Stockholm+50 and UNEP@50: Commemorative events for 2022, but also key issues to be discussed at the fifth UN Environment Assembly, UNEA 5.1
Since its founding, Stakeholder Forum has been routinely involved in the environmental processes and works that pertain to the United Nations Environment Programme.
On assignment by UNEP, beginning with the Oslo UNEA Bureax consultations in June 2020, we have conducted several capacity-building webinars and have produced background papers on various themes that are part of the UNEA 5 process.
UNEP was established by the Stockholm 1972 conference, the ‘United Nations Conference on the Human Environment,’ and two commemorative events are planned for 2022, UNEP@50 and Stockholm+50.
On February the 10th, 2021, Teresa Oberhauser, co-chair for the Children and Youth Major Group at UNEP, together with SF’s senior adviser on governance, Jan-Gustav Strandenaes, co-facilitated a UNEP MGoS workshop on Stockholm+50 – Consultation 4. The recording of Mr. Strandenaes’ presentation can be found here, about 4 hours and 52 minutes into the event.
Four presenters and four themes relating to the proposed Stockholm+50 conference in 2022 were part of the agenda:
- ‘Stockholm+50: a proposal from the Government of Sweden,’ Presentation by Ambassador Ms. Johanna Lissinger Peitz, Stockholm+50 Secretariat in Sweden.
- ‘Scientific Evidence that calls for action’, Presentation by John Scanlon, CEO of the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation, Chair of the Global Alliance to End Wildlife Crime, and Chair of the UK Government’s IWT Challenge Fund
- ‘Stockholm + 50: Expectations from Youth,’ Presentation by Zahra Aby Tahu, UNEP Children and Youth Major Group
- ‘From Stockholm 1972 to vision for the future?’ Presentation by Jan-Gustav Strandenaes
A written summary of the consultation can be found here.
The workshop was preceded by a similar workshop on the theme of UNEP@50.
An overview and impressions from the two workshops and ensuing discussions were covered by the Earth Negotiations Bulletin can be found here.
Summaries by the Earth Negotiations Bulletin of the entire Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum (GMGSF), 9–11 February 2021, can be found here.
In the near future, Stakeholder Forum will upload two further reports covering the main issues from these two workshops. Now, however, the presentation made by Jan-Gustav Strandenaes can be found here: From Stockholm 1972 to a Vision for the Future – UNEA 5.1 MGoS Consultation no. 4 (Feb 2021)
More information about UNEA 5.1 can be found by visiting UNEP’s UNEA website.
Jan-Gustav Strandenaes is a Senior Advisor on Governance for Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future. With a degree in modern history, literature, environmental sciences, and development issues, Jan-Gustav began working with the UN on environment and governance in the 1970s, first in Latin America. He then taught about the UN for 20 years, worked with UN CSD for NGOs at the UN HQ, has carried out multiple assignments for UNEP. Jan-Gustav worked as a diplomat for Norway’s foreign office in Botswana and Uganda has chaired UN meetings, assessed projects, and organizations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and directed a large aid and environment NGO in Norway for two decades. As a guest lecturer, he has spoken at universities all over the world on governance, sustainable development, and the environment. Jan-Gustav has had an assignment with UNDESA developing the SDGs, has wide experience with civil society on four continents, translated and written books and numerous articles, speaks several languages, once crossed The Kalahari Desert, and now works as an adviser from his home outside of Oslo, Norway.
