20 February 2008

The 10th special session of the UNEP Governing Council and the Global Ministerial Environment Forum (Monaco, 20-22 February 2008)

Professor Maciej Nowicki, Minister of the Environment, participates to the 10th Special Session of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Ministerial Environment Forum that is currently held in the Principality of Monaco. Counteracting climate change climate challenge is the major topic of this meeting.

The opening addresses were delivered by Mr. Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director, and Mr. Roberto Dobles, Costa Rica's Minister of Environment and Energy and President of the Governing Council, and also Ms. A.K. Tibaijuka, Executive Director UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme). 

The Agenda of the Session/Forum includes various topical sessions on the status of the global environment, urgent political issues, the environment and development, and the implementation of the results of the UN Summits and other inter-governmental meetings. 

The participants of the sessions discussed the issues of investments and financing of the climate protection activities, including those of the Adaptation Fund and establishment of other funds and acquisition of resources aimed at climate protection. Moreover, talks were held on the globalisation issues and the necessary reform of the UN System. 

In course of the sessions, Professor Maciej Nowicki met numerous delegations, including Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Swedish Minister of the Environment, German Delegation, and the representatives of Indonesia and Denmark – the organisers of the UNFCCC COP13 and COP15. Informal meetings concerned mainly exchange of views on the energy-climate package and the organisation matters of the COP14 which is to be held this year in Poznan, Poland. 

More than 1200 representatives from 145 countries participate to the 10th Special Session of the UNEP Governing Council and the Global Ministerial Environment Forum in Monaco.