The event:
24-hour Environmental Rule of Law Global Symposium 31 May 2022 to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Montevideo Programme and 50 years of international environmental law
31 May 2021 - Zoom
The 31st May 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of the commencement of the Montevideo Programme for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law. This milestone year also marks the 50th anniversary of the Stockholm Declaration, the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Environment Programme, as well as the 30th anniversary of the Rio Summit.
This is an ideal occasion to celebrate the progressive development of environmental rule of law and the achievements of Member States, international organisations and the global community to address environmental challenges through the law in this time. UNEP has been working on the environmental rule of law since UNEPs creation in 1972 and engages with members states and other actors to promote and advance environmental rule of law through its law projects and the Montevideo Programme. UNEP seeks to raise awareness of the achievements and impact it has had over the last 40 years since the commencement of the Montevideo Programme.
We would like to invite you to join us in this celebration.
The Event
The 24-hour global event focuses on the development of environmental law over the past 50 years and its impact to address environmental challenges. The event will be run over 12 sessions across the 31st May following the time zones of the globe from the Pacific to South America. Each of the 12 sessions will have a session organizer and a specific environmental law topic. Each session will last approximately 100 minutes, with a 20-minute break between sessions
Fifth Montevideo Programme: in-person (hybrid) segment of the First Global Meeting of National Focal Points (6-9 June 2022)
A few days after celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Montevideo Programme, we invite you to join national focal points and other stakeholders gathering to in defining the Fifth Montevideo Programme.
The resumed in-person/hybrid segment of the First Global Meeting of National Focal Points will be held over four days from Monday 6 June 2022 to Thursday 9 June 2022 (15:00–18:00 East Africa Time each day) at the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya, with online participation also possible for those who cannot attend the meeting in person. Interpretation in all six United Nations languages will be provided. Seven side events will be held (in-person and online) covering thematic areas relevant to the First Global Meeting.
The purpose of the in-person/hybrid segment is to enable national focal points and other stakeholders to provide guidance on the priority areas for the implementation of the programme until December 2029. National focal points will also be invited to discuss the progress on the initial implementation of the programme and other matters.
Registration for online participation is still open: Please send an e-mail to unep-montevideo@un.org with your full name, affiliation, and contact information.
This 24-hour Environmental Rule of Law Symposium on 31 May 2022 is to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Montevideo Programme and 50 years of international environmental law.
Objectives of the Montevideo Environmental Law Programme
The programme’s vision is to promote the development and implementation of environmental rule of law, strengthen the related capacities in countries, and contribute to the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. To achieve this, the program has six objectives supported by nine strategic activities. The Montevideo Environmental Law Programme is implemented by UNEP with the strategic guidance of a Steering Committee for Implementation and a global network of National Focal Points designated by each Member State. This global network on environmental law is complemented by strong partnerships with stakeholders for implementation. The programme partners with, inter alia, academia, civil society, the private sector, secretariats of Multilateral Environmental Agreements, UN agencies, and Intergovernmental Organizations. Please click here for more information about the Partner of the Programme initiative.
More information about the Montevideo Environmental Law Programme and its previous editions can be found on its dedicated website.
Download the full Montevideo Environmental Law Programme V: العربية | English | Español | Français | Русский | 中文
Please also see the Programme's brochure and the factsheet for national focal points (العربية | English | Español | Français | Русский | 中文).
