Key website: Review Conferences and Preparatory Committees (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons)

Background:

Entered into force on 5 March 1970, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), is a landmark international treaty whose objectives are broadly (a) to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, (b) to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and (c) to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. The NPT is the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. With 190 State parties, the treaty is the sole binding commitment via a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by nuclear-weapon States.[1]

The provisions of the Treaty, particularly article VIII, paragraph 3, envisage a review of the operation of the Treaty every five years, a provision which was reaffirmed by the States parties at the NPT Review and Extension Conference on 11 May 1995 (during which time it was also extended indefinitely). Held at the UN Headquarters in New York since 1975, Review Conferences bring NPT States together to find agreement on a final declaration that assesses the implementation of the Treaty’s provisions, assesses implementation of previous review conference outcome documents, and makes recommendations to further strengthen and fulfil Treaty objectives and requirements.

Key Decision Points (2017 – 2020):

The next NPT Review Conference is scheduled to be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in 2020. Three preparatory meetings are to be held prior to the 2020 Review Conference.

The purpose of the first two Preparatory Committee sessions (2017 and 2018) is to consider principles, objectives and ways to promote the full implementation of the Treaty, as well as its universality, and to make recommendations thereon to the Review Conference. The third session, due to be held in 2019, is specifically mandated to produce a consensus report containing recommendations to the Review Conference (accounting for the deliberations and results of its previous sessions).

Key website: Preparations for the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework (Convention on Biological Diversity)

Background:

Entered into force on 29 December 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is dedicated to promoting sustainable development, with three main objectives: (a) the conservation of biological diversity (all ecosystems, species, and genetic resources); (b) the sustainable use of the components of biological diversity; and (c) the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, notably those destined for commercial use. There are 196 States parties to the Convention and several advisory bodies have also been established. It stands as a landmark in international law, recognizing for the first time the conservation of biological diversity as an integral part of the development process (on one hand acknowledging that ecosystems, species and genes must be used for the benefit of humans, but simultaneously maintaining that conservation brings significant environmental, economic, and social benefits in return).

During the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP), held in 2010 in Japan, State parties adopted a revised and updated Strategic Plan for Biodiversity for the 2011-2020 period. This plan provides an overarching framework on biodiversity, not only for the biodiversity-related conventions, but for the entire United Nations system and all other partners engaged in biodiversity management and policy development. The fifteenth COP in 2020 is expected to update the Convention’s strategic plan and adopt a post-2020 global biodiversity framework, as a follow-up for the next decade.

Key Decision Points (2016 – 2020)

The 2020 Conference (to be held in Beijing) will provide an opportunity to develop an integrated framework that applies to the Convention and both Protocols and that can serve as a framework for other biodiversity-related Conventions and processes. It was mandated at the thirteenth COP (2016), which requested the Executive Secretary to prepare, in consultation with the Bureau and for consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Implementation, a proposal for a preparatory process and timetable for the follow-up to the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.

A general view expressed in the draft proposals of the 2020 Conference is that the post-2020 global biodiversity framework should be more ambitious than the current strategic plan. To this end, several activities are scheduled across 2018 and 2019 to consider and make recommendations toward the proposed preparatory process for the development of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (namely within SBI-2, COP-14, and COPMOP-9). Additionally, a leaders’ summit meeting is to be held on the margins of the opening of UNGA 75 (September 2020) to give political direction and momentum to the development of the post-2020 framework. In October 2020, COP-15 will consider the final draft of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework with a view to adoption.

Key website: Beijing+25: Celebrating 25 years of championing women’s rights (UN Women)

Background:

The 1995 Beijing Conference was the Fourth World Conference on Women organized by the United Nations. The first Conference took place in Mexico City in 1975, followed by Copenhagen in 1980, and Nairobi in 1985. At the 1995 Beijing Conference, 189 UN Member states unanimously adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA) as a global agenda for ensuring the improvement of human rights for women and girls. The BPFA sets strategic objectives for the achievement of gender equality in twelve critical areas of concern, including poverty, education and training, armed conflict, and economy.

The Fourth World Conference on Women marked a significant turning point in achieving the global goal of gender equality. An unprecedented 17,000 participants attended, including 6,000 government delegates, 4,000 accredited NGO representatives, a multitude of international civil servants and around 4,000 media representatives. Due to its empowering and long-term impact on women’s rights, the Platform for Action is reviewed and appraised every five years to continue to implement its commitments. The next review is scheduled for 2020, a year which will also mark the 25^th anniversary of the Declaration and Platform for Action.

Key Decision Points (2018-2020):

During the 62^th  session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 62) in March 2018, two resolutions pertaining to Beijing +25 were adopted for action by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The text of resolution E/CN.6/2018/L.7 mandates a one-day high-level meeting during UNGA75 (2020), the outcome of which is to take the form of a Chair’s summary. Additionally, resolution E/CN.6/2018/L.6 (which speaks more broadly to the Commission’s methods of work) decides that at its sixty-fourth session, in 2020, the Commission will undertake a review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly. It also calls for national and regional-level reviews, the outcomes of which will feed into the 2020 review to be undertaken by the Commission. In this vein, the resolution encourages governments to collaborate with NGRIs, non-governmental organizations, and other relevant actors in preparation for the 2020 review.

CSW 64 will take place in March 2020, preceding the 25^th anniversary of the 1995 Beijing Conference, which will take place in September that year.

Key website: Financing for Development (FfD) (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs)

Background:

From the website: “The Financing for Development Office (FfDO) was established within the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the United Nations Secretariat on 24 January 2003 in accordance with General Assembly resolution 57/273. The distinctive function of the FfDO is to provide effective substantive secretariat support for sustained follow-up within the United Nations to the agreements and commitments reached at the International Conferences on Financing for Development, as contained in the 2002 Monterrey Consensus and the 2008 Doha Declaration on Financing for Development, and financing for development-related aspects of the outcomes of major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic and social fields, including the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, as well as the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015. The principal mission of the Office is to promote and support an integrated, cross-cutting and holistic nature of the FfD follow-up process.”

Key website: United Nations Peacebuilding Commission

Background & Initial Mandate:

The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) was established through concurrent Security Council (UNSC) and General Assembly (GA) resolutions on 20 December 2005. It was created as an intergovernmental advisory body to the Security Council (UNSC), General Assembly (GA) and Economic and Social (ECOSOC). When Kofi Annan submitted his 2005 proposal to establish the UN’s peacebuilding architecture, he focused the PBC on supporting post-conflict countries, nonetheless noting that “it would be valuable if Member States could at any stage make use of the Peacebuilding Commission’s advice and could request assistance from a standing fund for peacebuilding to build their domestic institutions for reducing conflict.” In this vein, the PBC’s founding resolutions mandated the PBC to bring together all relevant actors to marshal resources and to advise on and propose strategies for post-conflict recovery; focus attention on post-conflict recovery efforts; and assist in coordinating the interventions of UN and non-UN actors in countries emerging from armed conflict

Synergies & Fragmentation:

Tensions have existed since the PBC’s creation in 2005 (during which time UNSC reform had also stalled), with the P5 viewing the body as one which encroached on the UNSC’s prerogatives. In fact, for much of its existence, Council members have viewed the body with a fair amount of cynicism, questioning its ability to advise on conflict situations and finding its meetings duplicative to the Council’s discussions.
It is also worth noting that peacebuilding entails a myriad of activities that fall under the purview of several principal organs. These organs, however, have traditionally acted in separate “silos” – the UNSC on matters of international peace and security, and the ECOSOC and GA on development, governance, and human rights. Although the PBC held the potential to bridge the activities of the three principal intergovernmental organs, it was unable to do so in an effective manner.

Changing Contexts & Re-mandating of the PBC

In 2015, the UN’s peacebuilding architecture (including the PBC) underwent a 10-year review, based on specific terms of reference approved by both the UNSA and GA. The review addressed and challenged the lens through which peacebuilding is commonly understood – as an activity undertaken solely in post-conflict situations. The operational “silos” of the UN system were also addressed by a study and subsequent report by an Advisory Group of Experts (AGE), which concluded that the PBC’s key limitations stemmed from structural shortcomings – primarily fragmentation at the intergovernmental level.

The role of PBC is changing as the body now acts as an advisory body on the full continuum (prevention to post-conflict reconstruction) of UN peace and security activity. To address the issue of fragmentation, the AGE also insisted on the PBC’s role in bridging the activities of the three principal intergovernmental organs (UNSC, GA, ECOSOC). In other words, it suggested that the PBC could only be effective if the other principal organs accepted working with it in partnership. In this vein, the 2016 sustaining peace resolutions, S/RES/2282 and A/RES/70/262, identify peacebuilding as (a) a system-wide responsibility which cannot be confined to post-conflict situations, and (b) one which calls for synergies between the PBC, UNSC, GA and ECOSOC. The PBC’s fifteen-year review is due to take place in 2020. 

Key website: Paris Accord (United Nations Climate Change)

Dec 2018
Stock-taking leading to 2020 renewed INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions)

2020
renewed INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions)
Renew developing country capacity-building work plan for another 4-year cycle

Notes:
INDCs are the main Paris Agreement mechanism for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The need to increase ambition of GHG reductions will drive 2018 stock-taking and 2020 renewed INDCs.

Key website: High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2019

2019
First 4-year cycle of of HLPF (High Level Political Forum) concludes with High-level meeting

Notes:
This will be a significant effort to take stock of whether the world is on track to fulfill the Global Goals.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Key website: United Nations Human Rights Council

2021
Consideration of mandating a 2021 review is reportedly under discussion at the HRC

Notes:
Last HRC review was in 2011 and included a preparatory process that began in 2009. One might expect a similar lead up for a future review.

Key website: Global norms and standards: peace and security (UN Women)

Background:

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security (WPS) on 31 October 2000. The resolution reaffirms and emphasizes the contributions women make to conflict prevention, peacekeeping, and conflict resolution. As such, it urges actors to incorporate gender perspectives in all UN peace and security efforts and calls on parties of conflict to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence. In October 2010, the UN Secretary General (UNSG) proposed a 2011-2020 strategic framework to guide the UN’s implementation of the resolution.

The significance of UNSCR 1325 lies in the fact that it was the first time the Security Council addressed the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women. Since its adoption, the Council has met every year, typically in October, for an open debate on the implementation of the resolution. The debates are informed by the UNSG’s annual report on women, peace and security and frequently result in an outcome document to further the WPS agenda. Since the adoption of resolution 1325, the Council has adopted twelve resolutions, which together frame the women, peace and security agenda.

Key Decision Points (2015 – Present):

On 13 October 2015, the Security Council held a high-level review on women, peace and security to mark the 15^th anniversary of UNSCR 1325. The review assessed progress at the global, regional, and national levels, addressed emerging obstacles, and renewed government commitment to the WPS agenda. To inform this discussion, the UNSG commissioned an independent Global Study on the resolution’s implementation, pursuant to resolution 2122 (2013). Consequentially, the UN Security Council reaffirmed its commitment to UNSCR 1325 by adopting resolution 2242, which aims to improve implementation of the WPS agenda and double the number of women involved in peacekeeping missions by 2020.

By 2016, 60 countries had drafted National Action Plans to increase women’s participation in peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response, and post-conflict reconstruction. In advance of the 2017 annual Security Council debate on the WPS agenda, the Women, Peace and Security Index was launched. The index is to be updated every two years and will track progress ahead of the 2019 HLPF and the 20th anniversary of resolution 1325 (October 2020).

In October 2018, the Council will convene its annual debate on the the implementation of resolution 1325 to discuss the six recommendations set forth by the Secretary-General’s 2017 report.