The first United Nation Environment Assembly (UNEA) waslaunched on June 23rd in Nairobi, Kenya. The assembly increased thenumber of governing body member states from 58 to 193 with the aim tostrengthen UNEP’s representation in UN. The UNEA is theresult of a decision by world leaders on June 2012 at Rio+20 to strengthen theUNEP. This inaugural meeting will discussed on issues of green economy, illegalwildlife trading, environmental rule of law, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)and Post-2015 development agendas,  and sustainablefood production and consumption for the next 5 days. Beside the major eventthere will be more than 40 different side events which deal with energy, airand chemical pollution, and waste management. The conference is being attendedby more than 1200 participants, 162 member state, 90 ministries and differentNon-governmental organizations. The outcomes of UNEA are expected to be adoptedby the full plenary of the UN assembly.

The theme of UNEA is “Sustainabledevelopment goals and the post-2015 agenda, including sustainable consumptionand production” and it will continue upto June 27th .The officialopening ceremony started by the address from the General-Director of the UnitedNations office in Nairobi Sahle-Work Zewde, UNEP Executive Director  Achim Steiner andthe Kenya Cabinet Secretary of Environment Professor Judi Wakhungu. Onthe opening day participant’s discussed on key topics including impact ofexcess nitrogen, air quality, chemical and plastic contamination effects on theenvironment. Achim Steiner said “plastics have come to play a crucial role inmodern life, but the environmental impacts of the way we use them cannot beignored”. The opening ceremony concluded with appointing of new president Ms.Sanjaasurengiin Oyuun. On the same day UNEP’s Year Book 2014 was launched with 10 years of major and critical issueof the environment.

Six Chinese and International students from IESD, College ofEnvironmental Science and Engineering, and School of Politics and InternationalRelations attend the UNEA as student observers.As an annual project, IESD selects and sends excellent students to suchconference every year.