K1350XXX XX0313



## Decisions adopted by the Governing Council at its twenty

- seventh and first universal session

Decision No. Title

27/1 New rules of procedure of the Governing Council

27/2 Implementation of paragraph 88 of the outcome document of the United

Nations Confere nce on Sustainable Development

27/3 International water quality guidelines for ecosystems

27/4 Intergovernmental science

- policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem

services

27/5 Coordination across the United Nations system including the Environment

Management Group

27/6 Oceans

27/7 Work by the United Nations Environment Programm e on sustainable

consumption and production

27/8 Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty

eradication

27/9 Advancing justice, governance and law for environmental sustainability

2710 Climate technology centre and network

27/11 State of the environment and contribution of the United Nations Environment

Programme to meeting substantive environmental challenges

27/12 Chemicals and waste management

27/13 Proposed medium

- term strategy for 2014

- 2017 biennial programme of work

and budget for 2014

- 2015

27/14 Management of trust funds and earmarked contributions

27/15 Provisional agenda, date and venue of the next session of the governing body

of the United Nations Environment Programme2 

## Decision 27/1 : New rules of procedure of the Governing Council

The Governing Council,

Adopts its rules of procedure set out below.



### RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF

THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONM ENT PROGRAMME

I. SESSIONS

Regular sessions

Rule 1

The Governing Council shall normally hold one regular session every two years.

Date of opening of regular sessions

Rule 2

Each regular session of the Governing Council shall be held, subject to the prov isions of rule 3, at a date fixed by the Governing Council at its previous session in such a way as to enable the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly to consider the report of the Governing Council in the same year.

Rule 3

Five members of the Governing Council or the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme may request an alteration of the date of a regular session. In either case, the Executive Director shall forthwith communicate the request to the other members of the Governing Council, together with appropriate observations, including financial implications, if any. If within twenty

- one days of the inquiry a majority of the members of the Governing Council explicitly concurs in the request, the Executive Director s hall convene the Governing Council accordingly.

Place of regular sessions

Rule 4

Regular sessions shall be held at the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme, unless otherwise decided by the Governing Council at a previous session.

Spe cial sessions

Rule 5

1. Special sessions shall be held pursuant to a decision taken by the Governing Council at a regular session, or at the request of:

(a) A majority of the members of the Governing Council;3 (b) The General Assembly;

(c) The Economic and Social Coun cil.

2. Special sessions may also be requested by:

(a) Five states Members of the United Nations or members of the specialized agencies or of the International Atomic Energy Agency, whether or not they are members of the Governing Council;

(b) The President of the Governing Council with the concurrence of the other members of the Bureau of the Governing Council and in consultation with the Executive Director.

In such cases, the Executive Director shall immediately inform all members of the Governing
Council of the request, as well as of the approximate costs and relevant administrative considerations, and shall inquire whether they concur in it. If within twenty

- one days of the inquiry a majority of the members of the Governing Council explicitly concurs in the req uest, the Executive Director shall convene a special session of the Governing Council.

Date of opening of special sessions

Rule 6

Special sessions of the Governing Council shall normally be convened within forty

- two days of the receipt by the Executive D irector of a request for such a session, at a date and place fixed by the President of the Governing Council in consultation with the Secretary

- General of the United Nations, taking into account such observations as may have been made in the request for a special session.

Notification of date of opening

Rule 7

The Executive Director shall communicate the date of the first meeting of each session to all States Members of the United Nations or members of the specialized agencies or of the International
Atom ic Energy Agency, the Chairpersons of subsidiary organs of the Governing Council, as appropriate, the President of the General Assembly when the Assembly is in session, the President of the Economic and Social Council, the specialized agencies, the Interna tional Atomic Energy Agency, the appropriate United Nations bodies, the inter

- governmental organizations referred to in the rule 68 below and the international non

- governmental organizations referred to in rule 69 below. Such
notification shall be sent:

( a) In the case of a regular session, at least forty

- two days in advance;

(b) In the case of a special session, at least fourteen days in advance of the date fixed in
accordance with rule 6 above.

Adjournment of session

Rule 8

The Governing Council may d ecide at any session to adjourn temporarily and resume its meetings at a later date.



### II. AGENDA

Drawing up of the provisional agenda for a regular session

Rule 9

1. The Executive Director shall submit to the Governing Council at each regular session the provisional agenda for the following regular session. The provisional agenda shall include all items proposed by:

(a) The Governing Council;4 (b) A State Member of the United Nations or member of a specialized agency or of the International Atomic Energ y Agency;

(c) The General Assembly;

(d) The Economic and Social Council;

(e) The Executive Director.

2. Items proposed under (b) above shall be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum and, if possible, by basic documents which shall be submitted to the Executive Director at least forty

- nine days prior to the opening of the session.

3. In drawing up the provisional agenda, the Executive Director shall take account of suggestions made by the Environment co

- ordination Board a specialized agency, the I nternational Atomic Energy Agency, an appropriate United Nations body, or an intergovernmental organization referred to in rule
68 below. The Executive Director shall also consider suggestions from the international non

governmental organizations referred to in rule 69 below.

Communication of the provisional agenda

Rule 10

After the Governing Council has considered the provisional agenda for the following session, the provisional agenda, incorporating any amendments made by the Governing Council, shall be communicated by the Executive Director to all States Members of the United Nations or members of the specialized agencies and of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Chair persons of subsidiary organs of the Governing Council as appropriate, the Pres ident of the General Assembly when the Assembly is in session, the President of the Economic and Social Council, the appropriate United Nations bodies, the specialized agencies, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the intergovernmental organizations re ferred to in rule 68 below and the international non

- governmental organizations referred to in rule 69 below.

Supplementary items

Rule 11

The inclusion of supplementary items in the provisional agenda considered by the Governing Council may be proposed b y any authority entitled to propose items under paragraph 1 of rule 9. The request for inclusion of a supplementary item shall be supported by a statement from the authority proposing it, except in the case of the General Assembly, regarding the urgency of the consideration of the item. The Executive Director shall communicate to the Governing Council any requests for the inclusion of supplementary items received before the commencement of the regular session, together with such observations as he may wish to make.

Adoption of the agenda

Rule 12

1. At the beginning of each regular session, subject to the provisions of rule 15 and after the election of officers when required under rule 18, the Governing Council shall adopt its agenda for the
session on the basis of the provisional agenda and any supplementary items proposed in accordance
with rule 11.

2. A State Member of the United Nations or member of a specialized agency or the International Atomic Energy Agency which has requested the inclusion of an item in the agenda under rule 9 or 11 above shall be entitled to be heard by the Governing Council on the inclusion of the item in the agenda
for the session.

3. The Governing Council shall normally include in its agenda for the session only items for
wh ich adequate documentation has been circulated to members at least forty

- two days before the beginning of the regular session of the Governing Council.5 Allocation of items

Rule 13

The Governing Council may allocate items among the plenary meetings of the Governing
Council and session al committees and working parties, if any, set up in accordance with rule 60, and may refer items without preliminary debate in the Governing Council to:

(a) One or more of its subsidiary organs, if any, set up in accordance with rule 62, for examination and report at a subsequent session of the Governing Council;

(b) The Executive Director, for study and report at a subsequent session of the Governing Council; or

(c) The proposer of the item, for further information or d ocumentation.

Provisional agenda for a special session

Rule 14

The provisional agenda for a special session shall consist only of those items proposed for consideration in the request for the holding of the session. It shall be transmitted to the authori ties mentioned in rule 10 at the same time as the notice convening the Governing Council.

Revision of the agenda

Rule 15

During a regular session, the Governing Council may revise the agenda for the session by adding, deleting, deferring or amending items . Only items which the Governing Council considers to be urgent and important shall be added to its agenda during the session.



### III. REPRESENTATION AND CREDENTIALS

Rule 16

Each member of the Governing Council shall be represented by an accredited representa tive, who may be accompanied by such alternate representatives and advisers as may be required.

Rule 17
1. The credentials of representatives and the names of alternate representatives and advisers shall
be submitted to the Executive Director before the f irst meeting which the representatives are to attend.

2. The Bureau of the Governing Council shall examine the credentials and submit its report to the Governing Council. This rule shall not, however, prevent a member from changing its representative,
al ternate representatives, or advisers subsequently, subject to proper submission and examination of credentials, where needed.



### IV. OFFICERS

Elections

Rule 18

1. At the commencement of the first meeting of its regular session, the Governing Council shall

e lect a President, three Vice

- Presidents and a Rapporteur from among its members. These officers shall constitute the Bureau of the Governing Council. The Bureau shall assist the President in the general conduct of business of the Governing Council. The Cha ir persons of such sessional committees or working parties as may be established under rule 60 below shall be invited to participate in meetings of the Bureau.6 2 In electing its officers, the Governing Council shall have due regard to the principle of equi table geographical representation.

3. The Offices of President and Rapporteur of the Governing Council shall normally be subject to rotation among the five groups of states referred to in section 1, paragraph 1, of General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII)

.

Terms of office

Rule 19

The President, the Vice Presidents and the Rapporteur shall hold office until their successors are elected. Subject to the provisions of rule 18, they shall be eligible for re

- election. None of them may hold office after the exp iration of the term of office of the member of which he is a representative.

Acting President

Rule 20

If the President cannot preside at a meeting or any part thereof, the President shall appoint a
Vice

- President to take his place

.

Replacement of the Pre sident

Rule 21

If the President ceases to be a representative of a member of the Governing Council or is unable to perform President’s functions, or if the State of which he is a representative ceases to be a member of the Governing Council, the Bureau sha ll designate one of the Vice

- Presidents as Acting
President.

Powers of the Acting President

Rule 22

A Vice

- President acting as President shall have the same powers and duties as the President.

Voting rights of the President

Rule 23

In the case of a mem ber of the Governing Council, which is for the time being represented by the President, an alternate representative shall, at the discretion of the President, be permitted to participate in the proceedings and to vote in the Governing Council. In such a ca se the President shall not exercise the right to vote.



### V. SECRETARIAT

Duties of the Executive Director

Rule 24

The Executive Director shall act in that capacity in all meetings of the Governing Council and of its subsidiary organs, if any. The Executive Director may designate any officer of the secretariat to act as the representative of the Executive Director.7 Rule 25

The Executive Director shall direct the staff required by the Governing Council and any subsidiary organs which may be established by it.

Rule 26

The Executive Director shall be responsible for performing those functions in relation to the Governing Council which the Executive Director is required to undertake by General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII).

Rule 27

The Executive Director, or the Executive Director’s representative, may, subject to rule 32, make oral as well as written statements to the Governing Council and its subsidiary organs, if any, concerning any question under consideration.

Rule 28

The Executive Director shall be res ponsible for all the necessary arrangements for meetings of the Governing Council and of its subsidiary organs, including the preparation and distribution of documents at least forty

- two days in advance of the sessions of the Governing Council and its
subs idiary organs, if any.

Duties of the Secretariat

Rule 29

The secretariat shall interpret speeches made at meetings; shall receive, translate and circulate the documents of the Governing Council and its subsidiary organs; shall publish and circulate the

r esolutions, reports and relevant documentation of the Governing Council. It shall have the custody of the documents in the archives of the Governing Council and generally perform all other work which the Governing Council may require.

Estimates of expendi tures

Rule 30

1. Before any proposal which involves expenditure from United Nations funds, including the resources of the Fund of the United Nations Environment Programme established by General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII), is approved by the Governin g Council or by any of its subsidiary organs, the Executive Director shall circulate to all members of the Governing Council or of the subsidiary organ concerned, as early as possible, a report from the Secretary

- General of the United Nations, in terms of Financial Regulations 2.10 and 2.11 , on the estimated costs involved as well as on administrative and budgetary implications with reference to existing authorizations and appropriations in accordance with the provisions of section II, paragraph 3, and sect ion III of General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII)

.
2. The Governing Council shall take into account the estimates referred to in paragraph 1 before adopting any proposal involving expenditure from United Nations funds including the resources of the
Fund of the United Nations Environment Programme. If the proposal is adopted, the Governing Council shall indicate, whenever appropriate, the priority or degree of urgency which it attaches to the projects and, as the case may be, which current projects may be deferred, modified, or eliminated to ensure that the work of the United Nations Environment Programme will be carried on most effectively.

3. The Executive Director shall submit to the Governing Council in each odd

- numbered year, for the following bienni um, the estimates of expenditure of the United Nations Environment Programme borne by the regular budget of the United Nations. He shall also submit to the Governing Council estimates of expenditures borne by the Fund of the United Nations Environment Prog ramme, in8 accordance with the General Procedures formulated by the Governing Council under section III, paragraph 7 of General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII), and the Financial Rules of the said Fund.



### VI. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

Quorum

Rule 31

The President may declare a meeting open and permit the debate to proceed when at least one

third of the members of the Governing Council are present. The presence of a majority of the members of the Governing Council shall be required for any decision to be taken.

Powe rs of the President

Rule 32

In addition to exercising the powers conferred upon the President elsewhere by these rules, the President shall declare the opening and closing of each meeting of the Governing Council, shall direct the discussion, ensure observ ance of these rules, accord the right to speak, put questions to the vote
and announce decisions. The President shall rule on points of order and, subject to these rules, shall have control of the proceedings of the Governing Council and over the maintenanc e of order at its meetings. The President may propose to the Governing Council the limitation of time to be allowed to speakers, the limitation of the number of times each representative may speak on any question, the closure of the list of speakers or the closure of the debate. The President may also propose the suspension or the adjournment of the meeting or of the debate on the question under discussion.

Rule 33

The President, in the exercise of his functions, remains under the authority of the Governin g Council.

Speeches

Rule 34

No person may address the Governing Council without having previously obtained the permission of the President. Subject to rules 35 and 36, the president shall call upon speakers in the order of which they signify their desir e to speak. The President may call a speaker to order if remarks of the speaker are not relevant to the subject under discussion.

Precedence

Rule 35

The Chair person , Vice

- Chair person or Rapporteur of a sessional committee or working party, or a designate d representative of any subsidiary organ, may be accorded precedence in speaking for the purpose of explaining the conclusion arrived at by the sessional committee, working party or subsidiary organ concerned and for the purpose of replying to questions.

Points of order

Rule 36

1. During the discussion of any matter, a representative may at any time rise to a point of order, and the point of order shall be immediately decided by the President in accordance with the rules of procedure. A representative ma y appeal against the ruling of the President. The appeal shall be9 immediately put to the vote, and the ruling of the President shall stand unless overruled by a majority vote of the members present and voting.

2. A representative rising to a point of orde r may not speak on the substance of the matter under
discussion.

Time limit on speeches

Rule 37

The Governing Council may limit the time allowed to each speaker and the number of times each person may speak on any question, except on procedural questions , when the President shall limit each intervention to a maximum of five minutes. When debate is limited and a speaker has spoken his allotted time, the President shall call the speaker to order without delay.

Closing of list of speakers

Rule 38

During th e course of a debate the President may announce the list of speakers and, with the consent of the Governing Council, declare the list closed. The President may, however, accord the right of reply to any representative if, in the opinion of the President, a speech delivered after the
President has declared the list closed renders this justified. When the debate on an item is concluded because there are no other speakers, the President, with the consent of the Governing Council, shall
declare the debate close d.

Adjournment of debate

Rule 39

During the discussion of any matter, a representative may move the adjournment of the debate on the question under discussion. In addition to the proposer of the motion, one representative may speak in favour of and one a gainst the motion, after which the motion shall be immediately put to the

vote.

Closure of debate

Rule 40

A representative may at any time move the closure of the debate on the question under discussion, whether or not any other representative has signif ied wish to speak of that representative. Permission to speak on the closure of the debate shall be accorded only to two speakers opposing the closure, after which the motion shall be immediately put to the vote. If the Governing Council is in
favour of th e closure, the President shall declare the closure of the debate.

Suspension or adjournment of the meeting

Rule 41

During the discussion of any matter a representative may move the suspension or the adjournment of the meeting. Such motion shall not be de bated, but shall be immediately put to the

vote.10 Order of procedural motion

Rule 42

Subject to rule 36, and regardless of the order in which they are submitted, the following motions shall have precedence in the following order over all other proposals o r motions before the meeting:

(a) To suspend the meeting;

(b) To adjourn the meeting:

(c) To adjourn the debate on the question under discussion;

(d) For the closure of the debate on the question under discussion.

Proposals and amendments

Rule 43

Pr oposals and amendments shall normally be introduced in writing and submitted to the Executive Director, who shall circulate copies to the members. As a general rule, no proposal shall be discussed or put to the vote at any meeting of the Governing Council unless copies of it have been circulated to all members not later than the day preceding the meeting. Subject to the consent of the Governing Council, the President may, however, permit the discussion and consideration of proposals or amendments even thoug h these proposals or amendments have not been circulated or have only been circulated the same day.

Decisions on competence

Rule 44

Subject to rule 42, any motion calling for a decision on the competence of the Governing Council to adopt any proposal or any amendment submitted to it shall be put to the vote before a vote is taken on the proposal or amendment in question.

Withdrawal of motions

Rule 45

A motion may be withdrawn by its proposer at any time before voting on it has commenced, provided that t he motion has not been amended. A motion which has thus been withdrawn may be reintroduced by another member.

Reconsideration of proposals

Rule 46

When a proposal has been adopted or rejected, it may not be reconsidered at the same session
of the Governi ng Council unless the Governing Council, by a two

- thirds majority of the members present and voting, so decides. Permission to speak on a motion to reconsider shall be accorded only to two speakers opposing the motion, after which it shall immediately be p ut to the vote.11 

### VII. VOTING

Voting rights

Rule 47

Each member of the Governing Council shall have one vote.

Majority required and meaning of the expression "Members present and voting"

Rule 48

1. Except where the present rules of procedure expressly p rovide otherwise, decisions of the Governing Council shall be made by a majority of the members present and voting.

2. For the purpose of these rules, the phrase "members present and voting" means members present and casting an affirmative or negative vot e. Members which abstain from voting are considered as not voting.

Method of voting

Rule 49

Subject to rule 55 the Governing Council shall normally vote by show of hands, but any representative may request a roll call, which shall then be taken in the al phabetical order of the names of the members, beginning with the member whose name is drawn by lot by the President.

Recording of roll call

Rule 50

The vote of each member participating in a roll call shall be recorded in the relevant
documents of the Go verning Council.

Conduct during voting

Rule 51

After the President has announced the beginning of voting, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual conduct of the voting. The President may permi t members to explain their votes, either before or after the voting, except when the vote is taken by secret ballot. The President may limit the time to be allowed for such explanations. The President shall not permit the proposer of a proposal or of an am endment to explain the proposer’s

vote on the proposer’s own proposal or amendment.

Division of proposals or amendments

Rule 52

A representative may move that parts of a proposal or of an amendment shall be voted on separately. If objection is made to th e request for division, the motion for division shall be voted upon. Permission to speak on the motion for division shall be given only to two speakers in favour and two speakers against. If the motion for division is carried, those parts of the proposal o r of the amendment which are subsequently approved shall be put to the vote as a whole. If all operative parts of the proposal or of the amendment have been rejected, the proposal or the amendment shall be considered to have been rejected as a whole.12 Voti ng on amendments

Rule 53

1. When an amendment is moved to a proposal, the amendment shall be voted on first. When two or more amendments are moved to a proposal, the Governing Council shall vote first on the
amendment furthest removed in substance from t he original proposal and then on the amendment next furthest removed therefrom and so on until all the amendments have been put to the vote. Where, however, the adoption of one amendment necessarily implies the rejection of another amendment, the
latter am endment shall not be put to the vote. If one or more amendments are adopted, the amended proposal shall then be voted upon. If no amendments are adopted, the proposal shall be put to the vote in its original form.

2. A motion is considered an amendment to a proposal if it adds to, deletes from or revises part of that proposal.

Voting on proposals

Rule 54

1. If two or more proposals relate to the same question, the Governing Council shall, unless it decides otherwise, vote on the proposals in the order in which they have been submitted. The Governing Council may, after each vote on a proposal, decide whether to vote on the next proposal.

2. Any motions requiring that no decision be taken on the substance of such proposals shall, however, be considered as previous questions and shall be put to the vote before them.

Elections

Rule 55

All elections shall be held by secret ballot unless otherwise decided by the Governing Council.

Rule 56

1. If, when one person or member only is to be elected, no candidate obtains in the first ballot the majority required, a second ballot shall be taken restricted to the two candidates obtaining the largest number of votes. If in the second ballot the votes are equally divided, the President shall decide
between the candidat es by drawing lots.

2. In the case of a tie in the first ballot among the candidates obtaining the second largest number of votes, a special ballot shall be held for the purpose of reducing the number of candidates to two. In the case of a tie among three or more candidates obtaining the largest number of votes, a second ballot shall be held. If a tie results among more than two candidates, the number shall be reduced to two by lot and the balloting, restricted to them, shall continue in accordance with th e preceding paragraph.

Rule 57

1. When two or more elective places are to be filled at one time under the same conditions, those candidates obtaining the required majority on the first ballot shall be elected.

2. If the number of candidates obtaining s uch majority is more than the number of places to be filled, those candidates obtaining the largest number of votes shall be elected.

3. If the number of candidates obtaining such majority is less than the number of places to be filled, there shall be he ld additional ballots to fill the remaining places, the voting being restricted to the candidates obtaining the greatest number of votes i n the previous ballot, who shall number not more than twice the places remaining to be filled. However, in the case of a tie between a greater number of unsuccessful candidates, a special ballot shall be held for the purpose of reducing the number of candidates to the required number.

4. If three restricted ballots are inconclusive, unrestricted ballots shall follow in which votes may be cast for any eligible person or member. If three such unrestricted ballots are inconclusive, the next13 three ballots (subject to exception in the case similar to that of the tie mentioned at the end of the previous paragraph of this rule) shall be restricted to the candidates obtaining the greatest number of
votes in the third of the unrestricted ballots. The number of such candidates shall not be more than twice the places remaining to be filled.

5. The following three ballots there afte r shall be unrestricted and so on, until the places are filled.

Equally divided votes

Rule 58

If a vote is equally divided on matters other than elections, the proposal shall be regarded as rejected.



### VIII. SESSIONAL COMMITTES WORKING PARTIES AND SUBSIDIAR Y

ORGANS OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL

Rule 59

The Governing Council may establish such sessional committees, working parties and subsidiary organs as may be necessary for the effective discharge of its functions.

Sessional committees and working parties

Rul e 60

1. At each session, the Governing Council may set up sessional committees and working parties, from among its members, and refer to them any questions on the agenda for study and report.

2. The sessional committees and working parties may set up sub

- committees and sub

- groups of working parties. The member of such sub

- committees and sub

- groups of working parties shall be nominated by the committee or working party concerned.

3. The Chairperson of sessional committee or working groups may declare a me eting open and permit the debate to proceed when at least one quarter of the members of the committee or working group are present. The presence of a majority of the members shall be required for any decision to be
taken.

3

. Subject to paragraph 3 above, t he provisions of rules 32 to 58 of these rules of procedure shall be applied as appropriate in the proceedings of the sessional committees , working parties and any sub

committees or sub

- groups set up by them.

Rule 61

Each sessional committee or working p arty shall elect its own officers, unless otherwise decided by the Governing Council. In electing its officer each sessional committee or working party shall have due regard to the principle of equitable geographical representation.

Subsidiary organs of t he Governing Council and expert groups

Rule 62

1. The Governing Council may establish such subsidiary organs on a permanent or ad hoc basis as may be necessary for the effective discharge of its functions and, as required, expert groups to consider speci fic problems and make recommendations.

2. Any State Member of the United Nations or member of a specialized agency or the International Atomic Energy Agency, whether or not that State is a member of the Governing Council, may become a member of any subsid iary organ of the Governing Council. In determining the size of the subsidiary organs and electing their members, the Governing Council shall take fully into account the desirability of including in the membership of these bodies States with a special inte rest in the14 subject

- matter to be dealt with by them, as well as the need to ensure equitable geographical
distribution.

3. The rules of procedure of subsidiary organs shall be those of the Governing Council, as appropriate, subject to such modifications as the Governing Council may decide upon in the light of proposals by the subsidiary organs concerned. Each subsidiary organ shall elect its own officers.

4. Each subsidiary organ, taking into consideration the date of the regular session of the
Governin g Council and bearing in mind the items referred to it by the Governing Council, may adopt its own priorities within the framework of the work Programme established by the Governing Council and, in consultation with the Executive Director, meet as may be n ecessary.



### IX. LANGUAGES AND RECORDS

Rule 63

Languages and Interpretation

1. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish shall be the official and working languages of the Governing Council. Speeches made in any of these languages shall be inter preted into the other languages of the Governing Council.

2. Any representative may make a speech in a language other than the languages of the Governing
Council. In this case the representative shall provide for interpretation into one of the languages of the Governing Council. Interpretation into the other languages of the Governing Council by an interpreter of the Secretariat may be based on the interpretation given in the first language of the Governing Council.

Languages and distribution of resoluti ons, other formal decisions and documents

Rule 64

1. All resolutions, recommendations and other formal decisions of the Governing Council, as well as its reports to the General Assembly and other documents, shall be made available in the languages
of the Governing Council.

2. The text of the resolutions, recommendations and other formal decisions adopted by the Governing Council, its sessional committee and other subsidiary organs, if any, shall be distributed by
the secretariat to all members of the Gov erning Council and any others participating in the session. The printed text of such resolutions, recommendations and other formal decisions, as well as the reports of the Governing Council to the General Assembly, shall be distributed after the close of t he session to all states members of the United Nations or members of the specialized agencies or of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and to the intergovernmental organizations referred to in the
rule 68 below.

Sound records of meetings

Rule 65

Sou nd records of the meetings of the Governing Council and of its sessional committees shall be kept by the secretariat in accordance with the practice of the United Nations. Such recording shall also be made of the proceedings of any subsidiary organs when t hey so decide.15 

### X. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MEETING

Rule 66

The meetings of the Governing Council, its sessional committees and working parties and subsidiary organs, if any, shall be held in public unless the body concerned decides otherwise.



### XI. PARTICIPATION OF STATES NOT MEMBERS OF

THE GOVERNING COUNCIL

Rule 67

Any State Member of the United Nations or member of a specialized agency or of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is not a member of the Governing Council, may participate in the deliberat ions of the Governing Council. Any State thus participating shall not have the right to vote, but may submit proposals which may be put to the vote by request of any member of the Governing Council. The provisions of this rule shall apply, mutatis mutandis , to participation in a subsidiary organ by States not members thereof.



### XII. PARTICIPATION OF SPECIALIZED AGENCIES, THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, UNITED NATION BODIES

AND OTHER INTER

- GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Rule 68

1. Representatives of spe cialized agencies, of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and of appropriate United Nations bodies, as well as of the intergovernmental organizations referred to in section IV, paragraph 5, of General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII) which are designat ed for this purpose by the Governing Council, may participate, without the right to vote, in the deliberations of the Governing Council and its subsidiary organs, if any, upon the invitation of the President or Chair person , as the case may be, on questions within the scope of their activities.

2. Written statements of specialized agencies, the International Atomic Energy Agency and United Nations bodies, as well as of other intergovernmental organizations referred to in paragraph 1 above, related to items on the agenda of the Governing Council or its subsidiary organs, if any, shall be circulated by the secretariat to members of the Governing Council or of the subsidiary organ
concerned.



### XIII. OBSERVERS OF INTERNATIONALNON

- GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Rule 69

1. International non

- governmental organizations having an interest in the field of the environment, referred to in section IV, paragraph 5, of General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII), may designate representatives to sit as observers at public meeting s of the Governing Council and its subsidiary organs, if any. The Governing Council shall from time to time adopt and revise when necessary a list of such organizations. Upon the invitation of the President or Chair person , as the case may be, and subject t o the approval of the Governing Council or of the subsidiary organ concerned, international

non

- governmental organizations may make oral statements on matters within the scope of their
activities.

2. Written statements provided by international non

- govern mental organizations referred to in paragraph 1 above, related to items on the agenda of the Governing Council or of its subsidiary organs, shall be circulated by the secretariat to members of the Governing Council or of the subsidiary organ
concerned in t he quantities and in the languages in which the statements were made available to the
secretariat for distribution.16 

### XIV. AMENDMENTS AND SUSPENSIONS OF RULES OF PROCEDURE

Rule 70

Any of these rules may be amended or suspended by the Governing Council subjec t to rules 71 and 72
below.

Rule 71

These rules may not be amended until the Governing Council has received a report on the proposed amendment from a committee or working party of the Governing Council established for that purpose.

Rule 72

A rule of proc edure may be suspended by the Governing Council provided that twenty

- four hours’ notice of the proposal for the suspension has been given. The notice may be waived if no member objects.



## Decision 27/2: Implementation of 88 of the outcome document of the Un ited Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

The Governing Council,

Welcoming the outcome document, “The future we want”, of the United Nations Confere nce on Sustainable Development held between 20

- 22 June, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil that invited the General Assembly to adopt, at its sixty

- seventh session a resolution strengthening and upgrading UNEP, as outlined in paragraph 88 sub

- paragraphs (a

- h) of the outcome document and further recalling resolution 66/288 of 27 July 2012,

Reaffirming the n eed to strengthen international environmental governance within the context of the institutional framework for sustainable development in order to promote a balanced integration of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable developmen t, as well as coordination within the United Nations system,

Recognizing General Assembly Resolution 67/213 o f 21 December 2012 on, inter alia , the implementation of section IV.C, entitled “Environmental pillar in the context of sustainable development”, o f the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development and under which the first universal session of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme is held,

1. Recommends to the United Nations General Assembly that the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme, an inter

- governmental body established pursuant to Article 22 of the United Nations Charter, be renamed as the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Pro gramme;

2. Reaffirms the commitment to strengthen the role of the United Nations Environment Programme as the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment;

3. Decides that the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme 1 will convene its sessions in Nairobi on a biennial basis, starting in 2014, and it will carry out its mandate as set out in General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII) and all other relevant resolutions that reinforce its mandate as well as the 1997 Nairobi Declaration on the Role and Mandate of UNEP, the 20 00 Malmo Ministerial Declaration, the 2010 Nusa Dua Declaration, and paragraph 88 of the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development as endorsed by the General Assembly in resolution 67/288;

4. Decides to discontinue the Globa l Ministerial Environment Forum;

1 The Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme, whose designation is subject to change pursuant to paragraph 1 of this decision and a re solution of the General Assembly to that effect.17 5. Decides that each session of the governing body of United Nations Environment Programme will conclude with a two

- day high level segment as an integral part of the governing body of United Nations Environment Programme, whi ch will take strategic decisions and provide political guidance and will perform inter alia the following functions:

(a) Setting the global environmental agenda;

(b) Providing overarching policy guidance and defining policy responses to address emerging environmen tal challenges;

(c) Undertaking policy review, dialogue and exchange of experiences;

(d) Setting the strategic guidance on the future direction of the United Nations Environment Programme;

(e) Organizing a multi

- stakeholder dialogue;

(f) Fostering partnerships for achievi ng environmental goals and resources mobilization;

6. Decides that the Bureau of the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme shall be composed of 10 members to reflect the universality of the governing body, in accordance with equitable ge ographical distribution, and will assist the governing body and perform the functions as set out in the rules of procedure of the governing body;

7. Decides that the governing body will ensure the active participation of all relevant stakeholders, particular ly those from developing countries, drawing on best practices and models from relevant multilateral institutions and will explore new mechanisms to promote transparency and the effective engagement of civil society in its work and that of its subsidiary bo dies, inter alia by:

(a) Developing by 2014 a process for stakeholder accreditation and participation that builds on the existing rules of procedure and takes into account inclusive modalities of the Commission of Sustainable Development and other relevant Uni ted Nations bodies;

(b) Establishing by 2014 mechanisms and rules for stakeholders expert input and advice;

(c) Enhancing by 2014 working methods and processes for informed discussions and contributions by all relevant stakeholders towards the intergovernmental d ecision making process;

8. Decides that the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme will promote a strong science policy interface by reviewing the state of the environment, by building on existing international instruments, assessments, pa nels and information networks, including through an enhanced Summary for Policy Makers of the Global Environment Outlook, and in this regard, requests the Executive Director to identify critical gaps and present a report, with recommendations, to the

gover ning body;

9. Decides that an open

- ended Committee of Permanent Representatives will be the subsidiary inter

- sessional body of the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme and, in addition to its mandate 2 and in open and transparent manner, will perform the following
functions:

(a) Contribute to the preparation of the agenda of its governing body;

(b) Provide advice to its governing body on policy matters;

(c) Prepare decisions for adoption by its governing body and oversee their implementation;

(d) Convene thematic and/or programmatic debates

(e) Promote effective ways and means to facilitate participation of the non

- resident members of the Committee, particularly from developing countries

(f) Perform any other functions delegated to it by its governing body;

10. Decid es to convene an open

- ended meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives, while ensuring support to developing countries representatives, to enable the participation of capital

- based delegates as well as stakeholders for a period of five days in a n even year to contribute to preparation of the agenda of its governing body, and to provide advice to its governing body on policy matters;

2 Governing Council decision 19/32, paragraph 7.18 11. Decides to establish a sub

- committee of the Committee of Permanent Representatives that will meet annually for a pe riod of 5 days to review, with the support of the secretariat, the Medium Term Strategy and Programme of Work and budget, in a manner coherent with the budgetary cycle of the United Nations, to be endorsed by the Committee of Permanent Representatives and for the governing body’s approval, and to oversee their implementation and accountability by the Secretariat;

12. Decides that the Committee of Permanent Representatives will consider the frequency, schedule and programmatic focus of its meetings to enhance it s efficiency and effectiveness and will improve upon its working methods;

13. Commits to progressively consolidate headquarter functions of the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi and in this context requests the Executive Director to present a

rep ort to the governing body at its next session and to include recommendations in the Programme of Work for the period 2016

- 2017 to be acted upon and implemented in a timely manner;

14. Decides to strengthen UNEP’s regional presence in order to assist countries in the implementation of their national environmental programmes, policies and plans and in this regard requests the Executive Director to increase UNEP’s participation in UN Country Teams;

15. Stresses the importance of the regional ministerial environment forums for which the United Nations Environment Programme serves as the secretariats, and invites these forums to contribute, as appropriate, to the work of the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme;

16. Decides to consider additional meas ures to strengthen United Nations Environment Programme’s voice and ability to fulfill its coordination mandate on environmental matters, and in this regard, invites the Secretary

- General to take necessary steps to enhance United Nations Environment Progra mme’s role in key United Nations coordination bodies;

17. Decides to enhance transparency and openness in its work and in this regard request the
Executive Director to establish a written access

- to

- information policy;

18. Invites the Executive Director to continue improving the timeliness and responsiveness to the needs and requests by the member states, and recalls the relevant provisions of paragraph 13 of its decision 19/32;

19. Stresses the need by no later than 2016 to implement the provisions of paragraph 88 (b) of the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, and requests the Executive Director to report thereon;

20. Decides to implement paragraph 88 (f) of the outcome document of the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Deve lopment, and in this context, request the Executive Director to enhance the operationalization of the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity

- building;

21. Invites the General Assembly to adopt a resolution to change the designation of the
Gove rning Council along the lines of the text contained in annex to this decision.



## Annex to decision 27/2: Draft resolution for adoption by the General Assembly

Change of the designation of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme

Th e General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 2997(XXVII) of 15 December 1972 concerning i nstitutional and financial arrangements for international environmental cooperation , by which the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme was est ablished,

Also recalling its resolution 67/213 of 21 December 2012 on the Report on the Governing Council of United Nations Environmental Programme on its Twelfth Special Session and on the Implementation of Section IV.C “Environmental pillar in the contex t of sustainable development” of the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development,19 1. Takes note of Governing Council decision 27/2of 22 February 2013, by which the Governing Council recommends to the General Assembly to change its designation to the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme, it being understood that this change of the designation in no way changes, nor will change, the present mandate, aims and purposes of the United Nation s Environment Programme or the role and functions of its governing body;

2. Decides to change the designation of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme to the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations
Environment Pr ogramme.



## Decision 27/3: International water quality guidelines for ecosystems

The Governing Council,

Recalling its decision SS/XII/6 of 22 February 2012 on the world environmental situation, where it is recognized that there are gaps in our knowledge of t he state of the environment resulting from a lack of data and regular monitoring, particularly in areas such as freshwater quality and quantity, estuarine and ocean water quality, groundwater depletion, ecosystem services, loss of natural habitat, land deg radation and chemicals and wastes,

Recalling its decision 26/14 of 24 February 2011 to revitalize the Global Environment Monitoring System/Water Programme (GEMS/Water),

Recalling also the Washington Declaration on the Protection of the Marine Environment from
Land

- based Activities, and the Manila Declaration of the Third Intergovernmental Review Meeting of the implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment
from Land

- based Activities (GPA), which identifies nut rients, litter and waste water management as GPA priority areas,

Recalling that 2005

– 2015 is the United Nations International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, and that 2013 is the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation,

Reaffirming the role of the United Nations Environment Programme as the leading global environmental authority and principal body within the United Nations system in the field of environment, including global water quality monitoring and assessment,

Recalling further para graphs 122 and 124 of the Outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio + 20 ), “The future we want”, which stresses the need to adopt measures to significantly reduce water pollution and increase water quality and reco gnizes the key role that ecosystems play in maintaining water quantity and quality,

Recognizing the availability of international guidelines for drinking water quality, for agriculture and drainage, for waste water reuse and other similar matters and the a bsence of international water quality guidelines for ecosystems,

Noting that water is essential for human life, the environment and the economy and thus action to protect water resources and promote its sustainable use is essential to the achievement of

s ustainable development,

Recognizing that water is at the core of sustainable development and is closely linked to a number of key global challenges and reiterating therefore the importance of integrating water into sustainable development and underlining the critical importance of water and sanitation within the three dimensions of sustainable development as referred to in paragraph 119 of “The future we want”,

Noting the alarming trends in water quality degradation and its negative impact on ecosystems
fu nctioning and human wellbeing and development,

Noting targets 8, 11 and 14 of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity, regarding water pollution control for ecosystem conservation,

Recognizing that there is a need for i nternational water quality guidelines, which may be voluntarily used by Governments to maintain and improve the status of ecosystems to sustain the services they provide, as a possible basis for managing water pollution and water quality, as they
affect ec osystems, and to support decision

- making,20 Recognizing also that water quality guidelines for ecosystems should be coherent and integrated, as appropriate, into existing guidelines related to water to promote its sustainable management,

1. Requests the Execut ive Director, in partnership with Governments, scientific institutions, United Nations agencies and other relevant stakeholders, particularly those from developing countries, to develop international water quality guidelines for ecosystems that may be
volu ntarily used to support the development of national standards, policies and frameworks, taking into account existing information while integrating, as appropriate, all relevant aspects of water management;

2. Encourages Governments, scientific institutions, U nited Nations agencies and other relevant organizations, including in the private sector, to participate actively in developing the water quality guidelines consistent with the preceding paragraph;

3. Invites Governments and others in a position to do so, inc luding the private sector, to technically and financially support the process for the development of international water quality guidelines consistent with paragraph 1 of the present decision;

4. Requests the Executive Director to report to the Governing Cou ncil/Global Ministerial Environment Forum at its twenty

- eighth session on the implementation of the present decision.


## Decision 27/4: Intergovernmental Science

- Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

The Governing Council,

Recalling General Assembly Resolution 65/162 of 20 December 2010,

Also recalling its decision 26/4 of 24 February 2011, by which it requested the Executive Director, in cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Food and Agri culture Organization of the United Nations and the United Nations Development Programme to convene a plenary meeting to determine modalities and institutional arrangements for the intergovernmental science

- policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem serv ices and to continue to facilitate any ensuing process to implement the platform until its secretariat was established,

Further recalling that in decision 26/4 it invited the Executive Director to submit an offer of interest, to be considered along with ot her offers, subject to the procedures agreed during the above

mentioned plenary meeting, signifying the interest of the United Nations Environment Programme in hosting or otherwise supporting the secretariat of the intergovernmental science

- policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services,

Noting that the General Assembly, in its resolution 67/212 of 21 December 2012, welcomed the establishment of the Intergovernmental Science

- Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and its potential be nefit to Governments, invited the early commencement of its work, in order to provide the best available policy

- relevant information on biodiversity to assist decision makers, and encouraged Member States that had not yet done so to become members of the P latform,

Having considered the report of the Executive Director, 1

1. Welcomes the establishment, in April 2012, of the Intergovernmental Science

- Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services;

2. Welcomes also the outcome of the first session of the Ple nary of the Intergovernmental
Science

- Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, held in Bonn from 21 to 26 January 2013, and takes note of the request of the Plenary of the Platform to the United Nations Environment Programme that it provide the Platform’s secretariat, which will be solely accountable to the Platform Plenary on policy and programmatic matters and administrative arrangements in accordance with the rules of the United Nations Environment Programme;

3. Welcomes the significant pr ogress on modalities of the platform, including efforts to achieve the early commencement of the work of the platform made at the first session of the Platform Plenary;

4. Authorizes the Executive Director, within available resources, to provide the secr etariat and administrative arrangements in responding to the decision adopted by the Platform Plenary at its

1 1 UNEP/GC.27/3.21 first session on administrative and institutional arrangements for the Platform, including the secondment of a professional officer to the Platform secretariat;

5. Requests the Executive Director, in accordance with decision I/4, to enter into a collaborative partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nat ions and the United Nations Development Programme, for consideration by the Platform plenary, in order to enter into an institutional link with
the Platform and its secretariat.

6. Authorizes the Executive Director:

(a) To finalize a host country agreeme nt with the Government of Germany for the presence of the Platform Secretariat in Bonn;

(b) To make those arrangements necessary for the Secretariat of the Platform to operate, with a view to having a functioning Secretariat, at the latest, by the end of the second session of the Plenary;

7. Requests the Executive Director to continue to receive financial contributions that are provided for the Platform, until the Platform’s Trust Fund is established;

8. Requests the Executive Director to submit input an d suggestions, following the procedures and guidance agreed by the IPBES plenary, and based on the findings of GEO 5, to inform the development of the initial work programme of the platform,

9. Also requests the Executive Director to report on the implem entation of the present
decision at its next session.



## Decision 27/5: Coordination across the United Nations system, including the Environment Management Group

The Governing Council,

Recognizing the role of the United Nations Environment Programme in enha ncing coordination and collaboration across the United Nations system to achieve greater coherence in environmental activities,

Recalling its decision XII/2, on enhanced coordination across the United Nations system, including the Environment Management G roup,
Welcoming the efforts of the Executive Director, including in his capacity as Chair of the Environment Management Group, and those of the Group’s members, in promoting cooperation and joint approaches across the United Nation system on environmental activities,

Expressing appreciation for the progress report prepared under the guidance of the senior officials of the Environment Management Group at their eighteenth meeting and as presented by the Executive Director, 2 including the strategic considera tions of the Group in supporting the implementation of the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, “The future we want”, as well as its contribution to the post

- 2015 development agenda,

Commending the Group on its prog ress, and encouraging further work, in facilitating cooperation across the United Nations system to assist Member States in implementing the environmental dimension of sustainable development, including follow

- up to the “The future we want”, and in enhanci ng United Nations system

- wide interagency coordination related to specific issues in the field of environment;

Welcoming in particular the Group’s contribution to the eleventh session of the Conference of
the Parties to the Convention on Biological Divers ity and its decision to provide United Nations system

- wide support for the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (2011

- 2020)

Welcoming also the Group’s focus and approach in ensuring that its future work supports the implementation of “Th e future we want”,

1

. Supports the Group’s continued efforts to mainstream environmental considerations into activities at the policy, programme, management and operational levels in close cooperation with the United Nations System Chief Executives Boar d for Coordination and its subsidiary bodies;

2 UNEP/GC.27/12/iv.22 2. Urges the Group to identify opportunities to strengthen the collaboration at the country
level between the resident coordinator and non

- resident agencies in follow

- up of General Assembly
resolution 67/226 on the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review, in line with “Delivering as One” and in the case of the United Nations Environment Programme with a view to an effective and efficient mainstreaming of environmental considerations at the country level;

3. Requ ests the Executive Director in his capacity as Chair of the Group, mainly through the Group and in line with Paragraph 88 of the “The future we want”, to develop system

- wide strategies on the environment and to invite the engagement of the United Nations S ecretary

- General and Chief Executives Board to facilitate broad ownership in the United Nations at all levels;

4. Encourages the Group to continue its support for the drylands agenda and preparation
of a United Nations system

- wide action plan on drylands for the period 2012

– 2018 in follow

- up to its report on drylands 3 and pursuant to the request of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or
Desertification , Particularly in Africa, for consideration of the action plan at the eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Parti cularly in Africa; 4

5. Invites the Group to continue facilitating cooperation among its members in support of the implementation of the Strategic Plan for biodiversity 2011

– 2020 and to provide a progress report for consideration by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity at its
twelfth meeting;

6. Encourages the Group to continue its contribution to advancing the sustainability in the work of the United Nations system, including on environmental sustainability management and

peer

- reviews, and welcomes the decision to recommend to the Chief Executives Board a transfer of the Framework for Environmental and Social Sustainability in the United Nations System to the Chief
Executives Board to ensure follow

- up on all its dimens ions;

7. Requests the Executive Director in his capacity as Chair of the Group to provide a progress report on the Group’s work to the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum at its thirteenth special session;

8. Invites the Executive Di rector in his capacity as the Chair of the Group to transmit a progress report on the Group’s work to the governing bodies of the Group’s members.



## Decision 27/6: Oceans

The Governing Council,

Recalling its decision 22/2 of 7 February 2003, on the regiona l seas strategies for sustainable development, decision 21/28 of 9 February 2001, regarding the need for the development and strengthening of regional seas conventions and action plans in promoting the conservation and
sustainable use of the marine and coa stal environment, building partnerships and establishing linkages with multilateral environmental agreements, and paragraph 74 (b) of the Global Programme of Action
for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land

- based Activities, 5 adopted in Washin gton, D.C., on 3 November 1995, including requests to the United Nations Environment Programme that it support the Regional Seas Programme and promote and facilitate the implementation of the Global Programme of Action at the regional level,

Welcoming the outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), expressed in the document, “The future we want”, paragraphs 158

– 177, on oceans and seas,

1. Urges countries to take the necessary steps to implement relevant and existing
commi tments, as well as commitments made at Rio+20, to protect and restore the health, productivity and resilience of oceans and marine ecosystems and to maintain their biodiversity, enabling their conservation and sustainable use for present and future generat ions, and to effectively apply an ecosystem approach and the precautionary approach in the management, in accordance with international law, of activities having an impact on the marine environment in order to deliver on all
three dimensions of sustainable development;

2. Invites member States of existing regional seas conventions and action plans:

3 “Global Drylands: A UN system

- wide response”

. 4 Decision: ICCD/CRIC(10)/L.8/Rev.1.

5 UNEP(OCA)/LBA/IG.2/7.23 (a) To take a more proactive role in all stages of the implementation of the programmes of work of their respective regional seas conventions and action plans and to develop “ownership” of those conventions and action plans;

(b) To utilize the regional seas conventions and action plans as platforms for the regional implementation of multilateral environmental agreements and global programmes and initiatives;

(c) To strength en the capacity necessary for the effective implementation of the existing regional seas conventions and action plans;

(d) To foster cross

- sectoral governmental participation through the involvement of all relevant national ministries;

3. Requests the Executi ve Director to further encourage and promote the United Nations Environment Programme’s work on oceans and to incorporate the work of the existing regional seas conventions and action plans into the wider framework of the mid

- term strategy 2014

– 2017 and it s work programme;

4. Requests the Executive Director, as appropriate and within available resources and within the mandate of the United Nations Environment Programme and with due respect for the autonomy of the decision

- making bodies of the existing regi onal seas conventions and action plans to coordinate their work, as contained in the regional seas strategic directions 2013

– 2016, and to bring them to the attention of member States through relevant forums and areas of work.



## Decision 27/7: Work by the Uni ted Nations Environment Programme on sustainable consumption and production

The Governing Council,

Noting that resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production together constitute
one of the six cross

- cutting priorities of the United Nations Environment Programme medium

- term strategy for the period 2010

– 2013,

Recalling its decision 22/6 of 7 February 2003, on the promotion of sustainable consumption and production patterns, decision 26/5 of 24 February 2011, on a 10

- year framework of program mes on sustainable consumption and production, and decision SS.XII/7 of 22 February 2012, on sustainable consumption and production,

Welcoming General Assembly resolution 66/288 of 27 July 2012, by which the Assembly
endorsed the outcome document of the U nited Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, entitled “The future we want”, and, through its paragraph 226, adopted the 10

- year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production patterns as contained in document A/CONF.216/5, which provides the guidance for the vision, objectives, goals, common values, functions, organizational structure, means of implementation, and possible areas of sustainable consumption and production programmes,

Noting that in accordance with paragraphs 4 (a) a nd 6 (b) of the 10 year framework of programmes the United Nations Environment Programme is to serve, within its current mandate, as the secretariat of the framework and was invited to establish a trust fund consisting of voluntary
contributions for the im plementation of the framework, in particular its programmes and initiatives,

Recalling that the framework includes an indicative, initial and non

- exhaustive list of possible areas of programme development that builds on previous experience, including, int er alia, consumer information; sustainable lifestyles and education; sustainable public procurement; sustainable buildings and construction, and sustainable tourism, including ecotourism,

Welcoming General Assembly resolution /67/203 of 21 December 2012, b y which the Assembly decided on the composition and nomination process of the small board called for in paragraph 4 (b) of the 10

- year framework of programmes document , and identified the Economic and Social Council as the ad interim Member State body to r eceive reports from that board and from the secretariat of the framework,

1. Requests the Executive Director to take the necessary action to enable the United Nations Environment Programme to serve as the secretariat of the 10

- year framework of programmes
and to carry out its functions pursuant to paragraphs 4 (a) and 6 (b) of the framework;

2. Recognizes the functions of the small board established in accordance with paragraph
4 (b) and its nomination process in accordance with General Assembly resolution 67/203 of 2124 December 2012 and authorizes the Executive Director, in his capacity as the executive head of the organization serving as the secretariat of the framework, to take the necessary action that may be requested by the board in carrying out its functions as specified in the above

- mentioned paragraph of the framework;

3. Recognizes the function of the Economic and Social Council to act as the ad interim body to which the secretariat of the framework and the small board will report on a biennial and
annual basis, respectively, in accordance with paragraphs 4 (a)(viii) and 4 (b)(vi) of the framework document, and authorizes the Executive Director, in his capacity as the executive head of the organization serving as the secretariat of the framework, to report on progress to the Economic and Social Council in its capacity as the ad interim reporting body;

4. Encourages the national focal points and other stakeholder focal points to participate in and contribute actively to the development and implementation of the framework, ensuring coordination and cooperation with the board and the secretariat in accordance with paragraph 4 (d) of the framework document;

5. Requests the Executive Director to further enhance cooperation with Member States in accordance with paragraph 4 (a)(i) of the framework document, with all relevant United Nations bodies in accordance with paragraph 4 (a)(ii) of that document, including through the establishment of
an inter

- agency coordinating group of relevant United Nations bodies, and with rele vant international organizations and key stakeholders in accordance with paragraph 4 (a)(iii) of the document;

6. Encourages Governments, the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders to support the implementation of the framework, enhancing effor ts and building cooperation around the programmes of the Framework and technical assistance and capacity

- building activities at the national, subregional, regional and global levels, to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production pa tterns;

7. Invites Governments, development agencies and the private sector to provide voluntary contributions for the implementation and operationalization of the framework and to its trust fund, established by the United Nations Environment Programme to mo bilize voluntary contributions from multiple sources, in accordance with paragraph 6 (b) of the framework document;

8. Requests the Executive Director, in his capacity as the executive head of the organization serving as the secretariat of the framework, to elaborate a proposal on the duration of the subsequent terms of the board of the framework after it has served its initial two

- year term, for the consideration of the General Assembly at its sixty

- ninth session.



## Decision 27/8: Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication

The Governing Council,

Welcoming the outcome document, “The future we want”, of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), particularly Section III dealing with the Green Economy i n the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication,

Acknowledging paragraph 62, which encourages countries to consider the implementation of green economy policies in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, and also noting that, as stated in paragraph 56, there are different approaches, visions, models and tools available to each country, in accordance with its national circumstances and priorities, to achieve sustainable development,

Welcoming the publication of th e report released by the United Nations Environment Programme in 2011 on green economy entitled: Towards a Green Economy

- Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication,

1. Takes note with appreciation of those countries that have endeavoured t o promote the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication based on their countries’ own circumstances and priorities, such as the idea of ecological civilization, natural capital accounting, payment for ecosystem service s, low

- carbon economy and resource efficiency;

2. Acknowledges that there are different approaches, visions, models and tools developed by Member States of the United Nations in order to achieve sustainable development, and in this regard takes note of the approach of Living

- Well in balance and harmony with Mother Earth as a25 holistic and integrated approach to sustainable development that can guide humanity to live in harmony with nature and lead to efforts to restore the health and integrity of the Earth’s ecosystems;

3. Requests the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, within the Programme’s existing mandate and available resources, to collect such initiatives, endeavours, practices and experiences on different approaches, vision s, models and tools including green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and to disseminate them, and facilitate information sharing among countries, so as to support them to promote sustainable development and poverty eradication;
4. Invites countries to implement green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication taking into account section 3 of “The future we want”.



## Decision 27/9: Advancing justice, governance and law for environmental s ustainability

The Governing Council

, Recalling its decision 25/11 (I) concerning the Fourth Programme for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law,

Recalling the 1997 Nairobi Declaration on the Role and Mandate of the United Nations
Enviro nment Programme,

Noting principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and acknowledging the importance given to broad public participation and access to information and judicial and administrative proceedings in the outcome document, “The future we want”, of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development and in regional and national regimes and processes,

Recalling the guidelines for the development of national legislation on access to information, public participation and ac cess to justice in environmental matters, as well as the guidelines for the development of domestic legislation on liability, response action and compensation for damage caused by activities dangerous to the environment, both adopted by the Governing Counc il in its decision SS.XI/5 A and B,

Welcoming the important contributions made to sustainable development by environmental law and constitutional provisions and rights of some countries related to nature,

Noting that democracy, good governance and the rule of law, at the national and international levels, as well as an enabling environment, are essential for sustainable development, including sustained and inclusive economic growth, social development, environmental protection and the eradication of poverty and hunger,

Noting also that offenses against the environment, in particular trafficking in hazardous waste, wildlife and illegal timber, is increasingly committed by organized criminal groups and recalling that international cooperation at all levels in accordance with international law while respecting national jurisdictions contributes to combating those offenses more effectively,

Recognizing the important contribution made by the legal and auditing community worldwide
to the enforcement of standards a nd safeguards for environmental sustainability,

Noting General Assembly resolutions 67/1 of 24 September 2012 and 67/97 of 14 January
2013 on the rule of law at the national and international levels and Economic and Social Council resolution 2012/19 on str engthening international cooperation in combating transnational organized crime in all its forms and manifestations, which urges Member States to consider addressing transnational organized crimes that have a significant impact on the environment, includin g trafficking in endangered species of wild fauna and flora,

Noting also the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, “The future we want”, endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 66/288 of 27 July 2012,

No ting the report of the Executive Director 6 and the information contained therein on the outcome of the World Congress on Justice, Governance and Law for Environmental Sustainability,

Mindful of the Fourth Programme for the Development and Periodic Review o f Environmental Law, adopted by the Governing Council in 2009, which sets the strategy and a non

- exhaustive list for

6 UNEP/GC.27 /13.26 United Nations Environment Programme activities to be taken in coordination with states and others in the development and implementation of Environmental law for the decade beginning in 2010. Acknowledges the work of chief justices, heads of jurisdiction, attorneys general, auditors general, chief prosecutors and other high

- ranking representatives of the judicial, legal and auditing professi ons at the World Congress on Justice, Governance and Law for Environmental Sustainability, 17

– 20 June 2012, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;

1. Notes that an independent judiciary and judicial process are vital for the implementation, development and enforcement o f environmental law;

2. Emphasizes that environmental and sustainability auditing are important in ensuring transparency, access to information, accountability and the efficient use of public finances while protecting the environment for future generation s;

3. Emphasizes also that justice, including participatory decision

- making, access to information and judicial and administrative proceedings as well as the protection of vulnerable groups from disproportionate adverse environmental impacts, should be see n as an intrinsic element of environmental sustainability;

4. Recognizes that the violation of environmental law has the potential to undermine sustainable development and the implementation of agreed environmental goals and objectives at all
levels and t hat the rule of law and effective governance play an essential role in reducing such violations and invites Governments and relevant organizations to further strengthen mechanisms and explore initiatives for exchanging information and sharing experiences i n order to reinforce international, regional and subregional cooperation to combat the noncompliance with environmental laws, including, inter alia , measures to increase the effectiveness of administrative, civil and criminal enforcement mechanisms, instit utions and laws in the field of environment as well as applicable education and training;

5. Requests the Executive Director:

(a) To lead the United Nations system and support national Governments upon their request in the development and implementation of environmental rule of law with attention at all levels to mutually supporting governance features, including information disclosure, public participation, implementable and enforceable laws, and implementation and accountability mechanisms including coo rdination of roles as well as environmental auditing and criminal, civil and administrative enforcement with timely, impartial and independent dispute resolution;

(b) To improve coherence and coordination, seek opportunities to collaborate and promote

par tnership with, and avoid duplication among, United Nations entities and other relevant entities working to promote improved environmental governance at the national level and to provide support for existing efforts and initiatives in coordination with the Rule of Law Coordination and Resource Group;

(c) To promote quality information and data exchange among the legal and auditing communities and improve education, capacity

- building and technical assistance, including with the aim of strengthening effective national environmental governance systems and improving the effectiveness of rule of law systems;

(d) To encourage the further expansion of information sharing about environmental jurisprudence and the development of specialized expertise in environmental law among judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officials;

(e) To promote the continued engagement in the work referred to above of judg es, prosecutors, auditors and other related authorities such as inspectors, investigators, police, regulatory
enforc ement officials and other components of the environmental, legal and enforcement community and the institutions they represent, including associated networks, and exploring the possible establishment of an international institutional network;

6



### . Invites Go vernments to cooperate to build and support the capacity of courts and tribunals as well as prosecutors, auditors and other related authorities such as inspectors, investigators, police and regulatory enforcement officials at the national, subregional and regional levels to implement environmental law so as to promote effective domestic judiciary and enforcement institutions in environmental matters and to facilitate exchanges of best practices in order to achieve environmental sustainability, including thr ough networks at the international and regional levels;27 7. Acknowledges with appreciation the significant work and initiatives already undertaken by individual countries, international organizations and other entities to promote improved environmental gov ernance at the national level,

8. Requests the Executive Director to present a report on the progress made in the implementation of the present decision, as part of a report on the mid

- term review of the Fourth Programme for the Development and Periodic R eview of Environmental Law envisaged in decision 25/11 (I), to the Governing Council at its twenty

- eighth session.



## Decision 27/10: Climate Technology Centre and Network

The Governing Council,

Recalling its mandate set out in General Assembly resolution 299 7 (XXVII) of 15 December 1972, under which the Governing Council is, inter alia, to promote the contribution of the relevant international scientific and other professional communities to the acquisition, assessment and exchange of environmental knowledge and information and, as appropriate, to the technical aspects of the formation and implementation of environmental programmes within the United Nations system,

Recalling the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity Building as adopted by
it s decision 23/1,

Noting UNFCCC decision 1/CP.16 establishing a Technology Mechanism consisting of a Technology Executive Committee and a Climate Technology Centre and Network,

Noting UNFCCC decision 2/CP.17 detailing the mission of the Climate Technology C entre and Network as to stimulate technology cooperation and to enhance the development and transfer of technologies; to assist developing country Parties at their request, consistent with their respective capabilities and national circumstances and priori ties, to build or strengthen their capacity to identify technology needs, and to facilitate the preparation and implementation of technology projects and strategies taking into account gender considerations to support action on mitigation and adaptation an d enhance low emissions and climate

- resilient development,

Further recalling UNFCCC decision 2/CP.17 Paragraphs 139, 140 and 141 on the provision of
financial and other resources to the CTCN

Noting annex VII to UNFCCC decision 2/CP.17 detailing the Terms of Reference of the Climate Technology Centre and Network including its governance structure and stating that the Climate Technology Centre and Network shall operate within its terms of reference and be accountable to, and under the guidance of, the Confer ence of the Parties, through an advisory board,

Noting UNFCCC decision 14/CP.18 selecting UNEP as the host of the Climate Technology Centre and Network for an initial term of five years, with possible renewal if so decided by the
Conference of the Parties at its twenty

- third session,

Noting also that the same UNFCCC decision has adopted the memorandum of understanding between UNEP and UNFCCC and has authorized the Executive Secretary of UNFCCC to sign it,

Noting further that the UNFCCC decision has establ ished the advisory board of the CTCN and has requested UNEP as the host of CTCN to convene the first meeting of the advisory board as soon as possible in 2013, preferably prior to the 38 th session of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies,

Noting the Annex 1 to the UNFCCC decision 14/CP.18 which states that UNEP has the mandate among others to strengthen the ability of countries, in particular developing countries, to integrate climate change responses into their national development processes and specifically to

re duce their vulnerability and build up their resilience to the impacts of climate change; to facilitate
the transition to low

- carbon societies; to facilitate access to climate change financing for clean technologies; to support both public and private finan cing mechanisms; to support national processes for implementing sustainable forest management plans; to improve the understanding of climate change science and its use in sound policy

- making; and to improve the general understanding of climate change.

Havi ng considered the report by the Executive Director,

1. Welcomes the decision of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to select UNEP, as the leader of the consortium of partner institutions, as the host of the Climate Technology Centre and Network for an initial term of five years, and authorizes the Executive Director to provide necessary arrangements for the operation of28 the Centre subject to the availability of financial resources and in accordance wit h decisions of UNFCCC;

2. Authorizes the Executive Director of UNEP to sign the MOU with the Executive Secretary of UNFCCC and invites him to do so as a matter of urgency;

3. Requests the Executive Director of UNEP to make the necessary arrangements for t he first meeting of the advisory board of the CTCN.



## Decision 27/11: State of the environment and contribution of the United Nations Environment Programme to meeting substantive environmental challenges

The Governing Council,

Mindful of its functions and responsibilities as outlined in General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII) of 15 December 1972, including to keep under review the world environmental situation, and recalling its decisions 22/1 on early warning, assessment and monitoring, 23/6 and 24/2 on t he world environmental situation, and 25/2 for a policy relevant, integrated and scientifically credible global environmental assessment,

Recognizing the potential benefits of a scientifically sound and evidence

- based detailed
assessment of the state of th e environment for awareness raising, informed policy formulation and
decision

- making for sustainable development,

Recognizing that there are gaps in our knowledge of the state of the environment resulting from the lack of current data and information gener ation and dissemination and that there is an urgent need for Governments to take actions to bridge those gaps through the building of capacities, the strengthening of existing mechanisms for environmental assessments and monitoring and the use of
establish ed comparable methods for data collection and analysis, paying particular attention to the needs of developing countries, including capacity

- building and technology support,

Acknowledging the important role that the UNEP Year Book has played over the past 10 years in bringing emerging issues and challenges to the attention of policymakers,

Welcoming the publication of the fifth Global Environment Outlook assessment report,
GEO

- 5: Global Environment Outlook: Environment for the future we want , on 6 June 2012 by the Executive Director, including its summary for policy makers, negotiated and endorsed at the Intergovernmental Meeting on 31 January 2012 in Gwangju, Republic of Korea,

Acknowledging that the findings in GEO

- 5 and its summary for policy makers based on scientific evidence are a valuable contribution to facilitating informed policy decision

- making on sustainable development issues and to strengthening the science

- policy interface,

Appreciating the guidance and high

- level input of the High Level Interg overnmental Advisory Panel as well as the Science and Policy Advisory Board, the coordinating lead authors, lead authors, contributing authors and reviewers who provided support for the preparation of GEO

- 5 and its summary for policy makers,

Taking note of the publication Measuring Progress: Environmental Goals and Gaps , which is
based on GEO

- 5 and shows the progress made towards selected internationally agreed environmental goals and its potentially useful contribution to the elaboration of sustainable dev elopment goals by Governments and the post

- 2015 development agenda, as foreseen in the outcome document of the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), “The future we want”,

Acknowledging the Rio+20 outcome document, in particul ar its paragraph 88, calling for a strengthened and upgraded United Nations Environment Programme, and its paragraph 90, calling for strengthened assessment activities and improved access to data and information, and noting the need to integrate the econom ic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainable development and to
disseminate and share evidence

- based environmental information on critical and emerging economic, environmental and social issues,

Welcoming the progress made during the first phase of the design and development of the prototype proof

- of

- concept for UNEP

- Live as an initiative to significantly enhance the efficiency and

cost

- effectiveness of the future approach to keeping the world environment situation under review, including capacity

- building and technology support for developing countries and countries with29 economies in transition to improve their data collection and assessment efforts and ensure that data collected and information generated are made available to policy makers and th e public,

Further welcoming the proposal in the programme of work for 2014

– 2015 for a gender and environment outlook that would use social science information and gender

- sensitive indicators to review gender

- environment links and guide policy actions towa rds gender equality,

Welcoming the continued development of the Eye on Earth network and the implementation of the Eye on Earth special initiatives, in particular the partnerships developing through the Eye on Global Network of Networks Special Initiative as a major contribution to
UNEP

- Live,

Noting the progress made on the design and development of the Programme of Research on Climate Change Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation (PROVIA) as an initiative to identify research gaps and meet policy needs in respect of climate change vulnerability, impacts and adaptation,

Also noting the progress made in the implementation of decision 26/14 on the Global Environment Monitoring System/Water Programme, pursuant to paragraph 5 of the decision,

Noting the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and specifically the
release in 2011 of the two special reports entitled “Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation” (SRREN) and “Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation” (SREX), as well as the progress made in the preparation of the Panel’s fifth assessment report, due for release in 2013

– 2014,

Recalling that the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Fra mework Convention on Climate Change, through a number of recent decisions, has reiterated the relevance and role of the Panel’s assessments for its current and future work,

Appreciating the work of the International Resource Panel, which contributes to a strengthened
science

- policy interface and knowledge base in key areas of resource use and management,

Acknowledging that the Convention on Biological Diversity Strategic Plan for Biodiversity
2011

– 2020, including the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, is an impo rtant global policy framework for reversing the ongoing decline in biodiversity and ecosystem services identified in GEO

- 5

, Also welcoming the Global Chemicals Outlook and its Synthesis Report for Decision Makers,
as well as the related activities on the C ost of Inaction,



## I

Assessments

1. Requests the Executive Director to review best practices and develop a set of transparent procedures, particularly with regard to administrative processes, the selection of participants the inclusion of diverging view poi nts, as well as government and peer reviews to support a wide range of environmental assessments that the United Nations Environment Programme conducts in order to ensure that they are of the highest quality and have maximum impact. These procedures
should be based on the knowledge and experience of nationally recognized experts and current best assessment practices should be provided to member states for comments. Those procedures relevant to
the 6 th Global Environment Outlook assessment should be prioriti zed to feed into its preparation and should be provided to Member States for review and comment in time for the preparation of the 6 th
Global Environment Outlook assessment;

2. Requests the Executive Director to ensure that the United Nations Environment Programme continues to build on the capacities developed during the GEO

- 5 process and other thematic and integrated assessments at the national, regional and global levels. This should be done by compiling and making available the key best practice assessm ent procedures referred to in the preceding paragraph, with their different purposes, strengths and weaknesses, to all stakeholders;



## II

Global Environment Outlook

3

. Welcomes the enhanced policy relevance of the Global Environment Outlook as a
result of it s identifying policy options, taking into account different approaches and visions to achieve30 sustainable development, and making every effort to accelerate the achievement of the internationally agreed goals, including through informing relevant global an d regional processes;

4

. Invites Governments to use the findings of the fifth Global Environment Outlook ( Environment for the Future We Want ) and its summary for policy makers to facilitate informed policy
decision

- making at all levels in accordance with their national circumstances and priorities;

5

. Requests the Executive Director to strengthen the policy relevance of Global Environment Outlook reports by measuring the progress towards the achievement of the internationally agreed goals and targets and to inform relevant global processes and meetings where progress towards these agreed goals and targets will be discussed;

6

. Also requests the Executive Director, in close collaboration with other United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, the private sector and civil society, to convene an intergovernmental and multistakeholder consultation as soon as practicable and before mid

- 2014 to determine the objectives, scope and process for the next Global Environment Outlook assessment taking into account

pr ogress made with UNEP

- Live and acknowledging the potential to contribute to the process for developing the global sustainable development report by the High

- Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development called for in paragraph 85 of “The future we want” ;



## III

Strengthening sustainable development

7

. Requests the Executive Director, building on the Global Environment Outlook, to continue work at the national, regional and global levels to promote the science

- policy interface through inclusive, scientifica lly sound, evidence

- based and transparent thematic and integrated assessments, taking into consideration diverse knowledge systems, as well as access to reliable, relevant and timely data and information and making such data and information available to
UN EP

- Live for access by policy makers and the public;

8

. Requests the Executive Director to continue promoting access to reliable, relevant and timely data in areas related to the United Nations Environment Programme’s mandate aiming at reinforcing the int egration of the three dimensions of sustainable development, building on existing international instruments, assessments, panels and information networks, including the Global Environment Outlook;

9

. Welcomes the ongoing contribution of the United Nation s Environment Programme to the elaboration of the sustainable development goals in accordance with the outcome document of Rio +20 and invites it to provide technical input in relation to global environmental goals;

10

. Looks forward to the contribution o f the United Nations Environment Programme on the need for broader measures of progress to complement gross

- domestic product;



## IV

UNEP

- Live

11

. Requests the Executive Director to implement the next phase of UNEP

- Live during the
2014

– 2015 biennium as an ope n platform in continued alignment with relevant environmental information systems designed for global, regional and national environmental assessment and data sharing;

12

. Also requests the Executive Director to undertake and encourage capacity

- building

a ctivities to ensure that developing countries and countries with economies in transition are able to
work with UNEP

- Live and contribute to scientifically sound evidence

- based environmental assessment processes;

13

. Invites Member States, major groups and stakeholders and United Nations agencies, funds and programmes to engage in the development of UNEP

- Live and in particular the implementation of the online state

- of

- environment reporting capabilities by increasingly sharing relevant data, information and i ndicators through open platforms;

14

. Invites the donor community, other sources and Governments in a position to do so to provide funding to support the full and effective implementation of technology support and31 capacity

- building programmes to support e nvironmental monitoring and data and information management needs of developing countries and countries with economies in transition;

15

. Requests the Executive Director to provide a progress report on UNEP

- Live at the thirteenth special session of the Go verning Council in 2014;



## V

Programme of Research on Climate Change Vulnerability, Impacts

and Adaptation (PROVIA)

16

. Requests the Executive Director, working in close collaboration with relevant United Nations bodies, in particular the United Nations Fr amework Convention on Climate Change, to further develop the Programme of Research on Climate Change Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation (PROVIA) and provide a status report at the thirteenth special session of the Governing Council in 2014;

17

. Invite s Member States, the international scientific community and centres of excellence to participate in PROVIA to mobilize and communicate the growing knowledge base on climate change vulnerability, impacts and adaptation;

18

. Invites the donor community, ot her sources and Governments in a position to do so to provide funding and other means of support as appropriate for PROVIA so that the initiative can move from the design and development phase to an operational phase and enhance its effectiveness and its

w ork from the global to the national levels;



## VI

Global Environment Monitoring System/Water Programme

(GEMS/Water)

19

. Expresses gratitude to the Government of Canada for its support for the Global Environment Monitoring System/Water Programme (GEMS/Water) over the years and requests the Executive Director working in close collaboration with Member States to identify a new host country for GEMS/Water;

20

. Invites Member States, the international scientific community and centres of excellence to participate in GEMS/Water to improve the global coverage and consistency of water quality data, expand the GEMS/Water network of national and collaborating rocal points, and improve data submission to the GEMStat global database and access of users to water quality d ata,

21

. Invites the donor community, other sources and Governments in a position to do so to provide sustainable financial and in

- kind support to GEMS/Water for its global coordination/management unit and global network, GEMStat and the implementation of technology support and capacity development activities for water quality monitoring in developing countries and countries with economies in transition;



## VII

Climate change

22

. Welcomes the completion of the process of consideration and implementation of t he recommendations issued in August 2010 by the InterAcademy Council (IAC) as part of its review of the processes and procedures of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, including a number of important decisions related to the Panel’s governance a nd management, procedures, conflict of interest policy and development of a communication

- strategy:

23

. Requests the Executive Director to continue providing support for the work of the Panel and to explore ways to further strengthen the cooperation with it in line with the role of UNEP role in assessing the world environment situation, as reiterated in the Rio+20 outcome document;32 

## VIII

Biodiversity and ecosystem services

24

. Takes note of the efforts, as highlighted by the Conference of the Parties to t he Convention on Biological Diversity at its eleventh meeting, held in Hyderabad, India, in October 2012, to review and, as appropriate, update and revise their national biodiversity strategies and action plans in line with the Strategic Plan for Biodivers ity 2011

– 2020 towards attainment of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets at the national level, as highlighted by Parties to the Convention at the eleventh meeting;

25

. Takes note of the outcome of the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to
the C onvention, in particular decisions XI/3 and XI/4 on review of implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011

– 2020 and the strategy for resource mobilization;

26

. Welcomes progress made at the first session of the Plenary of the Intergovernment al Science

- Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and r equests the Executive Director to continue to provide support for the work of the Panel in accordance with its decisions adopted at the
current session.



## Decision 27/12: Chemicals and wa ste management

The Governing Council,

Recalling the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, and the goal that by 2020 chem icals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse impacts on human health and the environment,

Welcoming the Rio+20 Outcome document, “The future we want”,

Recalling also its decisions 26/3 and 26/12, and other relev ant UNEP decisions on chemicals and wastes, and having considered the reports by the Executive Director on the implementation of Governing Council decision 26/12 and SS.XII/5 and on chemicals and waste management,

Recalling further its decision 16/34 calli ng for the establishment of the International Environmental Technology Centre, based on the agreement between the United Nations Environment Programme and the Government of Japan, and welcoming the enhanced role of the Centre as a focus
for the work of th e United Nations Environment Programme on waste management

, Recognizing that the sound management of chemicals and waste is crucial for the protection of human health and the environment and reaffirming the commitment of Governments to an approach
for the sound management of chemicals and waste at all levels that responds in an effective, efficient, coherent and coordinated manner to new and emerging issues and challenges and encouraging further progress across countries and regions in order to fill the gap s in the implementation of commitments,

Welcoming the role of the United Nations Environment Programme as a participating organization in the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management and underlining the value of the continuing cooperation between the United Nations Environment Programme and other participating organizations and observers of the Inter

- Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals,

Recognizing the growing significance of hazardous waste management for sustainab le development due to rapid industrialization and urbanization and the technical and other challenges faced by developing countries and countries with economies in transition,

Recognizing that the actions in this decision are supportive of and consistent with commitments of countries to the sound management of chemicals and wastes,



## I
General provisions

1. Welcomes paragraphs 213 to 223 of the “The future we want”, relating to the sound management of chemicals and waste and the reaffirmation of the aim to ach ieve by 2020 the sound management of chemicals throughout their life cycle and of hazardous waste;33 2. Invites all stakeholders to support the sound management of chemicals and waste as an important contribution to building a green economy in the context of s ustainable development and poverty eradication;

3. Recognizes the significance of the findings of the Global Chemicals Outlook, which highlighted the significant increase in the manufacture and use of chemicals globally, their importance to national and globa l economies and the costs and negative effects on human health and the environment of unsound chemicals management and made recommendations for future action;

4. Requests the Executive Director to continue work on the Global Chemicals Outlook, particularly i n areas where data were found to be lacking or inadequate, and to enhance transparency through regionally balanced stakeholder involvement, inter alia, with a view to developing in the future a tool for assessing progress towards the achievement of the sou nd management of chemicals and hazardous wastes, including the existing 2020 goal, taking into account and building upon other existing sources of information;

5. Encourages Governments and other stakeholders to promote safer, effective alternatives,
includin g non

- chemical alternatives, and to adopt measures to prevent industrial chemical accidents and unintended releases and emissions in order to prevent rather than remediate risks;

6. Invites Governments that have not already done so to ratify the chemicals and wastes multilateral environmental agreements and urges those countries that have ratified them to implement their obligations fully;



## II

Lead and cadmium

7. Acknowledges the efforts made by Governments and others to address the risks posed by
lead and cadmium , in particular to phase out lead from gasoline and paint through the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles and the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint respectively, and urges Governments to continue participating in and contributing to those initia tives and to consider initiatives to encourage the development of more affordable and safer alternatives;

8. Emphasizes that further actions are needed to address the challenges posed by lead and cadmium and encourages Governments and others to continue effor ts to reduce the risks to human health and the environment from lead and cadmium throughout the life cycles of those substances, taking into consideration the specific environmental, economic and social conditions and challenges of developing countries and countries with economies in transition;

9. Requests the Executive Director, in coordination with Governments, intergovernmental organizations, non

- governmental organizations and other stakeholders, as appropriate, to continue
activities on lead and cadmium a nd to enhance them within the existing mandate of the United Nations Environment Programme, subject to the availability of extrabudgetary resources;

10. Encourages Governments and other stakeholders to make available information on techniques for emissions aba tement and on the possibility of replacing lead and cadmium with less hazardous substances or techniques and requests the Executive Director to compile such information and make it available on the United Nations Environment Programme website for the use o f all stakeholders, noting that, where appropriate, use should be made of existing mechanisms like the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management clearing

- house mechanism when making information available;



## III
Mercury

11. Welcomes the completion of the negotiation of a global legally binding instrument on mercury, which was accomplished prior to the twenty

- seventh session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum as requested in paragraph 26 of decision 25/5;

12. Requests the Execu tive Director to convene a conference of plenipotentiaries for the purpose of adopting and opening for signature the Minamata Convention on Mercury, in Kumamoto and Minamata, Japan, from 9 to

- 11 October 2013, subject to the availability of extra

- budgetary resources, and welcomes the offer by the Government of Japan to host the conference of plenipotentiaries;34 13. Calls on Governments and regional economic integration organizations to adopt and thereafter sign the Minamata Convention on Mercury at the conferenc e of plenipotentiaries;

14. Encourages States and regional economic integration organizations to take, as soon as possible, the necessary domestic measures to enable them to meet their obligations upon ratification, and thereafter to ratify, accept, approve o r accede to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, once adopted, with a view to its entry into force as soon as possible;

15. Authorizes the Executive Director to provide secretariat support to the Minamata Convention on Mercury and, if so decided by the conferen ce of plenipotentiaries of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and subject to the availability of extrabudgetary resources, to provide an interim secretariat to the instrument prior to its entry into force;

16. Requests the Executive Director to inform the di plomatic conference of the Minamata Convention on Mercury about possible options available for the interim secretariat;

17. Recognizes that the decision on interim secretariat arrangements will be taken by the conference of plenipotentiaries and that it is for the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury to decide on secretariat arrangements;

18. Urges the Executive Director through an interim secretariat of the instrument to assist in the implementation of relevant resolutions of the confere nce of plenipotentiaries with a view to facilitating capacity

- building, early entry into force and financing regarding the instrument;

19. Request the Executive Director to take actions to facilitate voluntary implementation of the instrument prior to its entr y into force and to provide interim support for developing countries and countries with economies in transition, if so decided by the conference of plenipotentiaries;

20. Appeals to Governments as well as intergovernmental and non

- governmental organizations an d the private sector to support early action designed to facilitate ratification and implementation of the Minamata Convention and furhter to provide financial resources for the implementation of interim arrangements for the Minamata Convention, in conform ity with relevant resolutions of the conference of plenipotentiaries, for the period until the end of the financial period in which the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention takes place, and welcomes with appreciation th e contributions already made, including from China, Denmark, Japan, Norway and Switzerland, for those purposes;

21. Welcomes the efforts by the secretariat of the United Nations Environment Programme and its partners to take immediate action on mercury through the Global Mercury Partnership, urges all partners to continue their efforts and urges Governments and other stakeholders to continue to support, participate in, and contribute to the Global Mercury Partnership;

22. Requests the Executive Director to continue to provide the necessary support to the Global Mercury Partnership;

23. Invites the Council of the Global Environment Facility to take into account any relevant resolutions of the conference of plenipotentiaries and consider ways of supporting their impleme ntation;

24. Invites Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions to use the opportunity of their extraordinary meetings from 28 April to 10 May 2013 to consider steps that would facilitate possible future cooperation and coordination with the Min amata Convention on Mercury and to forward any outcome of that consideration to the conference of plenipotentiaries;

25. Acknowledges the 2013 update of the 2008 report from the Executive Director: “Global Atmospheric Mercury Assessment: Sources, Emissions and Transport” 7 and requests the Executive Director to provide a further update within six years;



## IV
Implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management

26. Welcomes the decision adopted at the third session of the International Conf erence on Chemicals Management to extend the term for the receipt of contributions to the Quick Start Programme Trust Fund until the fourth session of the Conference and to allow the distribution of

7 UNEP/GC.27/INF/14

.35 funding until all approved projects are completed and req uests the Executive Director to extend the operations of the Trust Fund accordingly;

27. Welcomes also the adoption, at the third session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management, of the strategy for the engagement of the health

- care sector in t he implementation of the Strategic Approach;

28. Requests the Executive Director to give full support to the Strategic Approach secretariat and to give it the necessary support to develop orientation and guidance to implement the 2020 goal on sound chemicals m anagement;

29. Notes with concern the withdrawal of staffing support to the Strategic Approach secretariat by the World Health Organization due to financial constraints and invites the World Health Assembly to consider reinstating the support of the World He alth Organization, at the earliest date possible, to continue to provide health expertise within the Strategic Approach secretariat;

30. Welcomes the adoption of resolutions at the third session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management on intern ational cooperative actions on emerging policy issues and requests the Executive Director to provide leadership, in partnership with others, on
endocrine

- disrupting chemicals, chemicals in products and perfluorinated chemicals and in this regard
also ackno wledges the 2012 joint United Nations Environment Programme and World Health Organization report on endocrine

- disrupting chemicals and requests the Executive Director to submit to the Governing Council at its twenty

- ninth session a report on progress and i mplementation;

31. Urges all relevant stakeholders to engage in effective implementation of the Strategic Approach throughout the materials life cycle and encourages enhanced engagement, particularly of intermediate and end users, in the Strategic Approach;

32. Un derlines the importance of mainstreaming activities for sound chemicals management
at the national level and the assessment of the economic and social costs of unsound chemicals management, as reflected in the Global Chemicals Outlook report, and requests the Executive Director to continue and expand work to facilitate country implementation of mainstreaming activities;

33. Urges Governments, intergovernmental organizations, non

- governmental organizations, industry and others in a position to do so to make fin ancial and in

- kind contributions to the Strategic Approach, its Quick Start Programme, its secretariat and its implementation, including through the programme of work of the United Nations Environment Programme;



## V
Waste management

34. Requests the Executive Di rector to review existing efforts of the United Nations Environment Programme on waste, to develop a UNEP

- wide waste strategy to prioritize its work and
to make recommendations on existing and future areas of United Nations Environment Programme work on wa stes, taking care to not duplicate efforts under way in other forums;

35. Also requests the Executive Director to develop a global outlook of challenges, trends and policies in relation to waste prevention, minimization and management, taking into account the materials life cycle, subject to the availability of extra

- budgetary resources and in consultation with Governments and stakeholders, building on available data, best practices and success stories, taking into account the Global Chemicals Outlook and any o ther relevant initiatives and taking care not to duplicate existing information, to provide guidance for national policy planning;

36. Welcomes the progress in establishing the Global Partnership on Waste Management hosted by the United Nations Environment Pro gramme International Environmental Technology
Centre and requests the Executive Director to continue to facilitate, including through this Partnership, cooperation and coordination across international efforts focusing on waste prevention, minimization,

an d management, taking into account the materials life

- cycle and planning and implementing environmentally sound and integrated waste management strategies and activities;

37. Encourages the Executive Director to collaborate closely with the Secretariat of the
B asel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions in pursuit of mutual objectives with regard to the sound management of waste, including support for capacity

- building in relation to priority waste streams;36 

## VI
Persistent organic pollutants

38. Welcomes the work undert aken to date and requests the Executive Director to continue to provide coordination of the PCB Elimination Network and the Global Alliance for the Development of Products, Methods and Strategies as Alternatives to DDT for Disease Vector Control in accorda nce with the invitation received from the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants;

39. Urges the World Health Organization to cooperate with the United Nations Environment Programme in the implementation of the workplan of the Glob al Alliance for the Development of Products, Methods and Strategies as Alternatives to DDT for Disease Vector Control;

40. Invites the Executive Director to inform the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants on th e progress made in the work of the PCB Elimination Network and the Global Alliance for the Development of Products, Methods and Strategies as Alternatives to DDT for Disease Vector Control;



## VII
Enhancing cooperation and coordination within the

chemicals a nd wastes cluster

41. N ot es the progress made and the activities carried out to date by the Executive Director in the implementation of decisions 26/12 and SS.XII/5 ;

42. Requests the Executive Director to continue to facilitate and support an inclusive, country

- driven consultative process on the challenges to and options for further enhancing cooperation and coordination in the chemicals and wastes cluster in the long term and to present a report on the outcome of that consultative process to the Governing Counci l at its twenty

- eighth session and

encourages Governments to enhance efforts in this area ;


## VIII
Consultative process on financing options for chemicals and wastes

43. Welcomes an integrated approach to address the financing of the sound management of
chemicals and wastes, and underscores that the three components of an integrated approach: mainstreaming, industry involvement and dedicated external finance are mutually reinforcing and are all important for the financing of sound management of chemicals and waste s;

44. Takes note of the proposal by the Executive Director as contained in document UNEP/GC.27/7 on his vision for making operational an integrated approach on financing sound management of chemicals and wastes;

45. Invites Governments, relevant organizations and entities and other stakeholders to apply an integrated approach to financing sound management of chemicals and wastes in their efforts to mobilize and manage financial resources for sound management of chemicals and wastes at all levels;

46. Invites Governmen ts to implement actions to further mainstream sound management of chemicals and wastes, in national development plans, domestic budgets and relevant sector policies;

47. Further invites Governments to implement actions to further encourage industry involvement in the integrated approach, including the development of legislation on the responsibilities of industry and national administration, the provision of incentives for sound chemicals and wastes management, and promotion of measures by industry to internali ze costs as per the polluter pays principle;

48. Invites all countries, within their capabilities, to further strengthen the element of dedicated external financing through the provision of adequate, predictable and timely financial resources, so as to support developing countries in their efforts to implement sound management of chemicals and wastes;

49. Invites all Governments to involve relevant ministries, departments and agencies in the implementation of an integrated approach to financing the sound managemen t of chemicals and
wastes;37 50. Requests the Executive Director to provide the necessary support, upon request, to Governments especially those from developing countries, and collaborate with relevant organizations and entities and other stakeholders as appropr iate, towards the implementation of an integrated approach;

51. Invites the conferences of the parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions to take steps to implement, and the Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the Minamata
Convention to conside r, an integrated approach for the purposes of the respective conventions, as appropriate;

52. Further invites the ICCM to take steps to implement an integrated approach;

53. Also invites the governing bodies of international development agencies, international

an d regional financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders to take steps to implement, within their mandates, an integrated approach;

54. Invites the GEF in the context of its 6th replenishment process to revise its focal area structure and strategy in order to address the chemicals and wastes agenda, and consider ways of further strengthening its relations with the conventions it serves as a financial mechanism;

55. Invites Governments to consider establishing, through an existing institution, a special

pro gramme, funded by voluntary contributions, to support institutional strengthening at the national level for implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, the future Minamata Convention and SAICM, noting that each respective governing bo dy would have to determine the participation of its entity in the special programme;

56. Emphasizes that the special programme should avoid duplication and proliferation of funding mechanisms and associated administration and should fund activities that fall outside GEF’s mandate;

57. Requests the Executive Director to facilitate and support a country

- led meeting of governments and Regional Economic Integration Organizations, open to interested stakeholders, including potential donors, the private sector, civil so ciety, UNEP, the Global Environment Facility and other relevant intergovernmental organizations and international financial institutions, and the secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions and SAICM, to further develop terms
of reference for such a special programme, including:

(a) a definition of institutional strengthening;

(b) the duration of the special programme;

(c) clear parameters and eligibility criteria;

(d) practical arrangements necessary to make the special programme operational;

58. Decides th at the outcomes of the meeting should be submitted to the Conference of the Plenipotentiaries to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the UNEP Governing Council, the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions and ICCM

- 4;

59. Notes that this decision does not pre

- empt the decision of the future Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury on the specific international Programme referred to in the text of that Convention;

60. Requests the Executive Director to fa cilitate an evaluation of the implementation of the integrated approach, which should be done in cooperation with all relevant stakeholders and submit the evaluation, including recommendations, within six years for consideration by the Governing
Council/Gl obal Ministerial Environment Forum, the relevant COPs and ICCM5;

61. Also requests the Executive Director to submit to the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum within three years a report on the implementation of the integrated approach.



## IX

62. Requests the Executive Director to present a report on progress in the implementation of the present decision to the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum at its twenty

- eighth regular session;

63. Invites Governments and others in a position t o do so to provide extra

- budgetary resources for the implementation of the present decision.38 

## Decision 27/13: Proposed medium

- term strategy for the period

2014

– 2017 and biennial programme of work and budget for 2014

– 2015 8

The Governing Council, 9

Having c onsidered the proposed medium

- term strategy for 2014

– 2017 10 and the programme of work and budget for the biennium 2014

– 2015 11 and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, 12

Noting General Assembly resolutions 66/ 288 of 27 July 2012 and 67/213 of 21 December 2012, by which the General Assembly strengthened the United Nations Environment Programme,

Taking note of the United Nations Board of Auditors report for the period 2010

- 2011,

Affirming that there are different approaches, visions, models and tools available to each country in accordance with its national circumstances and priorities, to achieve sustainable development;

1. Approves the medium

- term strategy for the period 2014

– 2017 and the programme of work for the biennium 2014

– 2015, taking into account the relevant decisions of the Governing Council;

2. Also approves appropriations for the Environment Fund in the amount of 245 million United States dollars, of which 110 million dollars is allocated to 2014 and a maxim um of 122 million dollars is allocated to defraying post costs for the biennium for the purposes indicated in the following
table:

Environment Fund programme of work and budget for the biennium 2014

– 2015 (thousands of United States dollars)

A. Executive d irection and management 7 794

B. Programme of work 209 394

1. Climate change 39 510

2. Disasters and conflicts 17 886

3. Ecosystem management 36 831
4. Environmental governance 21,895

5. Chemicals and waste 31 175

6. Resource efficiency 45 329

7. Environment under review 16 768

C. Fund programme reserve 12 500

D. Programme support 15 312

Total 245 000

3. Welcomes the extensive consultations that have taken place between the Executive Director and the Committee of Permanent Representatives 13 on the preparation of the draft
medium term strategy for the period 2014

– 2017 and the draft programme of work and budget for the
biennium 2014

– 2015;

8 This decision does not take into consideration possible budgetary implications of the forthcoming decisions by the Governing Council on institutional arrangements and rules of procedure.

9 Hereinafter, any reference to the Gove rning Council shal l be understood to refer to the name of the main UNEP Governing Body.

10 UNEP/GC.27/9.

11 UNEP/GC.27/10.

12 UNEP/GC.27/10/Add.1.

13 Hereinafter, any reference to the Committee of Permanent Representatives shall be understood to refer to the appropriate intercessional body of the Governing Council39 4. Emphasizes the need for comprehensive information, regarding proposed expenditures
and contributions from all sou rces of funding including staffing information to be provided to the Committee of Permanent Representatives 15 well in advance of consideration of the programme of work and budget, and requests the Executive Director to hold timely consultations on the prepa ration of all future programmes of work and budgets prior to transmittal to other appropriate bodies;

5. Acknowledges the progress on the implementation of the medium

- term strategy 2010

- 2013, as described in the programme performance report; 14

6. Also acknowledg es the progress made in increasing allocations from the Environment Fund to activities and operations in the 2014

– 2015 programme;

7. Authorizes the Executive Director, with a view to ensuring better conformity with the practices in other United Nations bodies , to reallocate resources between subprogramme budget lines up to a maximum of 10 per cent of those mentioned in paragraph 2 above, and to consult the subsidiary body 15 of any allocation above that contained in the programme of work and budget approved by the Governing Council; 11

8. Also authorizes the Executive Director, if necessary, to reallocate funds in excess of
10 per cent and up to 20 per cent of the budget lines mentioned in paragraph 2 above in consultation with the Committee of Permanent Representat ives; 15

9. Further authorizes the Executive Director to adjust, in consultation with the Committee of Permanent Representatives, 15 the level of Environment Fund allocations to subprogrammes, bringing them in line with possible variations in income compared t o the approved level of appropriations;

10. Authorizes the Executive Director to enter into forward commitments not exceeding
20 million United States dollars for Environment Fund activities for the biennium 2016

– 2017;

11. Requests the Executive Director to contin ue to apply a prudent approach to the management of the resources from all sources, including the Environment Fund, including through the careful management of contractual arrangements;

12. Also requests the Executive Director to continue its current emphasis on the achievement of results for the achievement of programme objectives and the efficient and transparent use of resources to that end, subject to United Nations processes of review, evaluation and oversight;

13. Requests the Executive Director to continue efforts to increase effectiveness and efficiency through the implementation of best practices;

14. Also requests the Executive Director to continue to report to Governments, through the Committee of Permanent Representatives, 15 on a yearly basis, and to the Go verning Council 11 at its regular and special sessions, on the progress made in respect the performance of each subprogramme and its relevant expected accomplishments and on the execution of the budget of the Environment Fund, including voluntary contributi ons, expenditures and reallocations of appropriations or adjustments of allocations;

15. Authorizes the Executive Director to continue to report to Governments, through the Committee of the Permanent Representatives, 12 in a streamlined manner through the mergi ng of progress reporting on administrative and budgetary matters with its programme performance reporting;

16. Requests the Executive Director to continue to organize regular briefings of the Committee of Permanent Representatives 12 on the programme and budge t performance of each subprogramme to enable the Committee 12 to perform its monitoring task adequately;

17. Also requests the Executive Director to ensure that trust funds and earmarked contributions to the United Nations Environment Programme, are used to fu nd activities that are in line with the programme of work, apart from those funds which are governed by other intergovernmental bodies and for which the United Nations Environment Programme provides secretariat functions;

18. Takes note of the document UNEP/G C.27/14 Rev. 1 and acknowledges the need for a timely and efficient transition to International Public Sector Accounting Standards and other revisions to the financial rules that may be required to improve the United Nations Environment Programme’s
efficie ncy, effectiveness, accountability and responsiveness and requests the Executive Director, in

14 UNEP/GC.27/INF/6/Add.1.40 consultation with the relevant United Nations bodies and the Committee of Permanent Representatives, 12 to take action and submit a report to the Governing Council 9 at its next session;

19. Notes that the work programme and budget for the biennium 2014

– 2015 is part of a continuing process and that the allocation of the United Nations regular budget to the United Nations Environment Programme will be approved by the Unit ed Nations General Assembly at its Sixty

- Eighth Session;

20. Requests the Executive Director to submit a report to the Governing Council 11 at its next session on the programme of work and budget 2014

- 2015, taking into account the latest information on funding and projected expenditures;

21. Recalls the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development stating that the United Nations Environment Programme should have secure, stable, adequate and increased financial resources from the regular budget of the United Nations, and voluntary contributions to fulfil its mandate, and calls for an allocation from the United Nations regular budget to the United Nations Environment Programme that takes into account the programme of work of the United Nations En vironment Programme and the implementation of paragraph 88, subparagraphs (a)

– (h) of the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, 15 as well as opportunities for increasing the efficient use of resources;

22. Requests the Ex ecutive Director to ensure that the delivery of the programme of work supports and brings together regional and national programmes and activities in the medium term strategy for the period 2014

- 2017 and the biennial programme of and budget for 2014

- 2015 a nd takes into account regional priorities and regional frameworks, where they exist, and also requests the Executive Director to include information on regional programmes and activities by region in the progress report on the implementation of the work pr ogramme;

23. Reiterates the need for stable, adequate and predictable financial resources for the
United Nations Environment Programme and, in accordance with General Assembly
resolution 2997 (XXVII) of 15 December 1972, requests the Secretary

- General in the p reparation of his 2014

- 2015 budget submission, to keep the resource needs of the United Nations Environment Programme under review, as well as those of United Nations Office at Nairobi in order to permit the effective delivery of necessary services;

24. Urges donors to increase voluntary funding to the United Nations Environment Programme, including to the Environment Fund;

25. Requests the Executive Director in his efforts to mobilise resources for the United Nations Environment Programme to take actions so as to better reflect Governments’ capacity to contribute to the Environment Fund;

26. Notes the positive effect of the Voluntary Indicative Scale of Contributions (VISC) to broaden the base of contributions to, and to enhance predictability in the voluntary financin g of the Environment Fund, and requests the Executive Director to adapt the Voluntary Indicative Scale of Contributions (VISC) in light of the universal membership of the United Nations Environment Programme, in accordance with decisions SS VII/1 and any s ubsequent decisions;

27. Further requests the Executive Director in his efforts to mobilise resources for the United Nations Environment Programme to take action to strengthen and broaden the donor base of the Environment Fund;

28. Requests the Executive Director to submit for consideration and approval by the Governing Council 11 at its twenty

- eighth session, in consultation with the Committee of Permanent Representatives, 15 a prioritized, results

- oriented and streamlined programme of work and budget for
the bienni um 2016

– 2017 that continues to monitor and manage the share of the Environment Fund devoted respectively to post costs and non

- post costs while clearly prioritizing the application of the resources of the Environment Fund to programme activities;

29. Takes not e of document UNEP/GC.27/INF/20 on the relationship between the United Nations Environment Programme and the multilateral environmental agreements for which the
United Nations Environment Programme provides the secretariat, and the undertaking to provide a full report on this issue by 30 June 2013, and requests the Executive Director, in so doing, to deepen consultations with those multilateral environmental agreements, the Office of Legal Affairs, the United Nations Board of Auditors and other appropriate bodies and to submit the final report to the

15 A/Conf.216/216.41 Governing Council 11 at its twenty

- eighth session and to the governing bodies of the multilateral environmental agreements;

30. Recalls paragraph 13 of decision 19/32 of the Governing Council, and requests the
Execut ive Director to ensure that the secretariat provides documentation and information related to the programme of work, budget and medium term strategy to the meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives 15 at least four weeks in advance of the meetin g in question.



## Decision 27/14: Management of trust funds and earmarked contributions 18

The Governing Council,

Having considered the report of the Executive Director on the management of trust funds, 19



## I
Trust Funds in Support of the United Nations Env ironment Programme programme of work

1. Notes and approves the establishment of the following trust funds since the 26 th session of the Governing Council:



### A. General trust funds

(a) SLP

– Trust Fund to Support the Activities of the Climate and Clean Air Coalitio n to Reduce Short Lived Climate Pollutants, which was established in 2012 with an expiry date of
31 December 2017;



### B. Technical cooperation trust funds

(b) AFB

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for United Nations Environment Programme Activities as Multilate ral Implementing Entity of the Adaptation Fund Board (AFB), which was established in 2011 with an expiry date of 31 December 2014;

(c) CFL

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for the Implementation of the Framework Agreement on Strategic Cooperation between the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China and the United Nations Environment Programme, which was established in 2012 with an expiry date of
31 December 2017;

(d) ECL

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund to Support Achievement of Contribution Agreement N° 2 1.0401/2011/608174/SUB/E2

– Strategic Cooperation Agreement between the European Commission

– Directorate General of the Environment and

– and the United Nations Environment Programme (covering ENRTP Priority 3.1

– Strengthening Environment Governance),
wh ich was established in 2011 with an expiry date of 31 December 2018;

(e) EAP

- Multi

- Donor Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for the Implementation of the African Elephant Action Plan, which was established in 2011 with no expiry date;

(f) EUL

- Technical Cooperati on Trust Fund to Support Achievement of Contribution Agreement N° DCI

- ENV/2010/258

- 800

– Strategic Cooperation Agreement between European Commission

– Directorate General for Development and Cooperation and the United Nations Environment Programme (coverin g ENRTP Priorities 1, 2 and 3.3.

– Support for Mainstreaming), which was established in 2011 with an expiry date of 05 December 2020;

(g) NPL

- Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for the Management of the United Nations Environment Programme Division of Global Environment Facility Coordination Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund, which was established in 2011 with no expiry date;

(h) PGL

- Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for the Implementation of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), which was establ ished in January 2013 with no expiry date; and

18 CFL

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for the Implementation of the Framework agreement on Strategic Cooperation between the Ministry of Environment Pro tection of China and UNEP and PGL

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for the Implementation of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) have been inserted under section 1 operative paragraph 1(b) by UNEP secretariat in the finalization of this do cument.

19 UNEP/GC.27/11/Rev.1.42 (i) SCP

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for the 10

- Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, which was established in 2012 with an expiry date of
23 January 2023;

2. Approves the exte nsion of the following trust funds subject to the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme receiving requests to do so from the relevant
Governments or donors:



### C. General trust funds

(a) AML

– General Trust Fund for the African Ministeri al Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(b) CWL

– General Trust Fund for the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(c) MCL

– General Trust Fund in support of Activitie s on Mercury and its Compounds, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(d) SML: General Trust Fund for the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management Quick Start Programme, which is extended up to and including 31 December 2015;

(e) WPL

– Genera l Trust Fund to Provide Support to the Global Environment Monitoring System/Water Programme Office and to Promote its Activities, which is extended through 31 December
2015.



### D. Technical cooperation trust funds

(f) AFB

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for U nited Nations Environment Programme Activities as Multilateral Implementing Entity of the Adaptation Fund Board (AFB), which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(g) BPL

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for the Implementation of the Agreement with Belgium ( financed by the Government of Belgium), which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(h) ESS

- Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for the Implementation by the United Nations Environment Programme of Ecosystem

- based Adaptation (EBA), which is extended through
31 December 2018;

(i) CIL

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund to Support the Implementation of the Strategic Plan for Remediation Activities Following the Toxic Waste incident in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(j) GNL

– Technical C ooperation Trust Fund in Support of the Coordination Office of the Global Programme Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land

- based Activities (financed by the Government of the Netherlands), which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(k) IAL

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for Ireland Aid Multilateral Environment Fund for Africa (financed by the Government of Ireland), which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(l) IEL

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for Priority Projects to Improve the Environment in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (financed by the Republic of Korea), which is extended through 31 December 2017;

(m) MDL

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for UNEP Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund, which is extended through 31 December 2015

(n) REL

– Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for the Promotion of Renewable Energy in the Mediterranean Region (Financed by the Government of Italy), which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(o) SEL

– Technical Cooperati on Trust Fund for the Implementation of the Agreement with Sweden, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(p) SFL

- Technical Cooperation Trust Fund for the Implementation of the Framework Agreement between Spain and the United Nations Environment Program me, which is extended through 31 December 2015;43 

## II
Trust funds in support of regional seas programmes, conventions, protocols and special funds

3. Notes and approves the establishment of the following trust fund since the 26 th session of the Governing Counci l:

CAP

– Trust Fund for the Core Budget of the Carpathian Convention for the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians and Related Protocols, which was established in 2012 with an expiry date of December 2014;

4. Approves the extension of the following trust funds subject to the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme receiving requests to do so from the relevant Governments or contracting parties:



### A. General trust funds

(a) AVL

– General Trust Fund for Voluntary Contributio ns in Respect of the Agreement
on the Conservation of African

- Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, which is extended through
31 December 2017;

(b) AWL

– General Trust Fund for the African

- Eurasian Waterbirds Agreement, which is extended through 31 December 2017;

(c) BAL

– General Trust Fund for the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltics, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas, which is extended through 31 December 2017;

(d) BCL

– Trust Fund for the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Haza rdous Wastes and their Disposal, which is extended through 31 December 2017;

(e) BDL

– Trust Fund to Assist Developing Countries and Other Countries in Need of Technical Assistance in the Implementation of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
M ovements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, which is extended through 31 December 2017;

(f) BEL

– General Trust Fund for Additional Voluntary Contributions in Support of Approved Activities under the Convention on Biological Diversity, which is extended t hrough
31 December 2015;

(g) BGL

– General Trust Fund for the Core Programme Budget for the Biosafety Protocol, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(h) BHL

– Special Voluntary Trust Fund for Additional Voluntary Contributions in Support of Approved Activit ies of the Biosafety Protocol, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(i) BYL

– General Trust Fund for the Convention on Biological Diversity, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(j) BZL

– General Trust Fund for Voluntary Contributions to Facilitate t he Participation of Parties in the Process of the Convention on Biological Diversity, which is extended through
31 December 2015;

(k) CAP

– Trust Fund for the Core Budget of the Carpathian Convention for the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpat hians and related Protocols, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(l) CRL

– Regional Trust Fund for the Implementation of the Action Plan for the Caribbean Environment Programme, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(m) CTL

- Trust Fund for the Conv ention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which is extended through 31 December 2017;

(n) EAL

– Regional Seas Trust Fund for the Eastern African Region, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(o) ESL

– Regional Trust Fund fo r the Implementation of the Action Plan for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment and Coastal Areas of East Asian Seas, which is extended through 31 December 2015;44 (p) MEL

– Trust Fund for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Poll ution, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(q) MSL

– Trust Fund for the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(r) MVL

– General Trust Fund for Voluntary Contributions in Support of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(s) PNL

– General Trust Fund for the Protection, Management and Development of the
Coastal and Marine Environment and Resources of the Northwest Pa cific Region, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(t) ROL

– General Trust Fund for the Operational Budget of the Rotterdam Convention
on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, which i s extended through 31 December 2015.

(u) WAL

– Trust Fund for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment and Coastal Areas of the West and Central African Region, which is extended through 31 December
2015.



### B. Technical cooperation trust funds

(v) B IL

– Special Voluntary Trust Fund for Voluntary Contributions to Facilitate the Participation of Parties, in particular the Least Developed and the Small Island Developing States among them and Parties with Economies in Transition (Biosafety Protocol), whi ch is extended through 31 December 2015;

(w) RVL

– Special Trust Fund for the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, which is extended through 31 December 2015;

(x) VBL

– Voluntary Trust Fund to facilitate the Participation of Indigenous and Local Communities in the work of the Convention on Biological Diversity, which is extended through
31 December 2015.

5. Requests the Executive Director to prepare a report highlighting the challenges of managing multiple trust funds and to propose steps which could be taken to reduce the administrative burden of maintaining these trust funds.



## Decision 27/15: Provisional agenda, date and venue of the next session of the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme

The Governing Council

, Recalling General Assembly resolutions 2997 (XXVII) of 15 December 1972, 53/242 of
28 July 1999, 66/288 of July 2012 and 67/213 of 21 December 2012,

Recalling also General Assembly resolut ions 47/202 A (paragraph 17) of 22 December 1992, 54/248 of 23 December 1999, 56/242 of 24 December 2001, 57/283 B (paragraphs 9

– 11 of section II) of 15 April 2003, 61/236 (paragraph 9 of section II A) of 22 December 2006, 62/225 (paragraph 9 of
section II A) of 22 December 2007, 63/248 (paragraph 9 of section II A) of 24 December 2008, 64/230 (paragraph 9 of section II A) of 22 December 2009 and 65/245 (paragraph 10 of section II A) of
24 December 2010,

Taking into account its own decision 27/2 of 22 Febr uary 2013,

1

. Decides to hold the next session of the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme 20 at its headquarters in Nairobi 21

20 Designation is to be determined subject to adoption of resolution by the General Assembly on this matter 23. Dates to be decided in consultation with the Bureau of the governing body and Member States.

21 Designation is to be determined subject to adoption of resolution by the General Assembly on this matter45 2. Requests the Committee of Permanent Representatives to contribute to the preparation of draft provisiona l agenda for the next session of the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme.