The 5ThSession of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2), was held in person and online starting on 28Th February – 2ndMarch 2022 in Nairobi Kenya The session was themed To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we need to strengthen actions for nature.About 3,000 people attended the meeting. UNEA was established in 2012 and is the highest-level environmental meeting. It brings together member states to discuss critical environmental issues. It is also the United Nations Environment Programme’s highest-ranking decision-making body (UNEP).
UNEA 5.2 was released right after the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, which took place in November 2021. The world is facing threats to nature, biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution. UNEA 5.2 discussed key topics such as plastic pollution, responsible management of chemicals, waste, green recovery, and how we can protect nature and biodiversity.
Participants at UNEA 5.2 came from member states. They included government officials and representatives from UN, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and International Government Organizations, (IGOs), among others. BirdLife International was well represented at this event. This assembly follows the highly successful 1Planet1Right campaign, which saw the right of a healthy environment as a human rights.
For Ludmilla Duarte Souza and Luma Santana de Souza Dorea from Brazil, and Peter Okeyo Orimba from Kenya, – all students at the University of Nairobi (UoN), participation at UNEA 5.2 through BirdLife was an eye-opening experience. Ludmilla Duarte Souza and Peter are pursuing a PhD on Environmental Policy, while Luma is pursuing a PhD on International Environmental Law. The trio participated in the meeting as observers, taking part in deliberations and writing content. Peter also participated in the pre-UNEA 5.2 sessions. He was a member of the Global Major Groups Forum and Stakeholders Forum. There he helped to develop joint global statements that were used for the main sessions.
BirdLife Africa is establishing relationships with universities to share knowledge and expose African students the real world of conservation policy and management, according to Ken Mwathe (Policy and Communications Coordinator at BirdLife International Africa). UNEA provides a great forum for law and environmental students to experience international policy making in action. He said that he was delighted that University of Nairobi students took advantage of the opportunity to learn so much.
Birdlife International’s partnership allowed our PhD Environmental Policy and law students to attend UNEA 5.2. This was extremely helpful. It gave them the opportunity to learn about international environmental diplomacy and the west in order to solve the triple planet crisis. Collins Odote, University of Nairobi Law Professor, stated that he hopes we will continue to build on this partnership for the mutual benefit of both institutions as well as the environment.
Ludmilla found this experience valuable in understanding the different approaches to solving critical environmental problems. Luma also found this involvement a great way to get to know different perspectives and contexts on environmental issues across different countries. Peter, for his part, noted that this experience will be crucial in forming policy for the sustainable extraction sector in Kenya’s Nairobi Metropolitan area.
The trio recognized the importance of young people being involved in decision-making when the world is facing a climate and nature crisis. The trio also stated that we need to change how we relate to the environment, embrace sustainable practices, and include the marginalized and those most affected by climate change.
At the end of the UNEA 5.2 global event, I had one certainty: the solution for the sustainable development of the planet will only be achieved if we let historically marginalized peoples – such as indigenous peoples, women farmers, tribal communities, young activists – point and lead the way.
Ludmilla Duarte Souza
Global Environmental Governance is the only way out for effective governance of emerging environmental issues, and we need to strengthen the collective action to address the nature and climate crises.”
Peter Okeyo Orimba
It was a great experience to be able to participate in UNEA 5.2, and see young environmentalists share lessons at the UN event in Kenya. This new generation of eco-activists wants to work together with politicians, businessmen and scientists to seek sustainable solutions that also reduce the planet’s socioeconomic inequalities. This to me means that there is hope for sustainable development and thinking about the future.
Luma Santana de Souza Dorea
