Special session — 40º anniversary of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean

Date: 27-28 January, 2022.
Venue: Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belén, San José, Costa Rica.

Overview

The Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean will mark its 40th anniversary with a special session in Costa Rica on January 27 and 28, 2022. The meeting will strengthen regional cooperation in the face of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

The special session, hosted in an hybrid format —virtually and in person— will be a space to discuss the future and the role of this regional political space, in the context of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), which acts as the Forum’s Secretariat from its Regional Office in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Forum of Ministers of the Environment is currently promoting solutions to important regional challenges: the progressive closure of dumpsites, the finance mechanisms for climate action and forests protection, the advancement of circularity, air-quality monitoring, among others.

The forthcoming session will address ways to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the context of post-COVID-19 economic and social recovery and will discuss how to strengthen partnerships and financing of environmental action.

“The Forum of Ministers has contributed to close the gap between regional and global environmental agendas. It has been key in elevating the voice of Latin American and Caribbean nations in global platforms and in translating scientific progress into concrete policies that have strengthened the environmental governance in the last 40 years,” said Jacqueline Álvarez, UNEP Regional Director in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean is the oldest and most relevant cooperation body for environmental authorities in the region. Its first meeting took place in Mexico City in 1982 and since 1985 it has held biennial meetings, each chaired by a country from the region. The Government of Costa Rica holds the current presidency of the body.

The special session will also provide the opportunity to review regional perspectives to contribute to the resumed session of the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2), which will take place from February 28 to March 2, 2022 in Nairobi, Kenya.

To join the meeting, please register here.

For details on the meetings and to coordinate the participation of your country, please contact the Forum Secretariat at unep-rolac-forumofministers@un.org.

Agenda

  1. Opening of the meeting
  2. Organization of works.
    1. Adoption of the rules of procedure.
    2. Approval of the program and calendar of sessions of the Meeting.
  3. High-Level Dialogue 1: Celebrating the LAC Forum on its 40th Anniversary: reflecting on the past and looking forward to achieving the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs and addressing the environmental and social crises.
  4. High-Level Dialogue 2: Challenges and Opportunities for the Implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) including synergies of MEAs Resource Mobilization, Partnerships and other Means.
  5. Preparations for the Second Session of the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly UNEA-5.2 and UNEP@50
  6. High-Level Dialogue 3: Enhancing the impact of the LAC Forum in implementing the Environmental Agenda in the Region.
    1. Roundtable 1: Accelerating Action.
    2. Roundtable 2: Strengthening Partnerships.
    3. Roundtable 3: Bolstering Finance.
  7. Reading by the President of the Summary Statement on the Special Session of the Forum by the President of the XXIII Meeting of the Forum of Ministers of Environment.
  8. Ceremonial closure of the Special Session of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean.

To review the schedule and the detailed agenda, click here: [english] [español]

Logistics

Work Documents

  • Agenda. [Español] [English]
  • Agenda with calendar of sessions. [Español] [English]
  • Annotated Agenda. [Español] [English]
  • Concept Note for High-Level Dialogue 1: Celebrating the LAC Forum on its 40th Anniversary: reflecting on the past and looking forward in achieving the implementation of the environmental dimension of 2030 Agenda and its SDGs.  [Español] [English]
  • Concept Note for High-Level Dialogue 2: Challenges and Opportunities for the Implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) including synergies of MEAs Resource Mobilization, Partnerships and other Modalities. [Español] [English]
  • Concept Note for High-Level Dialogue 3: Enhancing the impact of the LAC Forum in implementing the Environmental Agenda in the Region. [Español] [English]

Information Documents

 Reference Documents

  • Monitoring matrix to follow up the Decisions of the XXII Meeting of the Forum. [Español] [English]

Media

Media advisory: Environment Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean to gather in Costa Rica and strengthen cooperation.

For details on media coverage and interviews, please contact:

Elisa Vásquez, UNEP Communications Focal Point in Latin America and the Caribbean: elisa.vasquez@un.org

Karla Alfaro, Director of the Department of Institutional Communication, Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica: kalfaro@minae.go.cr