Preparations of the United Nations conferences underway

By Samuel Ouma [caption id="attachment_93387" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko[/caption] Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko was on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, briefed by a technical team on the progress of upcoming environmental events, including United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) 5.2, UN Environment Program (UNEP) at 50 and African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN). UNEA 5.2 will be held virtually from 28th February to 2nd March 2022 at UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi and online. The theme of the meeting will be strengthening action for nature to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. This highlights the pivotal role nature plays in our lives and social, economic, and environmentally sustainable development. The meeting will bring together representatives of 193 Member States of the UN, businesses, civil society, and other stakeholders to agree on policies to address the world's most pressing environmental challenges. High-Level segment, opening plenary, national statements, leaders dialogue, and exhibitions are some of the activities for the three-day meeting. Celebrations to commemorate UNEP at 50 will follow after that from 3rd to 4th March 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the UNEP. The special session will be held under the overall theme of "Strengthening UNEP for implementing the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNEP@50 is a time to reflect on the past and envision the future. It provides an opportunity to reinvigorate international cooperation and spur collective action to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. Representatives of the 193 Members States will plant symbolic trees to culminate the celebrations. The Ninth Special Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) will be held virtually from 15 - 17 March 2022. The substantive agenda will be the Presidency of UNEA 6, Africa engagement during #UNEP@50, and discussion on African sponsored resolutions, including plastic and marine pollution, green recovery, circular economy, biodiversity and health, and nature-based solutions.