UN environment negotiators agreed on a series of resolutions aimed at tackling illegal wildlife trade, chemicals and waste management, and a host of other issues last week, following a high-level meet in the Kenyan capital city of Nairobi.

The second session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2), held at UN Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters from 23-27 May, also comes in the wake of last year’s adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). (See Bridges Weekly, 1 October 2015)

In light of the new 2030 Agenda, the theme for this year’s UNEA negotiation was “Delivering on the Environmental Dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” with a view toward adopting resolutions that will facilitate the implementation of these various objectives.

During the five-day gathering, the UNEA-2 “drafting groups” introduced a range of environmental policy and governance related proposals, including resolutions regarding illegal trade of wildlife, sustainable consumption and production, chemicals and waste, marine plastic debris and microplastics, ecosystem-based adaptation, and sustainable development and poverty eradication.

While the talks continued into the early morning hours of the last day, negotiators ultimately adopted resolutions in a series of areas, while leaving others open for future discussion.

"What we have seen in the last five days is the same political will and passion for change that brought about the ground-breaking international agreements of 2015,” said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner at the close of the meeting.

“With global consensus affirmed, we are taking steps to bring about a real transformation of our development models. The United Nations Environment Assembly is providing leadership and guidance the world needs to take these unprecedented steps,” he added.

The event comes two years after UNEP held the inaugural UN Environment Assembly in 2014, with this year’s edition bring together representatives from over 170 countries, with 120 of those countries sending ministers. It also marks the last UNEA under Steiner’s leadership, with the UN official set to step down after 10 years in the post. (See Bridges Weekly, 3 July 2014)

The next such gathering is slated for 2017, and will be held under a new UNEP Executive Director, Erik Solheim, who was recently confirmed by the UN General Assembly for an initial term of four years.

Illegal wildlife trade

Delegates last week adopted a resolution regarding illegal trade of wildlife that recognises the importance of conservation and sustainable use of wildlife for achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda. The resolution addresses illegal trade and trafficking of wildlife by supporting the development of alternative methods of creating sustainable livelihoods for those engaged in illegal trade.

The final resolution calls upon UN member states to assist the International Consortium on Combatting Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) and other relevant groups in preventing the illegal trade of wild and protected flora and fauna species, taking steps to tackle corruption and providing support to efforts to eradicate the supply, demand, and transit of illegally traded wildlife.

During the talks, delegates from the Africa Group and from individual African countries reportedly called on UNEP to increase its efforts in mobilisation and raising awareness around the issue of illegal wildlife trade. Suggestions were made to issue high taxes within countries that are involved in the transportation and reception of illegally traded wildlife products; other calls were made to establish greater trade monitoring techniques.

Member states ultimately endorsed a final resolution that recognised illegal wildlife trade could be addressed in a way that would also help further UNEP’s commitment to supporting the SDGs. Within those objectives, SDG 15 includes specific targets relating to the issue, such as the need for “urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products.”

In Nairobi, member states also pledged support to the ICCWC and to the African Elephant Fund, and UNEP plans to continue collaboration with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and other relevant UN agencies.

CITES is due to hold its next Conference of the Parties (COP) this coming September in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Convention limits and regulates trade in certain species whose survival is threatened with restriction or could become so if left unregulated, among others.

Chemicals and waste

Also on the docket during UNEA-2 was a draft resolution on addressing the sustainable management of chemicals and hazardous waste, specifically focusing on the implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions. These multilateral environmental agreements were created in order to control transboundary movement and disposal of hazardous waste, enable countries to choose if they want to import such waste, and eventually eliminate their production, use, and trade.

At the UNEA-2, delegates reportedly debated the merits of national level versus regional action, along with other topics such as how to manage electronic waste.

The final resolution features a series of guidelines on achieving the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) 2020 goal, along with other items involving the management of waste and chemicals, among other planned steps going forward.

The SAICM 2020 goal aims to ensure that “by the year 2020, chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimise significant adverse impacts on the environment and human health.”

Among other provisions, the resolution calls member states to consider sound management of chemicals and waste as a priority at the domestic level, along with asking the UN environment agency to encourage greater involvement in waste management implementation and financing by industry stakeholders.

Oceans, seas

Delegates in Nairobi also debated various issues relating to oceans conservation and marine biodiversity, particularly in light of the relevant SDG on the topic. Goal 14 outlines a series of targets in relation to oceans and seas, ranging from tackling marine pollution to improving the implementation of international laws that relate to their sustainable use and conservation.

Along with calling upon both UN member states and various regional agencies to take steps toward implementing the oceans-related SDGs and related targets, the final UNEA-2 resolution also urged UNEP to continue its efforts in support of the process of reaching an international, legally-binding instrument on marine biodiversity in the areas beyond national jurisdiction.

The decision to hold such negotiations was reached a year ago, with the planned agreement to fall under the existing UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The issue of how to govern marine biodiversity beyond their national jurisdiction has long proven difficult to navigate, including how such a global deal will operate given other regional efforts in this area. (See BioRes, 23 June 2015)

Other provisions of the resolution include calls for developing more marine protected areas, or MPAs, along with advocating for an expansion of regional conventions in this area.