Side Event: Mapping Capacity and Knowledge Gaps to Accelerate the Implementation of Global Environmental Commitments

On Saturday, September 21, the Northeastern School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs and the Global Environmental Governance (GEG) Team hosted an official off-site side event at the Action Days at the Summit of the Future in New York City. Co-led with Present and Future Institute and held at the Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the UN, the event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss barriers to implementing global environmental commitments and opportunities for actions and partnerships within the multilateral environmental system.

Professor Maria Ivanova moderated the event, and His Excellency Ambassador Ernest Rwamucyo of Rwanda opened the discussion with inspiring remarks on collaboration and small state leadership. Invited speakers included included Jean-Paul Adam, Director of Policy, Monitoring and Advocacy at the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa; Karmjit Sangha, co-founder of Present and Future Institute; Clare Everett, Senior Global Policy Manager – Climate at CDP; and Alphonce Munyao Muia, Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP, Africa Regional Focal Point.

Their insights and experiences opened up the floor for an impassioned conversation with questions and comments from attendees on the role of stakeholders in environmental multilateralism and how to move forward in implementing the Pact for the Future as well as actions to be taken on the road to Busan – in preparation for the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for the Global Plastics Treaty. The dialogue held a strong focus on Africa and small-state leadership in the multilateral environmental process, and reaffirmed how interdisciplinary solutions are essential to addressing international environmental problems.