The Meeting of Senior Government Officials Expert in Environmental Law on the Midterm Review of the fourth Programme for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law (Montevideo Programme IV) was held from 7 to 11 September 2015 in Montevideo, Uruguay. The meeting, which was convened by the UN Environment Programme, was attended by over 100 legal experts in environmental law from governments, NGOs, intergovernmental organizations and UN agencies. The fourth Montevideo Programme, which covers 27 programme areas, was adopted by the Governing Council of UNEP (transformed into the United Nations Environment Assembly of UNEP in March 2013) in 2009 to be the overarching strategy for UNEP’s engagement in the field of environmental law for the period 2010-2019. The midterm review process, conducted in a participatory and consultative manner, assesses the implementation and effectiveness of the Montevideo Programme IV and environmental law in light of new developments and emerging trends. This meeting formed part of the series of meetings and consultations being held as part of the midterm review process.
The discussion of the meeting revolved around three thematic areas: the midterm review of the implementation and effectiveness of the Montevideo Programme IV; emerging and important issues in the field of environmental law, in particular in the Montevideo Programme IV programme areas; and priority areas for action in the field of environmental law for the period up to 2020, bearing in mind Montevideo Programme IV.
As to the issue of the midterm review of the implementation and effectiveness of the fourth Programme, delegates focused their discussion on the four key programme areas of Montevideo Programme IV, including the effectiveness of environmental law; the conservation, management and sustainable use of natural resources; the outstanding challenges for environmental law; and the relationships with other interrelated fields such as human rights, trade, health, agriculture, criminal law and natural resources.
With regard to the emerging and important issues in the field of environmental law delegates stressed the need for the development of a comprehensive legal framework addressing effectively key cross-cutting issues, including, among others, the management of air, waste and noise pollution; the extraction of non-living natural resources, the issue of human rights, water security and energy supply the conduct of inclusive and coherent environmental impact assessments; the fragmentation of environmental law and the integration of the new sustainable development goals in environmental law.
In addition, meeting participants identified and considered 23 selected priority areas for action in the field of environmental law for the period up to 2020, bearing in mind Montevideo Programme IV. These priority areas included: combating environmental offences and crime; addressing the drivers of environmental offences and crime; strengthening the implementation of, compliance with and enforcement of environmental law, strengthening public access to justice in environmental matters, assisting states to develop more effective environmental legislation; considering follow-up mechanisms to check on commitment and raise the level of ambition of international instruments in the field of the environment; encouraging action by non-State actors in the field of environmental protection, enhancing water security; developing more effective means for the protection of oceans, fisheries and biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction; establishing a holistic mechanism to prevent and control pollution of global significance; developing standards and procedures for extractive industries and compiling a list of best practices on noise pollution and proposing ways of addressing the issue.
At the end of the meeting, delegates approved a set of recommendations with a bearing on the three main thematic areas of the discussion. These recommendations along with the final report of the meeting will be reported to the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) at its second session in 2016.
Source: UNEP, ISSD Reporting Services,
For Further Information:
http://www.unep.org/delc/Portals/119/documents/montevideo/draft-report.pdf
http://www.unep.org/delc/MontevideoProgramme
http://www.iisd.ca/download/pdf/sd/enbplus229num1e.pdf
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MEPIELAN Centre
MEPIELAN Centre is an international research, training and educational centre established by Professor Evangelos Raftopoulos at the Panteion University of Athens in 2008.
Before its establishment as a University Centre, MEPIELAN operated as a successful international research, training and informational programme (2002-2007) under the scientific direction of Professor Evangelos Raftopoulos and the aegis of the Panteion University of Athens, supported by the Mediterranean Action Plan/UNEP and the Greek Ministry of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works.
MEPIELAN Centre is an accredited UNEP/MAP PARTNER (since 2013), a Member of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) (since 2016), and a Member of the Steering Committee of the MCSD (since 2019).
On 22 May 2022, MEPIELAN Centre proceeded to the development of MEPIELAN as a Non- Profit Civil Organization (INGO) for the more effective and efficient advancement of its Goals and Missions and furtherance of its activities. MEPIELAN Centre as a Non- Profit Civil Organization (INGO) is registered in Greek Law (Hellenic Business Registry, Reg. No. 16477300100) in accordance with Laws 4072/2012 & 4919/2022 as applicable
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MEPIELAN Centre#molongui-disabled-link
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MEPIELAN Centre#molongui-disabled-link