Major Groups and Stakeholders Consultations - 2023

Major Groups and Stakeholders had a preparatory consultation on the way to UNEA-6 to discuss relevant topics preceding the Joint Retreat of the UNEA-6 Bureau and the CPR Bureau that took place from 6-7 of July 2023 at the Hassan II International Center for Environmental Training Center, in Rabat, Morocco.

Major Groups engaged in a dialogue with the Bureau members on the 6^th July during a breakfast meeting and presented the outcomes of the MGS consultations. The Bureau then continued for a two-day retreat ( 5-6 July 2023).

The meeting was hybrid to allow for a wider participation of major groups and stakeholders.

For more information on the First Joint Retreat of the UNEA and CPR Bureaux members, see the below link : 

Joint retreat of the Bureau of UNEA-6 and of the CPR Bureau (unep.org)

Key outcomes and messages from the meeting can be summarized as follows:

1. Significant interest in contributing to UNEA-6, including through:

• Preparing drafting text to strengthen the draft political declaration such as:
  • pronouncing that peace is a precondition for sustainable development
  • highlighting the role of environmental defenders
  • strengthening the text on sustainable food systems
  • Including new text on extraction of raw materials needed for energy transition
  • Strengthening texts on gender, Stakeholder participation and youth engagement
  • Including a reference to indigenous peoples
  • Strengthening the section on climate change (e.g. re-peak emissions)
• Seeking guidance on how to best influence the process for Member States to develop draft resolutions to UNEA-6
• Underlining the need for UNEP and CSU to be equipped to assist and fund all preparatory meetings including at regional level – noting with concern that the conditions, funding and best practices for stakeholder participation vary greatly between the different regions (AMCEN was specifically mentioned as an example where provisions for stakeholder participation have been applied inconsistently)  

2. Willingness to support the implementation of the resolutions from UNEA-5.2, noting that:

• There is a need for more clarity regarding stakeholder participation / funding / accreditation – especially for the new consultation processes mandated by UNEA-5.2
• Internal reflection also needed on how to ensure well-coordinated, democratic and participatory process for Major Groups and Stakeholders
• It may be useful to better formalize stakeholder consultations back to back with regional ministerial fora
• The INC process differs from UNEA, as it has its own rules of procedure, leading to
  • confusion regarding accreditation, speaking rights, representation, seating etc
  • unclear role for the Major Groups and Stakeholders Committee in terms of coordinating stakeholder inputs
  • uncertainty on how to deal with possible conflict of interest among Major Groups and Stakeholders
  • A call for mapping of all interest groups; e.g. require all observers to clarify who they represent and how they are funded