North American Civil Society Statement to the Ninth Special Session of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum

This statement has been prepared by North American civil society organizations for the Ninth Special Session of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF) to be held in February 2006 in Dubai. The statement is the product of discussions that took place at the North American Regional Civil Society Consultation convened by UNEP on October 28, 2005 in Washington, D.C. The members of North American civil society organizations that took part in the Consultation are listed at the end of this statement.1 This statement should be considered on its own and in support of the Global Civil Society Statement that will be distributed at the GC/GMEF. This statement begins by offering observations and recommendations of overarching applicability, and then turns to the three main issue areas on the agenda of the GC/GMEF: chemicals management, energy and the environment, and tourism and the environment.