UNEP Finance Initiatives:
UNEP Finance Initiatives Joint Steering Committees Planning Meeting for the World Summit for Sustainable Development in 2002

Meeting at 0900hrs- 1600hrs on Tuesday 13 February, 2001,
Sheraton Frankfurt Hotel, 60549 Frankfurt, Germany
Summary Record - Highlighting Agreed Actions

1. Chairman's welcome and opening comments with respect to the UNEP Finance Initiatives (FI) preparations for the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2002.

2. Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel, UNEP, briefs meeting on UNEP Governing Council (February 5-9, 2001) and 12 February meeting of UNEP and Industry Associations

Agreed Actions:

(1). The two-page summary report of the Global Compact workshop in Nairobi would be circulated to UNEP FI Steering Committee members;

(2). All UNEP FI members should receive regular updates of general UNEP activity reports via the UNEP FI Secretariat;

(3). All summary documents from the 12 February UNEP DTIE/Industry Associations meeting would be circulated to the UNEP FI Joint Steering Committee members.

(4). Information on the 9 April Washington DC workshop on Financing and Mining would be circulated to Joint Steering Committee members.

3. Presentation by Paul Clements-Hunt, Co-ordinator UNEP Finance Initiatives, outlining the revised UNEP FI 2001-2002 work programme and budget as it relates to WSSD.

Agreed Actions:

(1). UNEP FI Secretariat to add North American event to the planned regional conferences;

(2). Formulate criteria to amend UNEP FII "signing authority" for dispersal of funds from Zurich accounts (Responsibility: Otti Bisang, Credit Suisse);

(3). UNEP III Steering Committee to explore possible amendment of their budgetary arrangements and funds dispersal process to bring into line with FII-UNEP FI Secretariat to convene a conference call at earliest juncture;

(4). UNEP FI to prepare a matrix to highlight how different elements of work programme related to three elements of sustainability.

4. Open discussion item: " Positioning UNEP FI for WSSD: What Message, What Profile and What Substance - Getting the balance right."

Agreed Actions:

(1) The Joint Steering Group agreed that broader sustainability issues must be integrated into UNEP FI's work but this must be a gradual process with the necessary outreach work undertaken to communicate the gradual shift to all signatories.

(2). The plethora of meetings and events in the run up to Rio+10 means that the UNEP FI Secretariat should develop n on-line calendar which would be of great use for signatories.

(3). The UNEP FI Secretariat should develop a "matrix" to show how various elements of the work programme relate to different elements of sustainability.

(4). The need for a, "cross cutting" media, communications and PR strategy, for the UNEP FI was agreed by all. The Secretariat agreed to develop a "thought starter" paper to address the issue. (5). The summary record of the 12 February, 2001, meeting between UNEP DTIE and industry associations to discuss a template for the WSSD reports would be forwarded to Steering group members.

5. Co-chairs reports on Asset Management, Climate Change and Environmental Management and Reporting working groups activities and plans for WSSD.

Working Group Reports:
The Chairs and representatives of the Asset Management, Climate Change and Environmental Management and Reporting working groups briefed the meeting on developments with respect to group work programmes.
Asset Management Working Group
Agreed Actions:

(1). A letter soliciting membership of the group and a finalized TOR were to be distributed by the end February to all FII and III members;

(2). The first meeting of the group was to be held by Mid March and, failing that, a conference call would be convened; and

(3). Rob Lake and Paul Clements-Hunt would explore the options for an event in New York to take place at an off site venue at the same time as the UNCSD9 meeting. Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel, UNEP, stressed the need for co-ordination between UNEP FI and other arms of UNEP preparing for CSD events.

Environmental Management and Reporting (EM&R) Group

Agreed Actions:

(1). Membership of the EM&R group would be closed shortly and the group would implement its work programme in the near term after an appropriate geographical and sectoral balance in the group was achieved and

(2). Nancy Bennet, UNEP, will be put on the EM&R mailing list to forge a link with the developing GRI effort.

Climate Change Working Group
Agreed Actions:

(1) The UNEP FI Secretariat would take necessary steps with Erik Schmausser to relaunch the climate change working programme and to solicit new membership for the group.

6. Agreeing a UNEP FI Action Plan for WSSD: overall goals; working group activities; responsibilities; deadlines; and financing special activities.
The Chair noted that the Joint Steering Committees accepted, in principle, the 2001-2002 Work Programme as presented by the UNEP FI Secretariat in line with comments made during the meeting. He also noted that implementation of the work programme could only take place if additional funding from donor governments and other private sector sources was secured to support the work programme.

7. Other business
No substantive matters where discussed under other business.

8. Date of next meeting
Michael Hoelz, Deutsche Bank AG, suggested that the Joint Steering Committee meet each quarter. He offered to host the meeting in Frankfurt. London was noted as another possibility. It was agreed that Ken Maguire would explore possible meeting dates in May and inform the Joint Steering Committee accordingly.