2009-02 UNEP High-level Conference Nairobi Report

‘KARIBU’ – WELCOME
The Tenth session of the Global Civil Society Forum (GSCF)
was held at the United Nations Office in Nairobi Kenya from
14-15 February 2009. The Forum took place immediately prior
to the 25th
session of UNEP’s Governing Council and the Global
Ministerial Environment Forum (GC-25/GMEF) from 16-20 Fe-
buary 2009. The Global Civil Society Forum’s main aims were
to prepare for GC-25/GMEF and to refine the key statements of
civil society at these events while the GC-25/GMEF provided
the platform for governments to discuss and review important
and emerging environmental issues and to set policy guidance
and appropriate recommendations.
The cold air that greeted me on arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport to attend and represent IAAS at this pres-
tigious event was very welcoming. The telephone conversation
I had with the VP Partnership, Stephanie coupled with the con-
fidence she reposed on me were tablets that I would have a
successful participation. “‘Karibu’ meaning ‘welcome’ in Swa-
hili”, the Airport attendant said to me after flipping through my
passport then handing it back to me for passage into the city.
IAAS PROMOTIONAL LEAFLETS ON DISPLAY
It didn’t take me long to get to the UN Office where I was ush-
ered through registration procedures and given a badge for
participation. I quickly made available many copies of the IAAS
Promotional / WOCO 2009 advertisement leaflets, displayed on
the receptionist desk for distribution to participants at the
GCSF/GMEF event.
Phone: +32 (0) 16 32 17 36
Fax: +32 (0) 16 32 19 58
@: partnershipboard@iaasworld.org
IAAS Headquarters
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Kasteelpark Arenberg 20
B-3001 Heverlee, Leuven
Belgium
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
A S S O C I A T I O N O F
S T U D E N T S I N
A G R I C U L T U R A L A N D
R E L A T E D S C I E N C E S
I A A S A T T H E U N E P
H E A D Q U A T E R S A T T H E H I G H
L E V E L C O N F E R E N C E
I N T E R N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O NI N T E R N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O NI N T E R N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O NI N T E R N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O FO FO FO F S T U D E N T SS T U D E N T SS T U D E N T SS T U D E N T S
I NI NI NI N A G R I C U L T U R A LA G R I C U L T U R A LA G R I C U L T U R A LA G R I C U L T U R A L A N DA N DA N DA N D R E L A T E D S C I E N C E SR E L A T E D S C I E N C E SR E L A T E D S C I E N C E SR E L A T E D S C I E N C E S
R E P O R T F R O M I A A S H Q —
P A R T N E R S H I P B O A R D
1 4 t h
—2 0 t h
of
F eb ru a ry 2 0 0 9
UNEP 10th
GCSF and GC-
25/GMEF, held at the
UNEP HQ in Nairobi
The views expressed in this
report are not necessarily
endorsed by the partners or
sponsors of IAAS International.
Dixon Olaleye at the UNEP office in Nairobi

2
OPENING SESSION AND ENGAGEMENT
(GCSF)
The opening session saw the Chair; the Major
Group Facilitating committee welcomed par-
ticipants and explained that the meeting
would focus on creating avenues for organi-
zations to become more involved in the im-
plementation of United Nations Environment
Programme of work. UNEP Deputy Executive
Director Angela Cropper stressed UNEP’s obli-
gations on partnership and intension to
strengthen the scope and number of partner-
ship for implementation of its programme of
work.
Progress on election of officers, adoption of
the agenda and engagement at the forum. I
had to carefully watch and observe proceed-
ings, read through the provisional agenda
and familiarize with the nine major groups
identified in the process: farmers, women,
the scientific and technological community,
children and youth, indigenous peoples and
their communities, workers and trade unions,
business and industry, non-governmental or-
ganizations (NGOs) and local authorities.
Definitely, I pitched my camp with the NGOs,
farmers and the children/Youth throughout
the forum to have a stronger and united voice
at the forum.
The Forum took up several issues, including
partnership for implementation of the 2010-
2011 programme of work, and the themes of
GC-25/GMEF, which are “Globalization and
the environment: global crises: national
chaos?” and “International environmental
governance: help or hindrance?” Participants
at the forum also considered the chemicals
agenda and the civil society statements to
GC-25/GMEF, and held an interactive discus-
sions with UNEP’S Executive Director Achim
Steiner.
STATEMENT SUMMARY FROM GCSF TO
25TH
UNEP GOVERNING COUNCIL
These represent the seven cross-cutting the-
matic priorities of the UNEP.
A. CLIMATE CHANGE
1. Agreement on the post 2012 climate
change policy instrument that shall be effec-
tive and equitable in reducing GHG emissions,
supporting adaptations, and delivering finan-
cial support and promoting technology trans-
fer and ensure its timely adoption at the
UNFCCC/COP15 in Copenhagen in December
2009.
2. Devise programmes for promoting co-
benefit approaches to address climate chal-
lenges together with poverty reduction, air
pollution control, land degradation and deser-
tification forestry and water management.
3. Transform CDM operations in a way that
will help operationalizing sustainable develop-
ment through increasing small scale and pro-
grammatic projects and that will contribute to
stakeholder empowerment and community
development.
4. Reinforce lifecycle assessment and the in-
ternalization of waste management related to
nuclear power generation.
B. HARMFUL SUBSTANCES AND HAZARD-
OUS WAST
5. Urgently adopt a self-standing international
legally binding instrument for regulating mer-
cury and expedite its implementation.
C. ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT
6. Double the efforts to arrest biodiversity
loss and rehabilitate ecosystem in the context
of the 2010 Biodiversity Target.
7. Increase support to conventional and inno-
vative schemes for biodiversity conservation
and ecosystem management such as payment
for ecosystem services.
D. RESOURCE EFFICIENCY
8. Intensify efforts to implement 3R policies
_______________________________________________________________________
IAAS HQ—Partnership Board; partnershipboard@iaasworld.org; www.iaasworld.org
IAAS promo-
tional leaflets
on display at
the UNEP
reception
desk
UNEP High-level Conference in Nairobi
______________________________ Official Report _________________________________

3
to reduce, reuse and recycle materials and
resources in the context of facilitating sus-
tainable production and consumption.
9. Support the involvement of civil society
stakeholders more proactively in the work of
the UNEP Resource Panel.
E. DISASTER AND CONFLICT
10. Cease conflicts that cause impacts detri-
mental to the environment and humanity and
support actions to increase preparedness to
disaster through integrated ecosystem man-
agement.
F. ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE
11.Undertake concrete measures to involve
civil society stakeholders more proactively in
environmental decisions making and policy
processes and report on good practices to be
shared at the GCSF and GC.
12. Adopt and implement measures to pro-
mote the public access to environmental in-
formation in order for civil society stake-
holders to make better informed decision-
making on the environment.
G. New Deal for Green Economy
14. Must take measures to capitalize upon
the potential of “New Deal for Green Econ-
omy” with consideration to provide benefits
particularly to regions, countries communi-
ties and stakeholder groups that struggle
with entrenched poverty and are vulnerable
to environmental challenges.
MEETING UNEPS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
After the interactive discussions I took the
chance to informally meet with the UNEP’S
Executive Director Achim Steiner, in which I
was able to introduce IAAS to him and gave
an insight into our organizations activities,
structure and aims/objectives and of course
appreciating UNEP for the opportunity for our
participation at the event. He said he looked
forward to IAAS statements on environ-
mental issues as part of the civil society
statements to the GC-25/GMEF.
GLOBALIZATION AND THE ENVIROMENT
On the 15 February, Participants heard three
keynote presentations and discussed the ma-
jor themes of GC-25/GMEF, namely
‘Globalization and the environment: global
crisis: national chaos?” and “International
environmental governance: help or hin-
drance?” A brief overview of the themes of
the GC-25/GMEF was given, and the UNEP’s
rationale for selecting them. Highlight on the
need for environment ministers to discuss
the multiple Global crises and emphasis on
the UNEP’s Green Economy agenda, stating
that in the long term this would be a solution
to the global crisis.
An NGO perspective on globalization and the
environment, pointing out that financing is
contingent on the necessary political will,
stressing that the climate crises leaves no
room for a business-as-usual scenario. Thus,
the need for a multi stakeholder platform to
address action that would move the climate
agenda forward at the national and global
levels, noting that strategic interventions and
investments would help rebuild the environ-
ment.
LOBBYING FOR PARTNERSHIP
The familiarization of the previous day aided
me greatly as I earnestly began to lobby for
partnership with other organizations through
their representatives. I built rapport with
those I felt were much related to IAAS. Some
participants heard the name IAAS for the
first time while others read through the pro-
motional leaflets distributed and have pe-
rused through our website in the process but
in general they expressed delight in partici-
pation of youth in international decision mak-
ing.
I had met with the Policy Officer of The In-
ternational Federation of Agricultural Pro-
ducer, Danielle DE MAN. She is motivated to
get IFAD partner with IAAS and get IFAD
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Dixon with UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner

4
members in Mexico attend our world con-
gress. She would contact Stephanie on this
soon.
Dr. Sayed K. Khattari, (Professor) Faculty of
Agriculture/Department of Land and Environ-
ment, University of Jordan promised to assist
IAAS to be established in Jordan. He was fa-
therly/friendly as he sat close to me.
Alima Abdul Kadir Issufo, Forest Engineer
from Mozambique gave me contacts at uni-
versities in Mozambique for IAAS to contact.
The minister of Environment, Central Africa
out of curiosity, exchange pleasantries with
me and I used the opportunity talk him into
IAAS coming to Central Africa soonest and
hoped he would assist which he promised he
would provide us any assistance we might
need.
In the ensuing discussion, participants
sought answers on: the relationship between
international environmental governance and
environmental democracy; the creation of
environmental justice unit; tax incentives to
support a green economy; a special adapta-
tion fund for Africa countries; access to the
clean development mechanism (CDM); and
the distinction between large and small clean
energy projects.
THE CHEMICAL AGENDA
UNEP Chemicals representative gave a brief
overview of the chemical agenda, chemical
management on a global scale and expecta-
tions for GC-25/GMEF. A highlight on how
UNEP has been running a programme aimed
at ascertaining the trans-boundary move-
ments of products containing heavy metals
like lead, cadmium and mercury. Other is-
sues related to mercury include negotiation
of a free-standing legally binding instrument
on mercury, awareness-raising, technical and
legal support activities necessary toward
mercury-free alternative products and ulti-
mately reducing global emission from burn-
ing mercury added-products.
GCSF CLOSING SESSION
In closing, a number of major groups made
statements. I delivered and elaborated the
IAAS statements on environmental issues to
the assembly at open call for NGOs to final-
ize their messages to the GC-25/GMEF.
Farmers requested to be included in all mul-
tilateral meetings, and small island develop-
ing states sought to integrate their concerns
into UNEP’s programme of work. Youth re-
quested inclusion in nation country delega-
tions to international meetings trade unions
expressed support for UNEP’s green economy
agenda and the science and technology com-
munity asked to give a higher priority to sci-
entific data in its decision-making processes
other statement focused on the strengthen-
ing of an experience and information sharing
culture at the national and global levels and
the consolidation of the outcomes of GSF
meetings into comprehensive documents.
Olivier Deleuze, Chief, Major Groups and
Stakeholders Branch encouraged participants
to view the global crises as opportunities for
change towards greener economies. Urging
participants to work together, and lobby min-
isters to take into consideration the issues
discussed at GCSF-10. I was able to briefly
have chat with him in the course of the
event. He posed in a photograph with me.
GMEF HIGHLIGHTS
The commencement of the 25th
session of
the GC-25/GMEF on the 16th
increased the
beehive of activities at the UN event as min-
isterial delegates from around the world flew
in. Basically, attention was now shifted from
the Civil Societies to countries ministers and
their delegates’. Well, the civil societies or-
ganized side events concurrently. I attended
those relevant to IAAS and made my contri-
butions at various stages. I also attended
cocktails by invitation in the late evening.
_______________________________________________________________________
______________________________ Official Report _________________________________
Dixon with Olivier Deleuxe, Chief, Major Groups and
Stakeholders Branch

5
The delegates convened for the opening
ceremony, followed by consideration of or-
ganizational matters and a policy statement
by UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
Ministerial consultations and Committee of
the Whole (COW) on the nature and scale of
current environment and development chal-
lenges followed afterwards.
On the 21st February, we were taken on ex-
cursion to the Rift Valley and KenGen, Kenya
Geothermal plant.
SEARHING FOR FUNDING
The search for funding was a major task at
the back of mind from the beginning and
knowing I had few days more, I began a
thorough search from the 17th
February for
funds/grants applicable to IAAS by moving to
different UN/Affiliated offices asking ques-
tions from a bit of experience at my disposal.
This finally paid off on the 19th February by
the disclosure of a friend I had earlier culti-
vated who saw my eagerness and despera-
tion.
Quickly, I boldly went straight to the official
in charge and requested a meeting which
two interviews were successfully scheduled
for the next two days. Convincing him and
other members of his section was quite diffi-
cult though I had armed myself with all I
knew about IAAS. Finally, IAAS was listed for
the fund to pursue application and grant pro-
cedures.
SUGGESTED ACTION
IAAS may wish to see to her accreditation
with UNEP apart from the framework already
existing with the UN. This would give us a
major standing as an organization involved
with environmental issues. We can also ex-
plore the opportunities of collaborating with
other environmentally focused organizations
to increase our participation and solidarity on
sustainable environment programme. Our
strength in numbers, cutting across over 45
Local committees and boasting of about
160,000 students portends a major call for
action-support to consolidate the network of
over 300,000 young people’s organization
that can reach out to millions of young peo-
ple and students worldwide. The IAAS web-
site can be used to provide Environmental
information, ideas and inspiration to tackle
environmental problems and to promote en-
vironmental practices. By organizing semi-
nars and environmental advocacy training on
building sustainable lifestyles among stu-
dents we mitigate and contribute to the cur-
rent global action. To this end, we should
seek the support of the UNEP to give us the
chance to undertake internship programmes
that can give us wider perspectives on envi-
ronmental issues.
_______________________________________________________________________
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6
— POST UNEP ACTIVITIES —
‘SAFARILAND’ - KENYA
An IAAS structure was obviously not in exis-
tence in Kenya. The strategic posture of this
‘safari land’ in Eastern-Africa boasting of a
huge and tourist attraction with the recent
resurgence of youth participation in the
country’s policies thus provided ample
booster for me to explore and introduce IAAS
to universities in Kenya.
JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF
AGRIULTURE AND TEHNOLOGY, JKUT
JKUT was about 60km from Nairobi. I met
Martin, an Agricultural student, through his
friend. He took me to the Associate Dean of
the University. After much dialogue she of-
fered to help to see to the establishment of
IAAS in the JKUT campus and promised advi-
sory assistance at any point in time if re-
quested by the would-be members of IAAS
on the campus.
EGERTON UNIVERSITY
About a group of fifteen students from vari-
ous Faculties awaited my arrival on the news
of a visiting colleague. The journey took me
three hours from Nairobi by road. IAAS
thrilled them; it was like a dream come true.
They narrated their yearning for international
participation and networking with other stu-
dents around the world. After giving them an
orientation on IAAS in an arranged room in
their hostel, they took me to their Dean of
Agriculture whom they had scheduled a
meeting with earlier. In the meeting, he wel-
comed the idea of IAAS on their campus. As
a matter of fact, boasted of their institution
and other partners in Kenya having the
wherewithal to host our General Assembly,
G.A in the nearest future.
_______________________________________________________________________
______________________________ Official Report _________________________________
Dixon with the Dean of Agriculture, Egerton Univer-
sity and his students

7
UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI
The College of Agriculture and Vetenary, Uni-
versity of Nairobi weren’t on session when I
visited. Fortunately, Esther, George and
Sammy- Agricultural/Vetenary students are
there to help out when the school resumes
Esther heard about IAAS some years ago and
glad she could lend her wealth of experience
as a Faculty exchange coordinator to see to
the establishment of IAAS after due consul-
tations with her Faulty Dean as we keep in
touch.
IAAS OFFICE IN KENYA
An IAAS office in Kenya would soon be
opened for operations and internship oppor-
tunities to be advertised soonest. I would be
most glad the VP Exchange follow-up/reply
my correspondence with him requesting to
visit the Exchange place in Meru / Kenya and
more that I was able to get a family and
some locals close to Meru on standby to as-
sist any IAAS exchange student to Kenya,
complementing efforts of the EQB.
SHADOWS OF THE CLOUD- TANZANIA
Shadows formed from the interceptions of
the mountains with the overhead clouds as I
journeyed from Nairobi, Kenya to Tanzania
through the Namanga border. Wild animals,
Zebras, Baboons and Giraffes practically
could be seen crossing the dusty road as it
took us over eight hours to get to Arusha.
Dar es Salaam was another 9 hours journey
from Arusha.
The two days I spent in Tanzania marked the
general entrance of IAAS into this virgin
land. Quite a number of private and public
universities but I was successful with just
two before I left to catch my plane back to
Nigeria.
TUAMAINI UNIVERITY
Zena, a student from Tuamaini University
took up the challenge to propagate IAAS in
Tanzania; she was very motivated to talk to
her friends in Agricultural and Related fields
after my trip from Arusha University.
I targeted Sokoine University to get there in
person through the contact given by Sebas-
tian, IAAS World President but they weren’t
also in session as confirmed by the contact.
APPRECIATION
As I stood on the queue waiting to be
checked out for departure from the Nairobi
city airport and just behind me the Nigerian
High Commission Secretary to Kenya, John
Shamar, who was very impressed with IAAS
participation in the just concluded UNEP
meeting, I could quickly reflect back the
events of days back, Million thanks to IAAS
World President, Sebastian Oltmans and VP
Finance, Mathias Hani (Hope to see you
soon!). They were very supportive even from
the beginning to the end. VP Communication,
Carlos email messages were very encourag-
ing and the IAAS Partnership board consen-
sus, indeed, an inclusive architecture.
Long live IAAS!
OLALEYE OLATUNBOSUN
DIXON
Partnership Board member
_______________________________________________________________________
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2009-02 UNEP High-level Conference Nairobi Report

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