Environmentally friendly: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (right) talks to director of the UN Environment Program Achim Stiener (left) during the opening ceremony of the 11th Special Session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Wednesday. The meeting is being in preparation for the upcoming 16th UN Climate Change Conference in Mexico at the end of the year.
Nusa Dua. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened Wednesday the 11th Special Session of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)’s Governing Council in Nusa Dua, Bali, a ministerial-level meeting held prior to the upcoming 16th UN Climate Change Conference in Mexico at the end of the year.
Taking place from Wednesday to Friday, the GC/GMEF-11 meeting is being attended by about 1,000 delegations, including some 30 ministerial-level officials, from 130 countries.
It was preceded by the 11th Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum, also held in Nusa Dua, from Feb. 21 to 23.
Indonesia Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the GC/GMEF-11 was the first ministerial-level UNEP meeting to be held since the 15th UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
“Indonesia believes that this UNEP Governing Council meeting is an opportunity we have to take to informally share our thoughts on the joint efforts to make the meeting in Mexico this year a success,” Marty said in his opening speech for the GC/GMEF-11 meeting.
He added the meeting was important as 2010 had been enacted as the International Year of Biodiversity.
GC/GMEF-11 chairman Oliver Dulic said the ministerial forum would discuss, among other things, international environment governance, the green economy, and biodiversity and ecosystem issues.
“[It will discuss] how to better address the increasing environmental challenges as we begin our preparations for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil in 2012,” Dulic said.
Source: The Jakarta Post – 24 February 2010
Photo: Associated Press
