Miljøudvalget 2013-14
MIU Alm.del Bilag 431
Offentligt
Ministerial Outcome Document of the First Session of the United
Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations
Environment Programme
The Ministers of Environment and Heads of Delegation gathered in the first
session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) of the United
Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya, from 26 to 27 June 2014;
Recalled the General Assembly resolution 2997(XXVII) of 15 December 1972
establishing the United Nations Environment Programme, the Malmo Ministerial
Declaration of May 31, 2000, the 1997 Nairobi Declaration on the role of the
United Nations Environment Programme as the leading global environmental
authority that sets the global environmental agenda, that promotes the integrated
and coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable
development within the United Nations system and that serves as an
authoritative advocate for the global environment as reinforced in the Nusa Dua
Declaration of February 2010;
From Stockholm 1972, through Rio 1992, the adoption of Agenda 21,
Johannesburg 2002 and Rio +20 we have increased our understanding of the
importance of the environment in the context of sustainable development, we
have strengthened our institutions and committed to action.
Therefore, we reaffirm our commitment to the full implementation of the Rio+20
outcome document and all the principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment
and Development. We also call for the implementation of section C on the
Environmental pillar in the context of sustainable development and paragraph 88
on strengthening and upgrading UNEP.
With this in mind, we emphasize the historic importance of convening the first
universal session of this lead forum and decision making body to address global
environmental challenges and provide overarching policy guidance within the
UN-system, recognizing the fundamental role of UNEA in promoting the full
integration and coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of
sustainable development and its potential to identify opportunities and advance
solutions for the global environmental agenda,
We call on the international community, and reaffirm our commitment, to:
Ensure the full integration of the environmental dimension, especially
throughout sustainable development agenda, acknowledging that a healthy
environment is an essential requirement and key enabler for sustainable
development;
Achieve an ambitious, universal, implementable and realizable Post-2015
Development Agenda, that fully integrates the economic, social and
1
 PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files
environmental dimensions of sustainable development in a coherent, holistic,
comprehensive and balanced manner, including comprehensive and action
oriented sustainable development goals with the aim of eradicating poverty,
as well as for the protection of the environment and promotion of inclusive
social and economic development in harmony with nature.
Accelerate and support efforts for the promotion of sustainable consumption
and production patterns including through sustainable lifestyles and resource
efficiency. We are also committed to accelerate actions, with the support of
UNEP, to implement the 10YFP as a tool for action on SCP, including its
section on Means of Implementation;
Take action to prevent, combat and eradicate the illegal trade in wildlife and
wildlife products which has major economic, social and environmental
impacts, contributes to damage to ecosystems and rural livelihoods,
undermines good governance and the rule of law, and threatens national
security;
Undertake urgent actions to address climate change, a persistent crisis that
affects all countries and undermines their ability, in particular developing
countries, to achieve sustainable development. This requires cooperation by
all countries, in accordance with the objective, principles and provisions of the
UNFCCC;
Keep working towards the adoption of an ambitious outcome in the form of a
protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force
under the Convention applicable to all Parties in 2015 in accordance with the
Durban Platform for Enhanced Action;
Ensure the full implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements and
other environmental international and regional commitments in an effective
and coordinated manner while promoting synergies amongst them. We also
acknowledge their positive contribution to sustainable development;
Reinforce efforts to halt biodiversity loss and combat desertification, drought,
and land degradation, including through the implementation of existing
environmental agreements and ensure that ecosystems are resilient and
continue to provide their services;
Foster and encourage the development of genuine and durable partnerships
to address environmental challenges faced by Small Island Developing States
(SIDS). We also look forward to the discussion to take place at the third SIDS
International Meeting in Samoa;
We underline the importance of the resolutions and decisions adopted by the
2
 PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files
Assembly at its first meeting (Annex 1), and invite the international community to
joint efforts, including those made by UNEP, in implementing such outcomes;
We welcome the richness of the debate, which took place in the margins of
UNEA, and the contributions of academia and civil society experts, in various
fora to our understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing us, including
in the areas of the rule of law on the environment, gender, youth, role of
legislators, and financing a green economy. We recommend continuing with this
practice;
We commend the role that UNEP plays in facilitating intergovernmental
negotiations on multilateral environmental agreements, the adoption of the
Minamata Convention and highlight the important positive contribution of sound
management of chemicals and waste for sustainable development;
We acknowledge that a strengthened science policy interface is of key
importance to a more efficient and effective policy-making on sustainable
development at all levels. We emphasize the role of UNEP in providing coherent
evidence based knowledge and information on the state of global environment
for decision-makers, including in the preparation of the Post 2015 development
agenda;
Calls on the High Level Political Forum, ECOSOC, and the General Assembly,
within their respective mandates, to give appropriate consideration to this
outcome document and take its messages further, with a view to a balanced
integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development in the work of the
UN and its Member States.
3