The Governing Council,
Recalling its decision 25/4 of 20 February 2009, on international environmental governance, in
which it established a consultative group of ministers or high-level representatives that in accordance
with its mandate presented a set of options for improving international environmental governance1 to
the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum at its eleventh special session, with a
view to providing inputs to the General Assembly,
Recalling also its decision SS.XI/1 of 26 February 2010, on international environmental
governance, in which it further decided to establish a regionally representative, consultative group of
ministers or high-level representatives (the consultative group), which was requested to consider the
broader reform of the international environmental governance system, building on the set of options
but remaining open to new ideas,
Expressing thanks to the Governments of Kenya and Finland for hosting the meetings of the
consultative group in Nairobi and Espoo, respectively, and gratitude to the Minister of Environment of
Finland and the Minister of Environment and Mineral Resources of Kenya for co-chairing the
consultative group and appreciation to the Executive Director for serving as adviser to the group,
Noting that inputs to the consultative group were made by civil society groups through the
secretariat and by the United Nations system through the Environment Management Group and
through the participation of designated representatives of relevant United Nations agencies at meetings
of the consultative group,
Having considered that strengthening the global authoritative voice, in addition to other
voices, for the environment is a key outcome of the international environmental governance reform
process, providing credible, coherent and effective leadership for environmental sustainability under
the overall framework of sustainable development,
Stressing the importance of securing political momentum for and efficient follow-up to the
international environmental governance process,
1. Welcomes the results of the consultative group as contained in the outcome document
of the consultative group’s meetings, known as the “Nairobi-Helsinki Outcome”;2
2. Takes note of the report of the Executive Director on the implementation of
incremental changes identified in the set of options3 and requests the Executive Director, in
consultation with the Committee of Permanent Representatives, to submit a draft decision for
consideration by the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum at its twelfth special
session on those incremental improvements requiring a Governing Council decision as indicated in
that report;
3. Invites the President of the Governing Council to transmit the Nairobi-Helsinki
Outcome to the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development at its second session and to the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session;
4. Invites the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development, in its consideration of the institutional framework for sustainable development, to
consider the options for broader institutional reform identified in the Nairobi-Helsinki Outcome as a
contribution to strengthening the institutional framework for sustainable development by improving
international environmental governance;
5. Also invites the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development at its second session to initiate a full analysis of the financial, structural and
legal implications and comparative advantages of the options identified in the Nairobi-Helsinki
Outcome, using the expertise of relevant United Nations system entities, including the United Nations
Environment Programme and relevant stakeholders and major groups eligible to participate in the
Preparatory Committee;
6. Requests the Executive Director, in cooperation with other interested United Nations
entities and with extrabudgetary resources, to organize informal meetings in New York for
governmental representatives on the Nairobi-Helsinki Outcome in the context of discussions on the
institutional framework for sustainable development;
7. Also requests the Executive Director to provide a report on progress in the
implementation of the present decision to the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment
Forum at its twelfth special session, in 2012;
8. Decides to assess the progress achieved on international environmental governance at
the twelfth special session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum, in 2012.
7th meeting
24 February 2011