March 20, 2024
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From 26 February to 1 March 2024, the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) took place in Nairobi, Kenya and “concluded with the adoption of 15 resolutions to advance collaborative action on the triple planetary crisis” of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.
Our Deputy Director Jennifer Garard participated in the UNEA-6 proceedings in her role as UNEP North America Regional Facilitator and contributed significantly to the drafting of:
- the opening statement on behalf of Regions of the UNEP Major Groups and Stakeholders,
- the opening statement for the Science and Technology Major Group,
- the closing statement on behalf of all Major Groups and Regions, and
- the written Joint Global Statement of Major Groups and Stakeholders for UNEA-6.
Dr. Garard also made a statement in the Leadership Dialogue on Science, Data, and Digitalization, highlighting findings from the Re-imagining Climate Governance in the Digital Age project, and discussed “Digital Environmental Sustainability – Pioneering Multilateral Solutions” at the Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability (CODES) official side event.
”I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to elevate the voices of civil society from North America and around the world in UNEA, the highest-level decision-making body on the environment in the world. It is critical to ensure that a diversity of perspectives are heard when making decisions that affect us all and I’m proud to have played a role in making that happen in Nairobi this year,” said Dr. Garard.
At a time when collective action for the environment is more urgently needed than ever before, the UN Environment Assembly remains relevant to rally 5,600 people – representing 190 countries and including over 1000 members of civil society organizations – under the critical mandate of the legitimate human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, everywhere.