Report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on its first
universal session and the implementation of section IV.C, entitled “Environmental
pillar in the context of sustainable development”, of the outcome document
of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
A/RES/68/215
Reaffirming the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 4 and its
principles,
Taking into account Agenda 21 5 and the Plan of Implementation of the World
Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg Plan of Implementation), 6
Recalling the 2005 World Summit Outcome, 7
Recalling also the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacitybuilding, 8
Committed to strengthening international environmental governance within the
context of the institutional framework for sustainable development in order to
promote a balanced integration of the economic, social and environmental
dimensions of sustainable development as well as coordination within the United
Nations system,
Committed also to enhancing the voice of the United Nations Environment
Programme and its ability to fulfil its coordination mandate within the United
Nations system by strengthening its engagement in key United Nations coordination
bodies and empowering it to lead efforts to formulate United Nations system-wide
strategies on the environment,
Recalling the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development, held from 20 to 22 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
entitled “The future we want”, 9 in which the General Assembly was invited to adopt,
at its sixty-seventh session, a resolution strengthening and upgrading the United
Nations Environment Programme in the manner outlined in paragraph 88,
subparagraphs (a) to (h), of the outcome document,
Reiterating the need for secure, stable, adequate and predictable financial
resources for the United Nations Environment Programme, and in accordance with
resolution 2997 (XXVII) underlining the need to consider the adequate reflection of
all the administrative and management costs of the Programme in the context of the
United Nations regular budget,
1.
Welcomes the convening of the first universal session of the Governing
Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum of the United Nations Environment
Programme in Nairobi from 18 to 22 February 2013;
2.
Takes note of the report of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial
Environment Forum 10 and the decisions contained therein;
3.
Looks forward to the first session of the United Nations Environment
Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme, to be held in June 2014;
_______________
4
Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3–14 June
1992, vol. I, Resolutions Adopted by the Conference (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and
corrigendum), resolution 1, annex I.
5
Ibid., annex II.
6
Report of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August–
4 September 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.03.II.A.1 and corrigendum), chap. I, resolution 2,
annex.
7
Resolution 60/1.
8
United Nations Environment Programme, document UNEP/GC.23/6/Add.1 and Corr.1, annex.
9
Resolution 66/288, annex.
10
Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-eighth Session, Supplement No. 25 (A/68/25).
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