUMMARY OF MINISTERIAL DISCUSSIONS ON GLOBALIZATION AND 
ENVIRONMENT 
A. C
ONTEXT  
9. Globalization in its many dimensions (econom ic, social, ecological, political, technological 
and cultural) has become one of the main defining trends of our times, with significant consequences 
for the environment. As globalization is unfolding alongside growing evidence of serious degradation 
of the world’s ecosystems, it is increasingly urge nt for policy-makers, business leaders and civil 
society to consider the implications of these converg ing trends and make sure  that globalization works 
for the environment and human well-being for all.1  
10. The discussions on globalization and the envir onment were held both in plenary sessions 
through panel discussions and, for the first time  in a session of the Governing Council/Global 
Ministerial Environment Forum, in smaller r oundtable discussions. The objective of the panel 
                                                      
1 Discussions were carried out in line with relevant UNEP legislative mandates that have a direct 
bearing on globalization and the environment (see UNEP/GC/24/11 for further details).  TN/TE/INF/11 
 Page 3 
 
 
  presentations in the plenary and roundtable di scussions was to encourage an open and frank 
discussion on the main challenges and opportun ities globalization presents for environmental 
protection and sustainable development. The aim was to identify tangible ways of making 
globalization more environmentally sustainable. Th e new format worked very well and the ministers 
and heads of delegations, as reported in the plenary sessions, made full use of it.  
B. DISCUSSIONS IN PLENARY  
11. The discussions in plenary began with a pa nel discussion entitled “Globalization and the 
environment in a reformed United Nations”. The pa nellists talked about the need to incorporate 
environmental dimensions into measures of growth  and development so as to ensure that trade, 
industry, and tourism all contribute to sustainable human development. The pa nelists underlined that 
economic globalization is a reality and that no country is in a position to resist it. We must therefore 
proactively respond to the environmental challenge s that globalization poses and equip ourselves to 
benefit from it. 
12. A second panel discussion entitled “Overview” the ministers and heads of delegation debated 
the need to correct market failu res to internalize environmental costs and the potential for using 
payments for ecosystem services to help ensure that the environment is taken into account. It was felt 
that UNEP could take on the challenge of deve loping methodologies and undertaking valuation of the 
environment to help support countries and inform tr ade and investment decisions at both the national 
and global levels. The next plenary panel, entitled “Response options”, focused on what the 
multilateral system can do to respond to the needs of countries. In a final plenary session entitled “Feedback” the urgency of international action invol ving all stakeholders and the critical role of 
UNEP in the current policy debates was highlighted. 
13. These plenary discussions helped provide the context for the ministerial roundtables 
discussions, which looked in further detail at the challenges and opportunities presented by 
globalization and helped to identify some conc rete opportunities, challenges and options for 
Governments, UNEP and the international community to consider.  
14. Discussions centred on the twin notions that  globalization poses both risks and opportunities 
for the achievement of sustainable development.  The underlying assumption of the discussions was 
recognition of the value of minimizing the negativ e impacts while maximizing the positive effects of 
globalization.  
C. O
PPORTUNITIES  
15. Ministers noted that globalization creat es and enhances many opportunities for better 
promotion of sustainable development, provided that it is well managed to optimize the positive 
effects and minimize associated risks. Among the opportunities identified were:  
(a) Poverty alleviation:  By contributing to economic development and thus the 
alleviation of poverty, economic globaliza tion provides many countries with greater 
means for environmental protection. There is an increasing awareness among 
Governments and business that the degradation of ecosystem services has real 
economic costs and is constraining future  development. This awareness provides 
environment ministers with an opportunity  to engage economic and trade policy 
makers in constructing new policies for sustainable development. Many speakers 
observed that poverty and environmental problems are interlinked; 
(b) Harnessing market power:  Economic globalization allows individuals, 
Governments, companies and organizations to harness the power of companies and TN/TE/INF/11 
Page 4  
 
  markets in the service of sustainable development. Tools for such integration include 
voluntary initiatives with the private sector , such as the Tour Operators Initiative of 
UNEP, the United Nations Educational, So cial and Cultural Organization the United 
Nations World Tourism Organization, m echanisms for drawing on the power of 
consumers, such as certification schemes and valuation of and payments for 
ecosystem services. It was pointed out, howev er, that payment for ecosystem services 
is but the obverse of “polluter pays” and that the question of who pays and who receives should be resolved in relation to  legitimate entitlements to environmental 
resources. A globalized economy also provides a larger market for environmental goods and services, which provides greater incentives for their development and 
production and greater possibilities for their dissemination; 
(c) Environmental technology transfer:  Another benefit of economic globalization lies 
in the possibility of easier and more widespread distribution of environmentally sound technologies. The need to promot e research and development in clean 
technologies and a new compact on intellectual property rights to enhance 
dissemination of the same was stressed; 
(d) Enhanced communication possibilities:  International communication has become a 
very efficient and rapid tool, creating many channels for the distribution of environmental information. Better communica tion tools allow stakeholders interested 
in protecting the environment to work togeth er more efficiently and effectively, for 
example in public-private-civil society partnerships. 
D. C
HALLENGES  
16. While acknowledging the myriad opportunities pr esented by globalization, ministers also 
agreed that globalization entails potential challenge s to the achievement of sustainable development 
goals. Among the risks identified were:    
(a) Uncontrolled growth in the context of inadequate governance:  Economic 
globalization can lead to rapid development in different industry sectors. Particularly 
for sectors that have strong environmental impacts, such growth can pose problems if it is not well managed, such as where envi ronmental governance, including laws and 
regulations, has not kept pace with economic  globalization. While the “polluter pays” 
principle needs to be emphasized, harmonization of standards may force unacceptable economic and social costs for developing countries. Common but differentiated 
responsibilities were recognized; 
(b) Competitiveness problems:  Unfair competition in the market place owing to a lack 
of internalization of environmental cost s and subsidies is exacerbated by economic 
globalization. If one community acts sustai nably and another does not, the passive 
one may have an economic advantage. Ther e is a need for a multilateral response to 
globalization to ensure a level playing fiel d. In setting environmental standards and 
norms efforts should be made to ensure that  competition is not impeded and that the 
public is informed of the scientific basis of the risks to be addressed and that due 
consultations are carried out with trad e partners and relevant stakeholders; 
(c) Rising energy demand and climate change:  The livelihoods of the poor are most at 
risk in the face of environmental impact s like climate change linked with growing 
transport and travel and rising energy use. This increased demand for energy, 
especially biofuels, may have negative c onsequences for biodiversity and ecosystems 
if not properly managed;  TN/TE/INF/11 
 Page 5 
 
 
  (d) Spread of invasive species:  The tremendous increase in the flow of goods and 
people has led to an accelerated introductio n of invasive species throughout the 
world; 
(e) Spread of consumerism and the loss of cultural diversity:  Economic globalization 
promotes standard patterns of consumption.  The rapid dissemination of information 
made possible through globalization enables global actors to spread information, 
including marketing efforts, around the worl d. There is a concern that without an 
approach to maintaining traditional knowle dge, globalization will lead to a decrease 
in cultural diversity. Increased consumption wo rldwide can lead to a proliferation of 
waste; 
(f) Concentration of power, info rmation and financial resources:  The benefits of 
globalization, and its attendant economic development, do not always reach local 
communities. Economic globalization and the globalization of knowledge can widen 
the gap between the rich and the dispossessed (within and between nations). Local communities and civil society must be linked to the ongoing globalization process. In 
this context the empowerment of women as key players in small scale economic 
activities should be further pursued.  
E. O
PTIONS FOR ACTION  
17. Ministers presented and discussed various opt ions for action for consideration by 
Governments, UNEP and the intern ational community. The options enumerated below reflect views 
expressed during the discussions. Their inclusion does not  mean that they are without controversy or 
that each option has been fully considered by each Government. They provide for Governments, 
UNEP and the international community a fertile source of ideas from which to undertake further 
exploration. 
1. Actions by Governments 
18. Possible actions by Governments include: 
(a) Policy coherence and integration:  Promote coherenc e between national 
environment, trade and sectoral (e.g., agriculture) ministries. Integrate environmental considerations into national developmen t and poverty reduction strategies, trade 
negotiations and implementation and gove rnmental and institutional bilateral 
assistance policies. Redirection of resources from the Millennium Development Goals agenda to the environment, a zero sum game between the environment and 
poverty alleviation, is not the way forward. Ensure decisions adopted in various 
international negotiating forums are c onsistent to avoid potential conflicts; 
(b) National governance:  Identify national environmental policy-making priorities in 
order to ensure adequate resources for implementation. Developed countries should 
provide leadership to ensure globalization contributes to sustainable development; 
(c) Environmentally friendly technologies:  Provide economic incentives and increased 
investment in research and development for environmentally friendly technologies. 
Promote the involvement of business and the financial sector in the development of these technologies; 
(d) Economic instruments and valuation:  Promote valuation of ecosystem services, 
greater use of green accounting (satellite) t echniques and life-cycle analysis. Consider TN/TE/INF/11 
Page 6  
 
  indicators such as quality of life, educati on, and health, not only gross domestic 
product, when measuring levels of developm ent. Reduce or eliminate subsidies that 
distort prices of natural resources and adopt the polluter pays principle. Support the use of market-based mechanisms and consumer information; 
(e) Impact assessment:  Develop and implement tools for impact assessments at the 
national level. Strengthen and ensure pu blic participation in this process; 
(f) Public and private sector:  Encourage public-private partnerships to promote 
sustainable development. Identify crea tive means for turning environmental 
protection into economic gain, such as businesses focused on environmentally-
friendly consumption and production. Encourage industries to take voluntary 
measures to introduce more sustainable pa tterns of production. Understand, however, 
the limitations of private sector initiatives a nd ensure implementation of strong public 
sector rules and institutions; 
(g) Others:  Ensure full implementation of multila teral environmental agreements in 
word and deed. Reform national energy policies. Involve civil society in efforts to 
promote environmental sustainability. Design an educational system that reflects the 
long-term objectives of sustainable developm ent. Develop systems that preserve and 
stock information using traditional knowledge and experience to ensure it is not lost 
in a rapidly globalizing world.  
2. Actions by UNEP 
19. There was widespread agreement that UNEP ha s an important role to play in helping 
countries seize environmental opportunities and mini mize risks of globalization. Many of the 
roundtables proposed that UNEP be strengthened, especially to enable it to deal with the 
environmental implications of globalization. So me expressed support for further exploring proposals 
to transform UNEP into a specialized agency, while  others preferred that UNEP be strengthened as it 
retains its present structure. Yet others felt that  strengthening UNEP would make it more effective in 
implementation of its mandate. All agreed that gr eater financial resources would be required for the 
various suggested initiatives listed above. Specific ideas to emerge from the roundtables for possible 
UNEP follow up and future considerations  by the Governing Council include: 
(a) Linkages:  Explore and develop a conceptual  framework on the linkages between 
globalization, ecosystem services, human well-being, fairness and equity, possibly through an informal consultative process i nvolving Governments, civil society, the 
private sector and relevant international organizations; 
(b) Trade and environment:  Contribute substantively to the dialogue on global trade to 
help shape trade-related rules and instituti ons which affect the environment. Work 
with the World Trade Organization on the mutual supportiveness of trade and environment, i.e., the benefits of environm ent for trade and the benefits of trade for 
environment; 
(c) Economic instruments:  Promote the use of incentive measures and market 
mechanisms to steer production and cons umption patterns towards environmental 
sustainability. Strengthen work on prom oting economic instruments (such as 
environmental accounting and fiscal policy) for environmental protection and sustainable investments. Develop criteria for internalizing environmental costs 
(pricing), identify barriers for internalization of costs and support developing 
countries (and others) in the application of such criteria;  TN/TE/INF/11 
 Page 7 
 
 
  (d) Ecosystem services: Provide guidance and support to Governments on the payment 
for and valuation of ecosystem services.  Consolidate valuation methodologies and 
techniques and undertake valuation of na tural resources at the global and national 
levels. Improve integration of ecosystem se rvices in national development processes 
and poverty reduction strategies; 
(e) Capacity-building and technology transfer:  Strengthen the capacities of ministries 
of environment to help them in their di alogue with other ministries and sectors. 
Promote the transfer of environmentally sound technologies, including both clean and efficient technologies. Identify environmental friendly technologies at the global level and support their implementation at the nati onal level, ensuring a balanced mix of 
modern and traditional knowle dge and technology. These coul d be undertaken as part 
of the implementation of the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity-building; 
(f) Partnerships:  Facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience between 
countries by creating a network of institu tions. Establish new mechanisms for 
information exchange, advisory services and collaboration between UNEP and other 
relevant forums to assist in mainstre aming environmental considerations in 
intergovernmental deliberations; 
(g) Policy guidance:  Provide guidance in outlining a set of principles for sustainable 
outsourcing, investing and trading in a globalized world (in collaboration with 
relevant agencies and other relevant stakeholders including the private sector) for 
industry and large corporations to guide their interventions and investments in 
developing countries. Monitor and evaluate  existing global environmental objectives 
and actions; 
(h) Multilateral environmental agreements:  Promote coordination and collaboration 
between multilateral environmental agreements to maximize the use of resources and 
achieve synergies. Support effective impl ementation of multilate ral environmental 
agreements at the national level; 
(i) Way forward:  A number of countries suggested that the UNEP Executive Director 
develop a range of clear and specific po licy options based on the activities outlined 
above in close collaboration with ministers of environment and trade and with relevant international agencies and stakehol ders and prepare options on this matter 
and present these to the special session of  the Governing Council/Global Ministerial 
Environment Forum in 2008 for the consideration of ministers. 
3. Actions by the international community 
20. Possible actions by the intern ational community include: 
(a) International coordination among intergovernmental organizations:  Promote 
coherence and coordination between intern ational organizations working on issues 
related to sustainable development (UN EP, UNDP, the World Trade Organization, 
the United Nations Conference on Trade a nd Development, UN-Habitat, the Food 
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, UNIDO). Establish new 
mechanisms for information exchange, advisory services and collaboration among 
international organizations to assist in main streaming environmental considerations in 
intergovernmental deliberations and implementation processes. Strengthen and 
revitalize international organizations in orde r to facilitate and promote inter-sectoral TN/TE/INF/11 
Page 8  
 
  dialogue in national Governments. St rengthen enforcement and compliance 
mechanisms of multilateral environmental agreements; 
(b) Governance:  Strengthen international envir onmental governance to respond to 
globalization processes and to ensure greate r parity among international organizations 
promoting sustainable development (e.g. multilateral environmental agreements and 
the World Trade Organization). Invite th e United Nations Secretary-General to 
include globalization issues in the current  international environmental governance 
discussions; 
(c) Other issues:  Develop both technologies and technology transfer mechanisms 
relevant to least developed countries, as well as capacity-building activities to support 
such technology transfer.  
II. SUMMARY OF MINISTERIAL CONSULTATIONS ON UNITED NATIONS 
REFORM 
21. Ministers presented and discussed various opt ions for action for consideration by 
Governments, UNEP and the intern ational community. The options enumerated below reflect views 
expressed during the discussions. Their inclusion does not  mean that they are without controversy or 
that each option has been fully considered by each Government. They provide for Governments, 
UNEP and the international community a fertile source of ideas from which to undertake further 
exploration. 
A. C
ONTEXT  
22. The current discussions on environmental governan ce take place in the framework of United 
Nations reform measures approved by heads of State and Government in the 2005 World Summit 
Outcome. Paragraph 169 of the Outcome document sets  out areas for further reflection on the current 
institutional framework of United Nations envi ronment work. These areas include: enhanced 
coordination; improved policy a dvice and guidance; strengthene d scientific knowledge, assessment 
and cooperation; better treaty compliance, while re specting the legal autonomy of the treaties; and 
better integration of environmental activities in the broader sustainable development framework at the 
operational level, including through capacity-building.  
23. The General Assembly established an informal consultative process to consider these areas, 
which commenced in March 2006. At the same time the Secretary General, as mandated by paragraph 
169, convened a High-level Panel on System Wide  Coherence in the areas of development, 
humanitarian assistance and the environment. The report of the Panel has been transmitted to the 
General Assembly, but has yet to be considered. 
24. The informal consultative process in the Gene ral Assembly culminated in a co-chairs 
summary which has formed the basis for further c onsultations that commenced in January 2007. The 
backdrop to the discussions on improved environm ental governance finds its genesis in the 
“Cartagena Outcome” contained in UNEP Govern ing Council decision SS.VII/1 on international 
environmental governance, adopted in February 2002. 
25. The aim of the panel and roundtable discussions at the current session was to provide further 
impetus to implementation of the Bali Strategi c Plan and UNEP partnerships with other United 
Nations system entities, as well as to provide input to the ongoing and forthcoming discussions in the 
General Assembly.   TN/TE/INF/11 
 Page 9 
 
 
  B. PLENARY SESSIONS  
26. The discussion commenced in a plenary session en titled “Overview”, with an introduction by 
one of the co-chairs of the General Assembly  informal consultative process, following which 
panellists from Germany, India and the United States  of America intervened. It was emphasized that 
environmental challenges needed to be integrated into development planning and economic strategies. 
Implementation of the Bali Strategic Plan would as sist in this regard, as would encouraging new 
partnerships between UNEP, UNDP, UNIDO a nd others in the United Nations system. 
27. Support was expressed for a reformed United Natio ns institution for the environment as well 
as for an increase in its financial resources. Co mplex, growing and inte rlinked environmental 
challenges urgently require coordinated responses, in cluding in policy sectors other than environment. 
A variety of measures were discussed, including be tter coordination among the institutions currently 
involved in the environment, more cooperation with multilateral agencies with economic and 
developmental mandates, strengthe ning UNEP or upgrading it into a specialized agency with the 
commensurate authority to foster better coordinatio n, and the establishment of a new United Nations 
environment organization. The introductory plenar y session set the stage for six ministerial round 
table discussions that explored the challenges, oppor tunities and possible improvements with respect 
to environmental governance. 
28. At a concluding plenary session, entitled “Feedback ”, ministers and heads of delegation heard 
from a number of panellists including ministers from Congo, Norway and the United Kingdom of 
Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as re presentatives from WWF International, IDDRI and 
the Third World Network. They pointed out that  the urgency and magnitude of environmental 
problems had outgrown the capacity of existing ins titutions and that meant that a United Nations 
environment organization or a strengthened UNE P was necessary. It was underscored that the 
Secretary General of the United Nations should take urgent steps to advance this process in the United 
Nations General Assembly. It was mentioned that  a reformed United Nations institution for the 
environment should have closer relations with th e World Bank and the World Trade Organization. In 
reference to the report of the High-level Pane l on System Wide Coherence in the areas of 
development, humanitarian assistance and the e nvironment, it was suggested that UNEP should 
co-chair the proposed sustainable development board.  
29. It was further stressed that United Nations reform should provide greater opportunities for 
developing countries and civil society to contri bute more towards international governance. The 
United Nations must reflect the current reality th at its vast membership is from the developing 
countries and therefore must ensure that its govern ance structures and decision making respond to this 
reality.  
C. CHALLENGES  
30. There was wide agreement that while the inte rnational community had created a variety of 
bodies to deal with environmental issues, deteriora tion of natural resources had not been successfully 
halted or reversed. Uncoordinated approaches at th e global, regional and nati onal levels, as well as 
duplication and fragmentation of mandates,  had exacerbated this situation.  
31. Lack of coordination was not limited to th e United Nations system, but also involved 
Governments, the private sector and civil society.  In the United Nations system the respective 
mandates of the various agencies, funds and programmes should be be tter coordinated.  
32. There is increased recognition that environmen tal issues are interlinked not only with 
development and sustainable economic growth, but also with trade, agri culture, health, peace and 
security and that these interlinkages increased th e need for global environmental leadership.  TN/TE/INF/11 
Page 10  
 
  33. While UNEP, as the environmental pillar of the United Nations system, has achieved 
important results in discharging its mandate, a lack  of sufficient and stable funding has hampered its 
ability to address emerging threats. The magnitude  and severity of environmental challenges in 
relation to climate change, biodive rsity loss and the degradation of ecosystem services threaten to 
overwhelm the United Nations response and are already constraining prospects for economic 
development in many countries and regions. 
34. The need for predictable resources for UNEP to effectively fulfil its mandate and the 
expectations of the international community was,  however, only one problem that needed to be 
addressed. With regard to the Global Environment Facility, the roles of the implementing agencies 
required more attention, as did the relationshi p between UNEP, UNDP and the World Bank on the 
one hand and the multilateral environmen tal agreements on the other.   
35. Mainstreaming gender in addressing environmen tal deterioration continued to present a 
challenge, as did equity concerns relating to costs associated with the negative impacts of 
unsustainable management of the environment. These areas require further reflection. 
36. With regard to changes to the institutional stru ctures that deal with the environment, a number 
of countries said that there was a need to discuss the issue of the restructuring of UNEP based on a 
detailed proposal with the basic elements require d to strengthen global environmental governance, 
including various options and with specific referenc e to the role of UNEP, and that such a detailed 
proposal should be formulated for consideration by Governments. 
37. There is often a lack of coordination among relevant government ministries with 
responsibility for the environment at the national le vel. Implementation of multilateral environmental 
agreement obligations at the domestic level is often hampered by a lack of capacity. Many 
Governments feel burdened by a proliferation of re porting requirements, a drai n on technical expertise 
and a multitude of international meetings.  
D. O
PPORTUNITIES  
38. The current United Nations reform process presen ted an opportunity for strengthening United 
Nations environmental activities; options for refo rming or upgrading UNEP should be seen in this 
context. A steady increase in the political attenti on being accorded to the environment has supported 
this process and there is growing recognition that environmental sustainability can not be de-linked 
from sustainable development and economic growth . Mainstreaming the environment across other 
sectors, and in the process enhancing the role of environment ministries, would allow such 
integration.  
39. The view was expressed that there was a need  for greater effectiveness in disseminating 
existing knowledge available in scientific institutions  and for UNEP to improve its scientific base, as 
well as its monitoring, assessment and early warning capacity. UNEP should also expand its 
partnerships with the private sector and civil so ciety and incorporate results-based management. 
40. Full implementation of the Bali Strategic Plan was stressed as a vehicle to assist developing 
countries in building their capacities to address e nvironmental challenges. This would require 
additional funding and an emphasis on partnerships  between UNEP, the United Nations system and 
other relevant stakeholders.  
41. Strong support was expressed fo r the increase in cooperation between UNEP and UNDP, as it 
would address requests for UNEP to have an ope rational capacity and enhance effectiveness in 
environmental capacity-building. The ongoing p ilot programmes jointly undertaken by UNEP and 
UNDP could be expanded to tackle complex subregional environmental challenges.   TN/TE/INF/11 
 Page 11 
 
 
  42. Some suggestions focused on the need for UN EP to have a country presence on a temporary 
basis as required or through UNDP representation.  It  was also proposed that United Nations resident 
coordinators should ensure joint programming and fu ll integration of environmental dimensions in 
project activities.    
E. POSSIBLE OPTIONS /IMPROVEMENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE  
43. Proposals were made for UNEP to receive greater  political authority and for it to have the 
ability better to coordinate global responses to environmental threats and regional and national 
implementation. Some suggestions  related to an enhanced role  for UNEP as the United Nations 
authority on environment in increasing the cohe rence of the implementation of multilateral 
environmental agreements at the national level, wh ile its regional offices could be strengthened better 
to take into account regional environmental n eeds. Some suggestions focused on UNEP establishing 
regional centres for capacity-building and technology transfer. 
44. Various ideas were voiced on whether clusteri ng of multilateral environmental agreements 
could bring about synergies and coherence. These ranged from sectoral cluste ring to administrative 
improvements. Some suggestions centred on the role  that UNEP could play in ensuring programmatic 
interlinkages and synergies among multilateral environmental agreem ents, while proposals were also 
made that would require the govern ing bodies of multilateral environmen tal agreements to explore the 
frequency of meetings, rati onalization of knowledge management a nd the development of a consistent 
and methodological approach to enforcement and compliance measures. 
45. With regard to improving institutional struct ures it was widely agreed that any new or 
improved entity should be based in Nairobi and s hould build on the current strengths of UNEP. Some 
suggestions favoured the strengthening of UNEP within its current mandate, while there was 
significant support for upgrading UNEP to a speciali zed agency. With regard to the proposal to 
establish a United Nations environment organization,  however, a divergence of opinions persists.  
46. While some are of the view that such an organization could provide better political guidance, 
legitimacy and effective coordination, others remain unconvinced that it is neces sary or desirable, that 
funding for a new institution would be at higher le vels than UNEP has at present or that it would 
ensure efficiencies. Continued discussions on th e possible establishment of a United Nations 
environment organization, which would also be part  of the United Nations system, should not detract 
from the current need to strengthen UNEP. In that regard it was important to elucidate the functions 
required to be delivered before agreeing on the form  that any such institution might take. Other views 
expressed took into account the various mandates that exist in the field of the environment and the 
possibility that an umbrella type arrangement c ould facilitate synergies, coordination and inter-
linkages. A reformed or upgraded UNEP could fulfil this role.  
47. Discussions have demonstrated the need for great er precision in the future deliberations on 
the United Nations environment reform exercise. In that regard ministers took note of the growing 
consensus in areas where forward movement is possi ble and options for such progress to be developed 
in the next several months. They also undertook, as stewards of environmental sustainability in their 
respective countries, to provide leadership and pr oposals for taking the United Nations reform process 
forward. A number of countries requested that the Executive Director assist them through regional 
and other mechanisms in obtaining relevant informa tion to enable them to engage meaningfully in 
efforts to strengthen UNEP.   
__________