What happened at the first meeting of the 5th United Nations Environment Assembly, UNEA 5.1? – A Special Webinar for Major Groups and Other Stakeholders

An analysis by Jan-Gustav Strandenaes, Senior Advisor on Governance and Sustainable Development to be held on Tuesday, 15 June 2021

08:30-11:30 EDT (New York) / 13:30 BST (London) / 14:30 CEST (Brussels & Oslo) / 15:30 EAT (Nairobi) / 18:00 IST (New Deli) / 20:30 CST (Beijing)

Now concluded, the recording of the webinar can be found here and the presentation can be downloaded hereWhat happened at UNEA 5.1 (June 15 2021) – Final

UNEA 5.1 took place in February 2021, an abbreviated virtual meeting due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. This 3-hour webinar will summarize and analyze what happened at UNEA 5.1, what was agreed, and what will be discussed and decided as a way forward at the second and final session, UNEA 5.2, on February 28, March 1, & March 2, 2022.

On behalf of Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future, and in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme, Jan-Gustav Strandenaes will explore how the two UNEA meetings are connected, and in doing so consider UNEA in the context of the nearly 50 years that have passed since the founding of UNEP in 1972.  In addition, the session will discuss the two commemorative events due to take place next year, UNEP@50 and Stockholm+50.

Stakeholder Forum will also announce its Autumn 2021 series of in-depth capacity-building webinars for each of the six UNEP Regions, aimed at preparing Major Groups and other Stakeholders to effectively engage with and participate in UNEA 5.2.

Organized by: Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future on assignment from the United Nations Environment Programme.

More information about UNEA 5.1 can be found by visiting UNEP’s UNEA website.

About the presenter: Jan-Gustav Strandenaes

Jan-Gustav 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, and 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.

Host and Moderator: Charles Nouhan, Chairman, Stakeholder Forum

Charles is a sustainability leader advancing governance for sustainable development, stakeholder engagement, renewable energy technologies, and sustainable waste management. From 2002 until 2018, he worked in the UK local government waste and resource sector developing and managing the recycling, composting, and waste minimization services for communities and businesses, and he continues to advance similar local efforts in The Americas. From 2000 to 2002, Charles was Stakeholder Forum’s Deputy Director and UK Co-ordinator, where he worked alongside then Executive Director Felix Dodds and Co-Chairs Margaret Brusasco-MacKenzie and Derek Osborn in the run-up to the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development. From 1999 to 2000, he worked on sustainability and stakeholder engagement at the then Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum. Now US-based in the New York Metropolitan area, Charles is SF’s Representative to the United Nations where he supports SF’s work with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and Member states to realize the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.