Some 30-40 environment ministers from around the world are gathered at the UNEP headquarters, Nairobi, for a week-long Governing Council meeting to address major and emerging environmental policy issues. Delivering his policy statement today at the opening of this 20th session, UNEP’s Executive Director Klaus Toepfer said he visualises a UNEP that would have a strong environmental assessment, monitoring and early warning capacity. “It is a vision of UNEP fully capable of raising consciousness and awareness and educating about actions that negatively affect the environment and a UNEP that makes the link between the scientific knowledge and mobilisation of action among new and broader constituencies,” he said. He presented a proposed biennial budget of US $119.4 million for approval saying that this sum was the minimum financial level that would enable UNEP to regain the effectiveness, critical mass and operating capital essential to execute its work.
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