Policy | Pro Environment
ProVeg at the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.1)
Image source : Unsplash / The Climate Reality Project
Having gained accreditation to the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in 2020, ProVeg took part in the first part of the 5th UNEA session in February this year. The Assembly sets priorities for global environmental policies and develops recommendations for international environmental law. It is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment and usually meets every two years in Nairobi, Kenya.
Jointly-signed letter to UNEP on promoting plant-rich diets for the health of the people and the planet
In 2020, ProVeg International, as part of a coalition of 30 civil society organisations committed to ensuring sustainable, equitable food systems, has sent a jointly-signed letter to the United Nations Environment Programme, expressing support for the programme’s work and to the wish to develop a shared agenda.
How ProVeg strengthens its political outreach
Split into two parts due to the current COVID-19 crisis, UNEA-5.1 took place online this year and focused largely on administrative and budgetary issues, with the more substantive agenda items up for discussion at UNEA-5.2 in February 2022, when in-person meetings can hopefully resume.
ProVeg was invited to share its expertise on the plant-based sector during the Third Global Session of the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum, which preceded the start of UNEA-5.1. Shirley Lu, Managing Director of ProVeg International for Asia, spoke about the disproportionate impact of animal agriculture on the environmental crisis while highlighting the multiple benefits of plant-based and plant-rich diets.
“While it is encouraging to see plant-rich diets being increasingly recognized as essential to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 12 (which aims to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns), as well as other SDGs, we must accelerate the shift, and push for concrete implementation by governments, from subsidies to catering. We look forward to collaborating with the UN Environment Programme at the Food System Summit later this year and again at the final session of UNEA in 2022 in order to mainstream climate-friendly and healthy diets.”
International Policy and Public Affairs Specialist at ProVeg International
While this is a great opportunity for ProVeg to contribute to the global conversation around food and the environment, we are looking forward to 2022. An in-person event will allow us to have greater impactful and more effective political outreach.
ProVeg accredited to the UN Environment Assembly
In February 2020. ProVeg has gained accreditation at the UN Environment Assembly, which takes place every two years.
Read the Joint Global Statement from Major Groups and other Stakeholder for Consideration by the United Nations Environment Assembly at its Fifth Session here.
