UN Conferences on the Environment
The year 2022 will mark the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in June 1972, otherwise known as the "Stockholm Conference." Following this first conference in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was established with the aim to meet the “urgent need for a permanent institutional arrangement within the UN System for the protection and improvement of the environment.” Since that historic event, a number of other significant UN conferences on the environment and sustainable development have taken place, as outlined here. In February 2021, an announcement was made with the first stage of planning for UNEP at 50 (referred to by some as Stockholm+50); read the speech of Inger Andersen (UNEP Exectutive Director) here and discover a new book about UNEP's story here. You can also join the online conversation using the hashtag #UNEP50!
At the end of 2021, it was announced that the United Nations General Assembly had agreed on the way forward to the international meeting "Stockholm+50" in June 2022. View the press release here.
UNEP was created to coordinate environmental programs within the United Nations system; to advise UN intergovernmental bodies on the formulation and implementation of environmental programs; to secure the effective co-operation of, and contribution from, the scientific and other professional communities; and to provide advisory services for the promotion of international co-operation in the field of the environment. Conferences/events leading up to or contributing towards the 2022 commemorations and progress towards achieving the sustainability goals will be added here.
Upcoming events:
Past events (listed here to keep track of the progress of the journey to Stockholm 2022):
- EPL webinar: The Human Right to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment (Sep 20, 2022) / Watch the recording here
- Stockholm+50: International Environmental Law in Perspective, Stockholm Environmental Law and Policy Centre, Sweden (Sep 15–17, 2022) / EPL was a media partner
- Stockholm+50, Stockholm, Sweden (Jun 2–3, 2022) – keep updated at @StockholmPlus50 & on the UN site
- Sustainable Planet, Sustainable Health, Stockholm, Sweden (Jun 1, 2022) – event at the SEI
- UNEP@50: Special Session of the UN Environment Assembly, Nairobi, Kenya (Mar 3–4, 2022)
- UNEA-5 Fifth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, Nairobi, Kenya (Feb 22–23, 2021)
- Leaders' Climate Summit on Earth Day (Apr 22, 2021)
- COP15, Kunming, China (Q2, 2021)
- World Environment Day, Global (Jun 5, 2021) – EPL's Our Earth Matters webinar on Jun 5 (see here) & IUCN-WCEL events starting May 31 (see here)
- World Economic Forum Special Annual Meeting, Singapore (Aug 17–20, 2021)
- Food Systems Summit, New York, USA (Sep 2021)
- COP26 UN Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, UK (Oct 31–Nov 12, 2021).
