Environment ministers discuss global environment policy
Bern, 01.02.2006 - The Global Ministerial Environment Forum will be opened in Dubai on 7 February by Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger, and it will run until 9 February. The main concern of Switzerland is to strengthen the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) as the central pillar of the global environmental regime. In addition, there will be discussions concerning the implementation of the international chemical strategy and the topic of energy and climate. The International Conference on Chemicals Management will take place from 4 to 6 February, just before the forum. At today’s session, the Federal Council decided on the Swiss delegation's mandates for the two environmental conferences.
At the Global Ministerial Environment Forum, due to be held from 7 to 9 February, Switzerland will fight for further strengthening of the global environment regime. Sustainable development can only be achieved if environmental and developmental concerns are mutually complementary. For this reason the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) should be put in charge of adopting a list of the most important global environmental goals and criteria and indicators for their implementation. These goals would increase the visibility and focussing of global environmental processes and would offer guidance for the contribution of environmental policy to achieving the goal of sustainable development. UNEP should also take on an active role in the implementation of the international chemical strategy, which should be decided just before the Global Ministerial Environment Forum. Switzerland also calls for reinforcement of international environmental governance. Finally, in the area of energy and climate, Switzerland will support the promotion of a sustainable energy supply, to reduce the use of fossil fuels. The forum will be opened on 7 February by Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger.
The Global Ministerial Environment Forum is organised annually by UNEP. It is the most important forum of environment ministers to discuss topics that have to be dealt with, and to reach decisions that show the way for general international environment policy.
Commitment to global chemical strategy
The International Conference on Chemicals Management will take place in Dubai from 4 to 6 February 2006, before the Global Ministerial Environment Forum. Switzerland will support a global chemical strategy. This should make it possible to have an extensive, coherent, effective and efficient international chemical regime to deal safely with chemicals. This should also contribute to reducing competitive distortions and simplifying international trade through harmonization. Synergies in existing processes and between institutions should also be promoted.
Address for enquiries
André Simonazzi, DETEC press spokesperson, tel. +41 31 322 55 41
Media office, Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), tel. +41 31 322 90 00
Publisher
Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications
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