UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi will focus on comprehensive solutions to global environmental problems

The world’s highest-level decision-making body for matters related to the environment, the United Nations Environment Assembly UNEA, will convene at its sixth session in Nairobi, Kenya on 26 February–1 March. UNEA-6 will bring UN Member States and representatives of civil society groups, the scientific community and the private sector together to seek solutions to acute environmental challenges. Finland’s UNEA delegation will be led by Minister of Climate and the Environment Kai Mykkänen. The theme of the session is multilateral actions to tackle the planetary sustainability crisis – climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

The resolutions adopted by UNEA build a common international understanding of environmental problems and the means to respond to these. At this session there will be negotiations on about 20 resolutions. As part of the EU, Finland will aim to highlight the role of a circular economy and the global water crisis on the agenda of the international environmental administration. Finland also supports the resolution proposed by Ukraine concerning environmental damages caused by conflicts, which would strengthen UNEP’s mandate to work in areas affected by conflicts and disasters. 

“Armed conflicts have dramatic impacts on the environment. It is most important that the international community also supports the monitoring of environmental damages and recovery of ecosystems,” Minister Mykkänen says.

The resolution concerning climate engineering will be discussed as well. The EU is very cautious about climate engineering but is in favour of conducting studies on this.

Eventually the resolutions and decisions of UNEA will be reflected in the regulation and policies in the EU and in individual countries. For example, the decision to start the negotiations on the plastics treaty that are now under way was made at the previous UN Environment Assembly two years ago.

The Youth Environment Panel and Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment will also convene in connection with UNEA, and numerous side events will be organised.

Inquiries

Marjaana Kokkonen
Ministerial Adviser
tel. +358 295 250 025
marjaana.kokkonen(at)gov.fi
In Nairobi 23 February–1 March

Lyydia Ylönen
Special Adviser to Minister of Climate and the Environment
tel. +358 50 476 1341
lyydia.ylonen(at)gov.fi
In Nairobi 28–29 February