Engaging with UNEP
By
Alexander Juras
Chief, Major Groups and Stakeholders Branch
UNEP
Regional Consultation Meeting
October 2010
Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch
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Content
• Why should Major Groups and Stakeholders Engage with
UNEP
• UNEP’s Major Groups and Stakeholder Branch
• Accreditation
• Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum 2011
• Governing Council/Global Ministers of Environment Forum
2011
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Why Should Major Groups and
Stakeholders Engage with UNEP?
• Access to Information
• Participation in UNEP’s work at Programmatic Level
– Program of Work (POW) input
– Participation in Projects
– Expert Advise
• Participation in UNEP’s work at Political Level
– GC/GMEF
– Consultations
– Direct input through the Major Groups and Stakeholders Facilitating
Committee
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UNEP’s Major Groups and
Stakeholder Branch: Your Entry Point
to UNEP
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Mandated to provide Civil Society Organisation/Major Groups and
Stakeholders (CSO/MGS) with a chance for broad participation in
environmental decision-making through enhanced participation inter alia
by:
Guiding, facilitating , catalyzing and operationalizing collaboration with
the CSO/MGS
Encouraging and, where feasible, supporting the participation of
CSO/MGS in policy development and governance of the organization
Maintaining CSO/MGS databases and background information on global
developments relating to CSO/MGS;
Establishing and Supporting the Major Groups Facilitation Committee
(MGFC) to provide guidance and coordinate the engagement of CSO/MGS
with UNEP
Disseminate information on UNEP activities and on environment related
issues
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Accreditation
• Conditions:
– Constitution, charter, statutes
and/or by-laws
– Official registration
– Interest in the environment
– International scope
– Commitment to invest time and give
substantial input into UNEP’s work
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Application
 A letter requesting accreditation
 A completed application form
 Copy of constitution, charter, statutes or by-laws
and amendments to those documents, and list of
affiliates
 Copy of certificate of registration
 Proof of interest in the environment e.g. annual
reports; conference and seminar reports; The
organization should submit an account of at
least two years of activities in the field of
environment.
 Detailed account of the international scope of the
organization’s activities
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Review Process (approx. 3 months)
Review of submitted documents
The Organisation is notified by the Branch if any information
or documents are missing
MGSB sends the complete documentation together with its
recommendation to the office of the Secretariat for
Governing Bodies (SGB) for its consideration and decision
The SGB notifies the successful applicant of its decision
MGSB revises its database to include the name and contact details of newly
accredited organizations. An e-mail notification is sent to the accredited
organization
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Global Major Groups and Stakeholder
Forum 2011
• The Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum (GMGSF)
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2 days, before the GC/GMEF, February 19 – 20, 2011
Same themes as GC/GMEF agenda: IEG, Green Economy
Platform for exchange of MGS views and expertise
Prepare MGS inputs for consideration during the GC/GMEF
Draft Agenda prepared
• UNEP is committed to enhance dialogue with its partners,
incl. MGS, in policy-making
– UNEP Policy on Partnerships, and Guidelines for Implementation,
adopted by Senior Management in August 2009, to guide UNEP’s work
with partners
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Governing Council/Global Ministers of
Environment Forum
• Governing Council (GC): Highest decision-making political
authority of UNEP on
– Global environmental issues + development challenges
– Budget + Programme of Work (PoW)
– Draft Agenda Prepared
• Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GMEF)
– Review important + emerging policy issues in environment
• GC/GMEF session
– 4 days, at HQ, Nairobi, Kenya, February 21-24,2011
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References
To apply for accreditation go to:
http://www.unep.org/civilsociety/GCGMEFAccreditation/tabid/2747/Default.aspx
For additional examples of successful work between UNEP and CSO/MGS,
please go to:
http://www.unep.org/indigenous/
http://www.unep.fr/en/branches/partnerships.htm
http://www.unep.org/labour_environment/index.asp
http://www.unep.org/Tunza/
Other Relevant links:
http://www.unep.org/civil-society/Default.aspx
www.unep.org/civil_society/GCSF8/pdfs/MGSB-implementation-plan-rev
12annexesJan07.pdf
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=468&
ArticleID=4622&l=en
http://www.unep.org/civilsociety/About/ConsultationonEnhancing/tabid/2991/language/enUS/Default.aspx
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Contacts
The Major Groups and Stakeholders Branch
(MGSB)
Division of Regional Cooperation
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
P.O. 30552 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 254 20 7624686
Fax: 254 20 7625010
Email: civil.society@unep.org
Website: http://www.unep.org/civil_society/
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