1Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

Engaging with UNEP

By Alexander Juras

Chief, Major Groups and Stakeholders Branch UNEP

Regional Consultation MeetingOctober 2010

2Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

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

3Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

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

4Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

UNEP’s Major Groups and Stakeholder Branch: Your Entry Point

to UNEP• 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

5Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

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 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

Review Process (approx. 3 months)

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Global Major Groups and Stakeholder Forum 2011

• The Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum (GMGSF)

– 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

9Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

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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ReferencesTo apply for accreditation go to:

http://www.unep.org/civil-society/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/civil-society/About/ConsultationonEnhancing/tabid/2991/language/en-US/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/