PRESS RELEASE – WHEN the United Nations General Assembly on May 10, 2018 adopted Resolution 72/277 “Towards a Global Pact for the Environment”, the intention was to do two things namely: To provide an overarching framework for International Environmental law to consolidate, solidify and advance international environmental law by examining the most pressing international environmental challenges; and to improve the implementation of international environmental law, so as to further the sustainable development goals(SDGs) along with other globally agreed environmental goals and targets.
The United Nations General Assembly decided to establish an ad hoc open-ended working group to consider a technical and evidence based report that identifies and assesses possible gaps in international environmental law and environmental related instruments, so as to strengthen their implementation.
Saint Lucia will be represented at this working group session, which commenced on Wednesday September 5, 2018 and will run till Friday September7, 2018, at the UN Headquarters in New York, by the Legal Officer, Department of Sustainable Development, Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, Ms. Kate Wilson.
The Report under review will be submitted to the UN General Assembly ‘s 73rd Session, providing a platform to discuss possible options to address those gaps. An Intergovernmental Conference to adopt an international Instrument may be one of the options explored.
The working group has been mandated to present its recommendations to the UN General Assembly during the first semester of 2019.
The Assembly has decided that the adhoc open ended group which is meeting this week shall in accordance with established practice, hold a three (3) day organizational session to examine matters related to the organization of its work including the duration and work of its substantive sessions.
Substantive sessions are also expected to be held in Nairobi, Kenya, the first of which is slated for one (1) month after the submission of the Report of the Secretary General.
The September 5-7, 2018 working group session is also open to relevant NGOs in consultation status with the Economic and Social Council as observers, as well as those that were credited to relevant conferences and summits.