PH Participates in Working Group Towards Environment Global Pact

Chargé d’Affaires, a.i, Francis Maynard S. Maleon delivers the Philippine statement at the Second Open-Ended Working Group Towards a Global Pact for Environment. (Nairobi PE photo)

NAIROBI 29 March 2019 – The Philippines joined 300 participants, including delegates, representatives of international organizations and civil society were invited to engage in a results-oriented discussion that is expected to lead to recommendations to the United Nations General Assembly on options to respond to possible gaps in international environmental law and environment-related instruments

A Philippine delegation participated in the Second Substantive Session Open-Ended Working Group Towards a Global Pact for Environment (2nd OEWG GPE) held at the UN Environment Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya on 18-20 March 2019.

The 2nd OEWG GPE takes place immediately after the Fourth Session of the UN Environment Assembly amid the rising concern about the state of the global environment as demonstrated by the sixth UN Global Environmental Outlook report.

In its statement delivered by Philippine Embassy in Nairobi Charge d’Affaires, a.i. Francis Maynard S. Maleon, the Philippines stated there is a common set of principles underlying specific multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), found in the Rio Declaration and MEA preambles. 

A common concern raised by several countries was that existing agreements should not be renegotiated or undermined, and instead, efforts should be made for technology transfer, education and training.

The third and final session of the OEWG GPE pursuant to General Assembly resolution 72/277 is expected to take place in May 2019 in Nairobi.

The outcome aims to capture and collate the international community’s current ambition to renovate the international environmental law system and environment-related instruments. END

(From left) Department of Foreign Affairs’ United Nations and International Organizations Acting Director Joyleen E. Santos, Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Atty. Amiel Ian A. Valdez, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i, Francis Maynard S. Maleon, and Deputy Permanent Representative Maria Rosanna O. Josue at the Second Open-Ended Working Group Towards a Global Pact for Environment. (Nairobi PE photo)