Press Release

March 04, 2024
  • Global Environment

Results of the Sixth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA6)

  The sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) was held in Nairobi, Republic of Kenya, from February 26 to March 1, 2024. 
  The theme of the session was "effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution." Japan submitted a resolution titled “Promoting synergies, cooperation or collaboration for national implementation of multilateral environmental agreements and other relevant environmental instruments” which was co-sponsored by the Republic of Fiji, Canada, the Republic of Chile, the Swiss Confederation, the Kingdom of Norway, and the Republic of Peru. The resolution was adopted, along with 13 other resolutions.   
  TAKISAWA Motome, State Minister of the Environment, Japan, attended the session, participating in ministerial-level meetings, a side event hosted by Japan on the promotion of synergies, and other events. 
    For an overall summary of results of the session, please refer to the press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (link to be added as soon as summary is released).

1. Dates, Venue and Organizer

Dates:  Main session: February 26 - March 1, 2024 
           Secretariat-level meetings: February 19 - 28, 2024
                 High-level segment (ministerial-level meetings): February 2-8March 1, 2024
Venue:   Nairobi, Republic of Kenya
Organizer: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

2. Resolution on promoting synergies, cooperation or collaboration for national implementation of multilateral environmental agreements and other relevant environmental instruments (co-sponsored by the Republic of Fiji, Canada, the Republic of Chile, the Swiss Confederation, the Kingdom of Norway, and the Republic of Peru) (Refer to attached files)

    In order to overcome the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, there is a need to aim for integrated solutions. This resolution encourages the implementation of policies and projects which have synergistic effects for both climate change and biodiversity, for example nature-based solutions, when implementing obligations under environmental agreements such as those on climate change and biodiversity. The resolution also encourages the collection and sharing of good practices to support these efforts.
   *The attached resolution was submitted at the closing session in the evening of March 1, 2024, local time. This resolution was adopted without objection in that session, but rhetorical changes are possible. The final version of the resolution will be posted at the following link in due course.   Outcomes of UNEA-6 (unep.org)

3. National Statement at Ministerial-level Meeting

    TAKISAWA Motome, State Minister of the Environment, Japan, stated the need to promote synergies on a global scale in order to overcome the triple planetary crisis. Through the resolution on promoting synergies, he called for building common understanding internationally on the importance of synergies, collecting good examples of synergies, developing guidance on how to realize synergies, and implementing measures to enhance synergies in each country.

4. Official Side Event: Synergistic Approaches to Overcome the Triple Crisis and the SDG Deadlock

1)  Date, time and venue
・Date and time: March 1, 2024, 13:30-14:45
・Venue:Tent C at the Headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya
 
2) Organizer and co-organizerMinistry of the Environment, Japan, and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
 
3)Main speakers
・ TAKISAWA Motome, State Minister of the Environment, Japan
・ Patricia Kameri-Mbote, Director, Law Division, UNEP
・ Sivendra Michael, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Fiji
・ Constance Nalegach, Head of the International Affairs Office of the Ministry of the Environment, Chile
・ MUTO Megumi, Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
・ WATANABE Michitaro, Mayor, Nasushiobara City, Japan (Video message)
・ Janez Potocnik, Co-chair, International Resource Panel, and Former European Commissioner for Environment and Science

5. Summary

    In his opening remarks, TAKISAWA Motome, State Minister of the Environment, Japan, referred to the resolution submitted by Japan and adopted at UNEA-6, and emphasized that strengthening synergistic actions is key to overcoming the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Dr. Patricia Kameri-Mbote, Director of the Law Division, UNEP, expressed her hopes for Japan's leadership in promoting synergistic actions around the world, and stated that UNEP will support the implementation of this resolution. Japan, the Republic of Chile and the Republic of Fiji then shared their efforts on promoting synergies, including useful measures and issues. Mr. Janez Potocnik, Co-Chair of the International Resource Panel, expressed his hopes for these efforts and pointed out the importance of scientific knowledge in enhancing synergies in the future.

6. Event details

Reference link

Press release by Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (link to be added as soon as summary is released)