Earth Council Alliance (ECA) is proud to announce that the Earth Council Regional Member Organizations have recently been awarded accreditation to UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum.  ECA and Earth Council-Italia (EC-Italia) have joined forces over the past several months to pursue this accreditation for all Earth Council organizations, and have put tremendous effort toward formalizing this valuable affiliation.  This accreditation applies to Oriental Environmental Institute of China, Earth Council Asia Pacific-Philippines, Harmony Foundation of Canada, Earth Council- Italia, Pro-Natura International, Earth Council Geneva, and Earth Council Foundation USA.

The tenth special session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will be held from 20 to 22 February 2008 at the Grimaldi Forum in the Principality of Monaco.  As accredited organizations, Earth Council organizations are now able to participate, observe, and contribute to this annual UNEP forum.  

In the process leading up to sessions of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum the accredited organizations have the possibility:

1. To participate in the Regional Consultation Meeting to be held in your region, usually in October/November every year;
2. To participate in the elaboration of Regional Civil Society Statements that will form the basis for drafting a Global Civil Society Statement containing recommendations to UNEP, Governments, etc. to be circulated during the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum;
3. To receive unedited working documents of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum at the same time as the Committee of the Permanent Representatives (CPR);
4. To submit to the UNEP Secretariat written contributions to these unedited working documents of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum, for distribution to the Governments through the Committee of the Permanent Representatives (CPR); and
5. To participate in the Global Civil Society Forum, an associated meting of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum.

At the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum, to take place in February 2008, accredited organizations are invited to participate in the following ways:

1. To attend the plenary sessions of the Committee of the Whole and the Ministerial Consultations as observers and to exchange views and interact with Governments present;
2. To circulate written statements to Governments, in the form of information documents through the UNEP secretariat; and
3. To make oral statements during the discussions of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum at the invitation of the chairperson.

Earth Council organizations are encouraged by UNEP to participate in and contribute to the UNEP policy dialogue and decision making process.   ECA extends its congratulations to all Earth Council organizations for being awarded this honor, and hopes each individual organization will take full advantage of this opportunity to have their voice heard through the UNEP Governing Council.