New Zealand will commemorate 50 years of UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) this year.
New Zealand is a founding partner of the programme.
Photo: 123RF
A commemoration event is planned for the UN environment assembly session (UNEA-5), which was rescheduled for a year after the Covid-19 pandemic.
A spokesperson for Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that New Zealand will be attending the environment session and participating in the negotiation of the assembly’s decisions.
The session will take place in Nairobi, Kenya. Participants can also attend the session both online and in person.
According to a spokesperson, no decision has been made as to how the New Zealand delegation will attend.
Aotearoa recently chaired the plastic pollution working group. It is hoped that an international binding commitment can be made to combat plastic pollution at this session.
New Zealand is a founding partner of the programme.
Aotearoa has contributed more than $9.7M since the program’s inception in 1972.
“The success of UNEP’s work is highly dependent on the contributions made to it by Member States…UNEP’s work supports global action in environmental issues that have transboundary effects, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution,” said the spokesperson.
“UNEP also conducts capacity building work in developing countries, such as the Pacific, to improve environmental outcomes…It produces world-leading report on the state of global environment.”
UNEP has universal membership from all UN member states.