•Over 2,000 delegates including at least five heads of state are expected to attend the UN Environment Assembly from February 28 to March 2 in Nairobi.
•The theme of the Assembly is “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”.
Plans to give United Nations Environment Programme offices in Nairobi a facelift are on course.
On Tuesday, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UNEP Makena Muchiri told the press that there have been constant discussions on how UNEP can be given a facelift.
“As we all know, we have a huge campus there but our conference services are not strong, they are not good, they need to be renewed. There is the need to strengthen that,” Muchiri said.
Speaking during a press briefing over the upcoming UN Environment Assembly (UNEA), Muchiri said there is a need to fix microphones and seats that she said are too low.
Environment PS Dr Chris Kiptoo, Acting Deputy Executive Director for UNEP Sonja Leighton- Kone was present during the briefing.
Over 2,000 delegates including at least five heads of state are expected to attend the Assembly from February 28 to March 2.
The theme of the Assembly is “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”.
Immediately after UNEA-5.2, the Assembly will hold a Special Session on March 3-4, 2022, which is devoted to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the creation of the UN Environment Programme in 1972 .
Kenya has for decades hosted UNEP's world headquarters in Nairobi.
Muchiri said they have been discussing how to strengthen the United Nations Office in Nairobi as one way of strengthening UNEP.
She said one of the things that are constantly discussed in the committee of permanent representatives is how to strengthen the global body since Rio.
Muchiri said the other issue that has been under discussion is about upgrading all the headquarter functions to Nairobi.
“The Africa group and the global south is normally very strong on this while the other group are not very keen because some of the headquarter departments are based in France and also in Geneva," she said.
"We have been talking about how do we bring all that together to Nairobi where UNEP is headquartered."
She added: “UNEP is a big organisation taking care of other international bodies that are headquartered here. So you cannot push that agenda too much.”
The permanent representative said the other issue they keep talking about is the funding of UNEP from the budget of the UN.
She said they are also urging member states to give the contribution requirement for UNEP.
Kiptoo said there is a need to have a strengthened body that will respond to three planetary crises.
These are climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
“This is also important to us given previous attempts to weaken UNEP. Going forward, we think UNEP should focus on biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution,” Kiptoo said.
The PS said UNEP has many roles, capacity building, scientific work and the convening power for members.
“We are happy to be the only country in the global south to host UNEP,” he said.
Leighton- Kone said the environment needs to be taken seriously if sustainable development is to be achieved.
"UNEA offers the opportunity to make a real contribution to the planet," she said.
She said the sustainable development goals risk being missed if the planet is not taken care of.
Leighton- Kone said UNEP was playing a key role in helping governments by reducing the growing inequality and poverty by creating green jobs, green energy among others.