Following an eventful final round of negotiations, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted a Ministerial Outcome Document on Friday evening in Nairobi. The Document calls for the adoption of a universal, ambitious post-2015 agenda in which environmental policy will be given the same level of attention as economic policy and social policy.
In the Ministerial Outcome Document the UNEA calls for action orientated sustainability goals for combatting poverty, protecting the environment and for an inclusive social and economic development in harmony with nature. In addition, the Document promotes taking a stand against illegal trade in wildlife.
State Secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry, Jochen Flasbarth, stressed on Thursday in Nairobi that economic and environmental policy should not be seen as conflicting goals. Ambitious environmental protection and the definition of suitable framework conditions both have positive impacts on the economy and labour market. This is why the post-2015 agenda must set out ambitious environmental goals.
The first session of the UN Environment Assembly took place in Nairobi from 23 to 27 June. Topics on the agenda included:
- development of global sustainability goals (post-2015 agenda),
- sustainable consumption and production patterns,
- fight against illegal trade in wildlife,
- chemicals and waste,
- improvement of air quality
- plastic waste in seas.
Along with the Ministerial Outcome Document, the UNEA adopted resolutions and decisions on illegal trade in wildlife, the management of chemicals and wastes, plastic waste in seas, air quality control, the UNEA rules of procedure and the UNEP work programme and budget.