MARCH 2, 2022 - NAIROBI – A resolution on animal welfare was adopted at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), it has secured backing from a majority of Member States.

The Animal Welfare – Environment – Sustainable Development Nexus resolution proposed focused on how to deliver the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) whilst simultaneously addressing animal welfare and its relationship with humans and the ecosystem.

FOUR PAWS, the global animal welfare organization, who had observer status at the high-level assembly session in Kenya, said that this was a “historic and watershed moment for the animal welfare movement, which was decades in the making.”

BACKGROUND

Full text for the resolution: Animal Welfare – Environment – Sustainable Development Nexus

The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) brings together representatives of the 193 Member States of the UN, businesses, civil society, and other stakeholders to agree on policies to address the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

The resumed Fifth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) took place online and in Nairobi between 28th February and 2nd March 2022.

Observer status granted FOUR PAWS access to the working documents of the UN Environment Assembly first-hand and at the same time as the Committee of the Permanent Representatives while having the ability to submit to written contributions to these key papers.

Finally, it also allowed FOUR PAWS to make oral statements during the discussions, circulate written statements to Governments through the UNEP Secretariat, and participate in the Plenary, the Committee of the Whole and the Ministerial Consultations discussions.