The United Nations Environment Assembly,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII) of 15 December 1972,

Recalling also the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, entitled “The future we want”, endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 66/288 of 27 July 2012, in particular its paragraph 88,

Recalling further General Assembly resolutions 67/213 of 21 December 2012, 67/251 of 13 March 2013 and 68/215 of 20 December 2013,

Recalling Governing Council decisions 26/11 of 24 February 2011, SS.XII/2 of 22 February 2012 and 27/2 and 27/5 of 22 February 2013,

Determined to strengthen its functions to provide general policy guidance for the direction and coordination of environmental programmes within the United Nations system in accordance with General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII),

Expressing appreciation for the progress report prepared under the senior officials of the Environment Management Group at their nineteenth meeting and presented by the Executive Director,

Recalling the objectives of the Environment Management Group to assist the United Nations Environment Programme in carrying out its functions related to the promotion of coordinated approaches to environmental issues in the United Nations system and to enhance environmental perspectives, in particular analytical aspects in the work of other United Nations system organizations,

Recalling also Governing Council decision 24/1, recognizing the Environment Management Group as an instrument at the interagency level that assists the United Nations Environment Assembly in enhancing policy coordination across the environmental activities of the United Nations system,

I

Process to prepare a proposal for a United Nations system-wide strategy on the environment

1. Reiterates paragraph 3 of Governing Council decision 27/5, and requests the Executive Director, mainly through the Environment Management Group and in line with paragraph 88 of the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, entitled “The future we want”, to develop system-wide strategies on the environment and to invite the engagement of the Secretary-General and the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination to facilitate broad ownership in the United Nations at all levels;

2. Requests the Executive Director to prepare, in consultation with regions, as appropriate, and to submit to the United Nations Environment Assembly at its second session, a report which includes proposals developed in conjunction with the Environment Management Group describing the integration of the outcome of the post-2015 development agenda into the environmental work of the United Nations;

II

Environment Management Group

3. Notes with appreciation the continued efforts of the Environment Management Group to enhance interagency cooperation in mainstreaming environmental considerations into activities of the United Nations system at the policy, programme and management levels, in close cooperation with the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination and its subsidiary bodies;

4. Requests the Executive Director as Chair of the Environment Management Group, in consultation with the Secretary-General and the Chief Executives Board, to identify possible measures to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the Group and to submit a report with recommendations to the United Nations Environment Assembly for consideration at its second session;

5. Welcomes the online mapping knowledge-management tool on biodiversity prepared by the Environment Management Group in support of the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020, as well as Group’s approach to contributing to the midterm review process of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and considering ways to integrate the Aichi Biodiversity Targets into country-level planning tools, such as the United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks;

6. Notes the contribution of the Environment Management Group to the eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, by providing a United Nations Action Plan (2012–2018) for Coordinated Action in the Drylands;

7. Welcomes the establishment of the Environment Management Group Issue Management Group on Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste;

8. Encourages the Environment Management Group to continue to support efforts to promote sustainability in the work of the United Nations system, including in the areas of environmental sustainability management and environmental peer reviews;

9. Requests the Executive Director, in his capacity as Chair of the Environment Management Group, to provide a summary report at the second session of the United Nations Environment Assembly on the Group’s work, highlighting issues that may require the particular attention of the Assembly;

10. Also requests the Executive Director, in his capacity as Chair of the Environment Management Group, to transmit the summary report to the governing bodies of the members of the Group.