UNEA/UNEP Training Day 2 Homework – September 2020

Examples of PP (preambular paragraph) and OP (operative paragraph)

PP3. Reaffirming its resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, in which it adopted a comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centered set of universal and transformative Sustainable Development Goals and targets, its commitment to working tirelessly for the full implementation of the Agenda by 2030, its recognition that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, its commitment to achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions —economic, social and environmental — in a balanced and integrated manner, and to building upon the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals and seeking to address their unfinished business.

OP1. Takes note of the report of the United Nations Secretary-General on the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. 

Homework – do review resolution and to….
…take the following text and put into order as PP (preambular paragraph) and OP (operative paragraph)

Recalling also that sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases include forests, oceans, wetlands and soil, and recalling further their essential role in the adaptation to and mitigation of climate change and in enhancing the resilience of ecosystems and societies to its impacts
Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its eighty-first session on the status of the implementation of the present resolution, including its contribution to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Acknowledging the additional contribution and importance of carbon sequestration resulting from the restoration of ecosystems to the achievement of the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement
Welcoming the efforts under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, to support the development of viable large scale private projects on land rehabilitation and sustainable land management worldwide through the launch of the Land Degradation Neutrality Fund
Decides to proclaim 2021–2030 the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, within existing structures and available resources, with the aim of supporting and scaling up efforts to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide and raise awareness of the importance of successful ecosystem restoration 
Stresses that ecosystem restoration and conservation contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as other related United Nations major outcome documents and multilateral environmental agreements, including the Paris Agreement adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,13 and the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets10 and the post 2020 global biodiversity framework

Activity
Invites the United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to lead the implementation of the Decade, in collaboration with the secretariats of the Rio conventions, other relevant multilateral environmental agreements and entities of the United Nations system, including by identifying and developing possible activities and programmes, within their mandates and existing resources, and through voluntary contributions, as appropriate;
Recognizing the importance of the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, to be held in China in 2020, in formulating a post 2020 global biodiversity framework that will contribute to the conservation of biodiversity on the planet and thus facilitate and reduce the need for ecosystem restoration,
Noting that the world’s forest area decreased from 31.6 per cent to 30.6 per cent of global land area between 1990 and 2015, but that the pace of loss has slowed in recent years,
Taking note of the Ramsar Strategic Plan 2016–2024, adopted at the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, which includes targets for the restoration of wetlands, including in connection with biodiversity and climate change mitigation and adaptation,
Concerned about the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services worth more than 10 per cent of annual global gross domestic product, due to land degradation,
Activity
Encourages Member States: 
To foster political will, the mobilization of resources, capacity-building, scientific research and cooperation and momentum for ecosystem restoration at the global, regional, national and local levels, as appropriate;
To mainstream ecosystem restoration into policies and plans to address current national development priorities and challenges due to the degradation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, biodiversity loss and climate change vulnerability, thereby creating opportunities for ecosystems to increase their adaptive capacity and opportunities to maintain and improve livelihoods for all; 
To develop and implement policies and plans to prevent ecosystem degradation, in line with national laws and priorities, as appropriate; 
To build on and reinforce existing restoration initiatives in order to scale up good practices; 
To facilitate synergies and a holistic view of how to achieve international commitments and national priorities through the restoration of ecosystems; 
To promote the sharing of experiences and good practices in ecosystem conservation and restoration;
Return to Felix Dodds at felix@felixdodds.net