10th special session of the governing council / global ministerial environment forum

Overview
The Governing Council was established in accordance with General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII) (Institutional and financial arrangements for international environmental co-operation) of 15 December 1972. Governing Council reports to the General Assembly through the Economic and Social Council. 58 members of the Council are elected by the General Assembly, for four-year terms, taking into account the principle of equitable regional representation.

Main functions and responsibilities of the Governing Council of UNEP are provided by the General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII) as follows:

(a) To promote international cooperation in the field of the environment and to recommend, as appropriate, policies to this end;
(b) To provide general policy guidance for the direction and coordination of environmental programmes within the United Nations system;
(c) To receive and review the periodic reports of the Executive Director of UNEP on the implementation of environmental programmes within the United Nations system;
(d) To keep under review the world environmental situation in order to ensure that emerging environmental problems of wide international significance receive appropriate and adequate consideration by Governments;
(e) To promote the contribution of the relevant international scientific and other professional communities to the acquisition, assessment and exchange of environmental knowledge and information and, as appropriate, to the technical aspects of the formulation and implementation of environmental programmes within the United Nations system;
(f) To maintain under continuing review the impact of national and international environmental policies and measures on developing countries, as well as the problem of additional costs that may be incurred by developing countries in the implementation of environmental programmes and projects, and to ensure that such programmes and projects shall be compatible with the development plans and priorities of those countries;
(g) To review and approve the programme of utilization of resources of the Environment Fund.

The 10th Special Session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum of the UNEP will be held in the Principality of Monaco, from 20 to 22 February 2008, in pursuance of Governing Council decision 24/15 I.

Please find information for Delegates concerning the 10th Special Session of the Governing Council.