UNEP Regional Consultation Meeting (RCM) for Latin America and the Caribbean, in preparation for UNEP 13th Session of the Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum (GMGSF-13) and 12th Special Session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GCSS.XII/GMEF)

A. Background The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has maintained close ties with civil society, and has worked with it in a coordinated and joint manner with a view to encouraging the participation of citizens and governments in conserving the environment and promoting sustainable development. In 1999, UNEP promoted the creation of a network comprised of non-government organizations and civil society, in the Environmental Governance Branch, to offer an opportunity for broader participation in decision-making.