The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands – collectively known as the Benelux countries – met in June for annual consultations.
This year the Netherlands hosted the discussions, which took place in The Hague and focused on the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.
“This dialogue is extremely helpful to discuss UNEP’s critical role in responding to the planetary crises and to identify options for joint action,” said Afke van Rijn, Vice Minister for the Environment and International Affairs at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Netherlands.
During the discussions, the Benelux countries highlighted the importance of UNEP in addressing the triple planetary crisis, which is threatening the survival and wellbeing of millions around the world.
“In this time of connected crises, we require a UNEP fit for the future. No United Nations agency can tackle the challenges we face alone, so UNEP needs to be firmly grounded in the UN system, doing what it is best at, and in close cooperation with other UN agencies and all its partners,” said René van Hell, Director of Inclusive Growth at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands.
Multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow
The discussions between the Benelux countries and UNEP centred on how multilateralism is crucial for addressing the planet’s steep environmental decline and for forging a more sustainable future. The talks come as the world is struggling to meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), humanity’s blueprint for a better tomorrow. They also come ahead of a major global gathering, the SDG Summit 2023, on progress towards the goals.
Under its medium-term strategy, UNEP is focused on finding solutions to the triple planetary crisis and helping countries to deliver on their promises under the SDGs, many of which are underpinned by environmental targets.
"Realizing the SDGs by 2030 will require urgent action to tackle climate change, nature loss and pollution – underlined by financing, global solidarity and social justice,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen. “I am grateful to Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, who are active partners, donors and very supportive of UNEP’s mandate and work as we strengthen the environmental dimensions of the SDGs.
During the discussions, the Benelux countries highlighted their commitment to sustainable development and environmental multilateralism.
“The SDG summit in September will be a key moment to restore faith in multilateral action,” said Hugo Brauwers, Deputy Director-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation in Belgium. “The way we live, eat, buy and move around… crosses borders and impacts all of us. Multilateralism is key: together we can solve better. We highly value the role of the UN Environment Assembly, and UNEP’s role as a convener and partner, to tackle the triple planetary crisis.”
The sixth session of the UN Environment Assembly, the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment, takes place in February 2024 and will focus on the practical steps countries need to take to address the triple crisis.
“This dialogue is extremely helpful to discuss UNEP’s critical role in responding to the planetary crises and to identify options for joint action.”
Promoting sustainable transport, protecting biodiversity
The Benelux countries are long-time supporters of UNEP’s work, including in the area of sustainable mobility. During the meetings in The Hague, participants discussed how to enhance their collaboration, including by addressing low-value fuel exports, promoting the responsible export of used cars and expanding participation in the effort to reduce emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The three states welcomed the work UNEP is already doing in these areas, including with the Partnership for Cleaner Fuels and Vehicles.
The Benelux countries and UNEP also discussed the global effort to stem nature loss, including through the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The landmark agreement, signed in 2022, is designed to protect the web of life on Earth and contains global targets to be achieved by 2030. As well, participants discussed a ground-breaking new treaty that, for the first time, extends environmental protections to the two-thirds of the ocean that lie beyond national jurisdictions.
“To Luxembourg, both the UNEP and the Benelux partnership are of the highest value in order to push the environmental agenda forward,” said Thomas Schoos, Deputy Director-General, Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, Luxembourg.
With the biodiversity and ocean accords now in place, what is needed is “effective and coherent environmental multilateralism to achieve the ambitious targets we have set for ourselves,” Schoos added.
“In this respect, nature-based solutions are key bridge builders, fostering synergies between the three Rio conventions and related Multilateral Environmental Agreements in an efficient manner. Luxembourg stands ready to support UNEP's effort in strengthening these links to solve the triple planetary crisis.”
The discussions also touched upon the ongoing negotiations to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution; on food systems; mining and its impact on the environment; sustainable forestry; and solar radiation modification.
Financial support from Benelux crucial to UNEP
The Benelux countries have long been key financial supporters of UNEP. While only constituting 1.5 per cent of UNEP’s 193 Member States, they together contributed over 17 percent of the total core funding received for the UNEP Environment Fund in 2022, all contributing their full share as per the Voluntary Indicative Scale of Contributions. The Environment Fund is vital for executing UNEP’s strategy, programme of work and to support countries to deliver on the environmental dimensions of the 2030 Agenda.
For several years, the Netherlands has been the top contributor to the Environment Fund, while Belgium features among the top-10 contributors and supports three newly established thematic funds, which take aim at each prong of the triple planetary crisis.
The Environment Fund is the core source of flexible funds to UNEP. It is the bedrock for UNEP’s work worldwide and helps countries to deliver on the environmental dimensions of the 2030 Agenda, and to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss and pollution and waste.
To support the Environment Fund, each of the 193 Member States is encouraged to contribute their full share, as represented by the Voluntary Indicative Scale of Contributions, established in 2002 by the Member States themselves. The scale considers each country individually and distributes responsibility collectively. Investing in UNEP means investing in the health of the planet and its people.
