The meeting will be held in an in-person format. Interpretation in English, French and Russian during the sessions will be provided. Online participation will not be possible. After considering the relevant elements presented in the report of the Secretary General entitled Pattern of Conferences (A/78/96), the General Assembly did not establish a mandate or provide required guidance on rules of procedures, conditions of service for interpreters, security, authentication and universal access for the continuation of provision of online or hybrid meeting services. In the absence of such a mandate and legislative framework, hybrid and virtual meeting services are no longer being provided by the United Nations Office at Geneva through regular budgetary funds effective 22 January 2024. At the same time, these services, be requested in exceptional circumstances, could be covered through extrabudgetary contributions. However, as of 8 October 2024 such exceptions are no longer granted.

As for all UN public meetings, any interested individual can follow the meeting through audio means: https://listen-live.unog.ch/en/index.html

Working hours will be as follows:

12 December 2024, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 3–6 p.m. Geneva time

13 December 2024, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Geneva time

Each session will feature brief introductory presentations sharing experiences of the Parties to the Convention and stakeholders related to the agenda items followed by contributors’ statements and interactive discussion.

Delegates interested to make a statement at the meeting are kindly invited to contact the secretariat (public.participation[at]un.org) as soon as possible, before 25 November 2024, noting the relevant agenda item and focus of the statement. To assist interpretation, delegations are invited to provide the secretariat with the text of the statement(s) by the same date. Please let the secretariat know if you wish to make your statement publicly available prior to the meeting. Otherwise, the statements will not be made publicly available and will be shared with interpreters only. In addition, there will be also opportunity for spontaneous interventions if time permits.

All participants attending the meeting are requested to register online as soon as possible through the following link: https://indico.un.org/e/AC_11-PPDM

We recommend using Google Chrome browser for the online meeting registration. Please ensure that you provide us with your telephone, and postal and email addresses, which can be made publicly available through the list of participants.

To ensure that you receive all important correspondence about the meetings and that the secretariat is able to make all required practical and other arrangements on time, we urge participants to register online as soon as possible, even if you hold a UNOG ground entry pass.

Delegates are requested to modify registration any time after the registration is submitted in case of changes in their participation or other details provided in the registration form.

Participants requiring a personal invitation letter for visa purposes should register for the meeting as early as possible, taking into account the period required to obtain the visa and indicate their request for visa support.

The secretariat will be in a position to support limited number of delegates from countries with economies in transition, eligible for financial support, selected speakers and NGOs.  Please indicate your request for financial support in Indico registration form by the deadline 28 October 2024.

Representatives of Governments applying for financial support are also requested to upload in Indico the duly signed financial support request form. Kindly note that financial support request would be considered only after submission of duly filled in financial support request form and online registration through the link mentioned above.

NGO and other participants applying for financial support should indicate their request in the Indico registration form by the deadline. NGOs representatives are encouraged to coordinate their input to the upcoming meeting with the Aarhus ECO Forum (contact: margarida.martins[at]eeb.org).

Deadline for registration with financial support: 28 October 2024.

Deadline for registration without financial support: 22 November 2024

Delegates are requested to check all requirements regarding medical and other relevant insurance prior to the travel. Please be informed that any medical, quarantine or other possible expenses will be borne by your Organisation and/or insurance, as the United Nations do not take any responsibility for possible health-related consequences.  

Wireless internet is available in all meeting rooms. Note that electrical power plugs and sockets are unique to Switzerland within the UNECE region (type J, three-pin, 230 V, 50 Hz), and respectively require an adaptor, though slim two-pin plugs (type C) will fit.

Food and beverages (except water) are strictly forbidden in the conference rooms of the Palais. You can drink tap water at the Palais. As there will be no drinking water served in the meeting room, we encourage delegates to bring reusable bottles or containers for tap water. Please take extra care to avoid spilling water on desks and equipment.

Delegates are only allowed to enter the Palais with what is considered as carry-on luggage, e.g. computer bags, rucksacks and handbags. There is no luggage storage available at the Palais. Delegates remain responsible for the luggage they bring to the Palais throughout their stay.

Laser pointers classified as 1M, 2, 2M, 3R, 3B, and 4 are banned on Swiss territory. Only class 1 laser pointers, which pose no health risk, are authorized. The laser pointers are considered dangerous and may be confiscated at customs and destroyed, regardless of their permissibility on airplanes. Swiss authorities emphasize that travellers found with these devices will be questioned by police and may face criminal charges. Please take care to avoid carrying such devices with you when travelling to Switzerland to avoid any travel disruptions.

For additional practical information, please consult: https://unece.org/practical-information-delegates and  https://www.ungeneva.org/en/about/practical-information 

Provisional Agenda (AC/TF.PP-11/Inf.1) ENG
Survey on the participation of groups and people in vulnerable situations in decision-making ENG
Overview of the implementation of articles 6, 7 and 8 of the Convention (AC/TF.PP/Inf.4)  ENG

For all agenda items:

Decision VII/2 on promoting effective public participation in decision-making, (ECE/MP.PP/2021/2/Add.1) ENG, FRE, RUS

Note by the Chair of the Task Force on Public participation in decision-making on possible future directions for the work (AC/WGP-28/Inf.2) ENG