United Nations Environment Programme

Last updated
United Nations Environment Programme
(UN Environment)
AbbreviationUN Environment
UNEP
Formation5 June 1972;52 years ago (1972-06-05)
TypeProgramme
Legal statusActive
HeadquartersNairobi, Kenya
Executive Director
Inger Andersen (since 2019)
Denmark
Parent organization
United Nations
Website www.unep.org OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. [1] [2] It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in June 1972. Its mandate is to provide leadership, deliver science and develop solutions on a wide range of issues, including climate change, [3] the management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and green economic development. [4] The organization also develops international environmental agreements; publishes and promotes environmental science and helps national governments achieve environmental targets.

Contents

As a member of the United Nations Development Group, UNEP aims to help the world meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. [5] UNEP hosts the secretariats of several multilateral environmental agreements and research bodies, including The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), The Minamata Convention on Mercury, The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, The Convention on Migratory Species and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), among others. [6]

In 1988, the World Meteorological Organization and UNEP established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). [7] UNEP is also one of several Implementing Agencies for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol. [8] [9] UNEP sometimes uses the alternative name UN Environment. [10] The headquarters of the agency is in Nairobi, Kenya.

History

UNEP Conference on Ozone Layer in The Hague, 1988 UNEP-conferentie over ozonlaag in Den Haag v.l.n.r. ex minister Ginjaar , mini, Bestanddeelnr 934-3407.jpg
UNEP Conference on Ozone Layer in The Hague, 1988

In the 1970s, the need for environmental governance at a global level was not universally accepted, particularly by developing nations. Some argued that environmental concerns were not a priority for nations in poverty. The leadership of Canadian diplomat Maurice Strong convinced many of the developing nations' governments that they needed to prioritize this issue. In the words of Nigerian professor Adebayo Adedeji: "Mr. Strong, through the sincerity of his advocacy, soon made it clear that all of us, irrespective of the stage of our development, have a large stake in the matter." [11]

After developing organisations such as the International Labour Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization, the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (the Stockholm Conference) was convened. In this conference various topics were discussed such as pollution, marine life, protection of resources, environmental change, and disasters relating to natural and biological change. This conference resulted in a Declaration on the Human Environment (Stockholm Declaration) and the establishment of an environmental management body, which was later named the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). UNEP was established by General Assembly Resolution 2997. [12] Headquarters were established in Nairobi, Kenya, with a staff of 300, including 100 professionals in a variety of fields, and with a five-year fund of more than US$100 million. At the time, US$40 million were pledged by the United States and the remainder by 50 other nations. The 'Voluntary Indicative Scale of Contribution' established in 2002 has the role to increase the supporters of the UNEP. [13] The finances related to all programs of UNEP is voluntarily contributed by Member states of the United Nations. The Environmental Fund, which all nations of UNEP invest in, is the core source of UNEP's programs. [12] Between 1974 and 1986 UNEP produced more than 200 technical guidelines or manuals on environment including forest and water management, pest control, pollution monitoring, the relationship between chemical use and health, and management of industry. [14]

The location of the headquarters proved to be a major controversy, with developed countries preferring Geneva, where several other UN offices are based, while developing countries preferred Nairobi, as that would be the first international organization headquartered in the Global South. At first, Mexico City, New Delhi, and Cairo were also competing to be the headquarters, but they pulled out to support Nairobi. [11] Many of the developing countries were "not particularly supportive of creating a new formal institution for environmental governance", but supported its creation as an act of "Southern solidarity". [15]

In 2000, the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, based in Cambridge and sponsored by IUCN, became part of UNEP.

Governance

Executive director

UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen at the UN Biodiversity conference, 2022 22dec07-COP15-Sec-Gen-Media-3206 (52549456365).jpg
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen at the UN Biodiversity conference, 2022

In December 1972, the UN General Assembly unanimously elected Maurice Strong to be the first head of UN Environment. He was also secretary-general of both the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment and the Earth Summit (1992).

The position was then held for 17 years (1975–1992) by Mostafa Kamal Tolba, who was instrumental in bringing environmental considerations to the forefront of global thinking and action. Under his leadership, UN Environment's most widely acclaimed success—the historic 1987 agreement to protect the ozone layer—the Montreal Protocol was negotiated. He was succeeded by Elizabeth Dowdeswell (1992–1998), Klaus Töpfer (1998–2006), Achim Steiner (2006–2016), and Erik Solheim (2016–2018).

UNEP's acting executive director, Joyce Msuya, took office in November 2018 following the resignation of Erik Solheim. Prior to that appointment, she was UNEP's deputy executive director. [16] Inger Andersen was appointed executive director of UNEP by UN secretary-general António Guterres in February 2019. [17]

List of executive directors

#PictureName
(birth–death)
NationalityTook officeLeft office
1 Maurice Strong.jpg Maurice Strong [18]
(1929–2015)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 19721975
2 DR MOSTAFA TOLBA.jpg Mostafa Kamal Tolba
(1922–2016)
Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt 19751992
3 Elizabeth Dowdeswell 2020-01-01 (DSCF0094) (cropped).jpg Elizabeth Dowdeswell
(born 1944)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 19921998
4 Klaus Topfer, 2009 (cropped).jpg Klaus Töpfer
(1938–2024)
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 19982006
5 Achim Steiner-IMG 0835.jpg Achim Steiner
(born 1961)
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 20062016
6 Erik Solheim.jpg Erik Solheim
(born 1955)
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 20162018
7 Joyce Msuya Mpanju (2019) Ausschnitt.jpg Joyce Msuya

(acting)

(born 1968)

Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 20182019
8 Inger Andersen (environmentalist, 2010, cropped).jpg Inger Andersen
(born 1958)
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 2019Present

Environment Assembly

The United Nations Environment Assembly is UNEP's governing body. Created in 2012 to replace the Governing Council, it currently has 193 members and meets every two years. [19] [20]

Structure

UNEP International Resource Panel meeting, 2011 UNEP-IRP.png
UNEP International Resource Panel meeting, 2011

UNEP's structure includes eight divisions: [21]

  1. Science Division: aims to provide scientifically credible environmental assessments and information for sustainable development. It reports on the state of the global environment, assesses policies, and aims to provide an early warning of emerging environmental threats. It is responsible for the monitoring and reporting of the environment regarding the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.
  2. Policy and Programme Division: makes the policy and programme of the UNEP. This division ensures other divisions are coordinated.
  3. Ecosystems Division: supports countries in conserving, restoring and managing their ecosystems. It addresses the environmental causes and consequences of disasters and conflicts. It helps countries reduce pollution from land-based activities, increase resilience to climate change, and think about the environment in their development planning.
  4. Economy Division: assists large businesses in their efforts to be more environmentally conscious. It has three main branches: Chemicals and Health, Energy and Climate, and Resources and Markets.
  5. Governance Affairs Office: engages member states and other relevant groups to use UNEP's work. The office serves UNEP's governing body, the United Nations Environment Assembly, and its subsidiary organ, the Committee of Permanent Representatives, and manages their meetings. It helps strengthen the visibility, authority and impact of the Assembly as an authoritative voice on the environment.
  6. Law Division: helps to develop environmental law. Works with countries to combat environmental crime and meet international environmental commitments. The law division aims to improve cooperation between lawmakers around the world who are making environmental laws.
  7. Communication Division: develops and disseminates UNEP's messages. It delivers them to governments and individuals through digital and traditional media channels.
  8. Corporate Services Division: handles UNEP's corporate interests such as management and exposure to financial risk.

Activities

Presentation on climate finance by Soren E. Lutken, UNEP Senior Adviser, 2012 1.1- Carbon Financing (10036842386).jpg
Presentation on climate finance by Søren E. Lütken, UNEP Senior Adviser, 2012

UNEP's main activities are related to: [2]

  1. Climate Change [22]
  2. Disasters and Conflicts [24]
    • UNEP has endeavored to lighten the influence of emergencies or natural disasters on human health and to prepare for future disasters. It contributes to the reduction of the origin of disasters by controlling the balance of ecosystems and actively support Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which aims to reduce the risk of disasters (DRR). As well as preventing natural disasters, the UNEP supports countries such as to make laws or policies which protect the countries from getting serious damage by disasters. Since 1999 it has helped 40 countries to recover from the effect of disasters. [25]
  3. Ecosystem Management [26]
  4. Environmental Governance [27]
  5. Environment under Review [28]
    • UNEP provides information and data on the global environment to stakeholders including governments, non-governmental organizations and the public for them to engage in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals. The information which UNEP shares is based on the latest science and is collected in a proper way. This makes policy makers find reliable information effectively.  Through this The Environment Outlook and the Sustainable Development Goals stakeholders can have access to information easily. In addition, the UN environment Live Platform and Online Access to Research in Environment (OARE) provide transparent information collected by UNEP. [29]
  6. Chemicals and Waste [30]
  7. Resource Efficiency [31]

Awards programs

Several awards programs have been established to recognize outstanding work in the environmental field. The Global 500 Roll of Honour was initiated in 1987 and ended in 2003. Its 2005 successor, Champions of the Earth, and a similar award, Young Champions of the Earth, are given annually to entrepreneurs, scientists, policy leaders, upcoming talent, individuals and organizations who make significant positive impacts on resources and the environment in their areas.

Notable achievements

UNEP has registered several successes, such as the 1987 Montreal Protocol for limiting emissions of gases blamed for thinning the planet's protective ozone layer, and the 2017 Minamata Convention, a treaty to limit toxic mercury. [32]

UNEP has sponsored the development of solar loan programmes, with attractive return rates, to buffer the initial deployment costs and entice consumers to consider and purchase solar PV systems. The most famous example is the solar loan programme sponsored by UNEP that helped 100,000 people finance solar power systems in India. [33] Success in India's solar programme has led to similar projects in other parts of the developing world, including Tunisia, Morocco, Indonesia and Mexico.

In 2001, UNEP alerted about the destruction of the Marshlands when it released satellite images showing that 90 percent of the marsh had been lost. The UNEP "support for environmental management of the Iraqi Marshland" began in 2004, to manage the marshland area in an environmentally sound manner. [34]

UNEP has a programme for young people known as Tunza. Within this programme are other projects like the AEO for Youth. [35]

Advocacy

UNEP uses its position to raise awareness for a range of issues.

International Environmental Education Programme (1975–1995)

For two decades, UNESCO and UNEP led the International Environmental Education Programme (1975–1995), which set out a vision for, and gave practical guidance on how to mobilize education for environmental awareness. In 1976 UNESCO launched an environmental education newsletter Connect as the official organ of the UNESCO-UNEP International Environmental Education Programme (IEEP). Until 2007 it served as a clearinghouse to exchange information on environmental education in general and to promote the aims and activities of the IEEP in particular, as well as being a network for institutions and individuals interested and active in environment education. [36]

Climate change

In 1989, UNEP published a statement predicting that "entire nations could be wiped off the face of the Earth by sea level rise if the global warming trend is not reversed by the year 2000". [37] [38]

In 2005, UNEP issued a joint statement with the United Nations University predicting that "50 million people could become environmental refugees by 2010, fleeing the effects of climate change". This was reinforced in 2008, by Srgjan Kerim, President of the UN General Assembly, who estimated that there would be between 50 million and 200 million environmental migrants by 2010. [39]

In 2008, UNEP made a series of statements that glaciers are shrinking at record rates and many could disappear within decades. Scientists measuring the health of almost 30 glaciers around the world found that ice loss reached record levels in 2006. On average, the studied glaciers shrank by 4.9 feet in 2006. Norway's Breidalblikkbrea glacier shrank 10.2 feet in 2006. Glaciers lost an average of about a foot of ice a year between 1980 and 1999, but since the turn of the millennium the average loss has increased to about 20 inches. [40]

Electric vehicles

At the fifth Magdeburg Environmental Forum held in 2008, in Magdeburg, Germany, UNEP and car manufacturer Daimler AG called for the establishment of infrastructure for electric vehicles. At this international conference 250 politicians and representatives of non-government organizations discussed future road transportation under the motto of "Sustainable Mobility–the Post-2012 CO2 Agenda". [41]

Circular economy

UNEP is the co-chair and a founding partner (along with groups such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation) for the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy, which is a public-private partnership of over 50 global organizations and governments seeking to support the transition to a global circular economy. [42]

The Regional Seas Programme

Established in 1974, this is the world's only legal programme for the purpose of protecting the oceans and seas at the regional level. More than 143 countries participate in 18 regional programmes established by the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans, with 14 of them underpinned by legally binding international conventions, such as the Helsinki Convention, the Oslo Dumping Convention, the Barcelona Convention or the Bucharest Convention. The RSCAPs include the Caribbean region, East Asian seas, East African region, Mediterranean Basin, Pacific Northwest region, West African region, Caspian Sea, Black Sea region, Northeast Pacific region, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, ROPME Sea Area, South Asian seas, Southeast Pacific region, Pacific region, Arctic region, Antarctic region, Baltic Sea, and Northeast Atlantic region. Each programme consists of countries which share the same sea and manages this sea at the regional level. The programmes are controlled by secretariats or Regional Coordinating Units and Regional Activity Centers. [43] UNEP protects seas by promoting international conventions through education and training. [44]

  • The Mediterranean Action Plan [45] of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP/MAP) was established in 1975 as the first regional action plan under the Regional Seas Programme.
Faith for Earth Initiative

Launched in 2017, the initiative's goal is to encourage and collaborate with faith-based organizations to protect the environment and invest in green resources. [46] In 2020, UNEP published a book with the Parliament of the World's Religions Climate Action Program entitled, "Faith for Earth: A Call for Action." [47] The book serves as an educational resource for students, teachers, and leaders across the world and highlights the role that faith-based organizations can play in addressing critical environmental issues. [47]

International years

The Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Shri Jairam Ramesh, delivering the inaugural address at the Reporting Green: UNEP Media Workshop on Journalism and the Environment during the International Year of Forests, 2011 Jairam Ramesh delivering the inaugural address at the Reporting Green UNEP Media Workshop on Journalism and the Environment, in New Delhi on June 02, 2011.jpg
The Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Shri Jairam Ramesh, delivering the inaugural address at the Reporting Green: UNEP Media Workshop on Journalism and the Environment during the International Year of Forests, 2011

UN assigns specific years to topics to raise awareness and engagement. [48] The following years pertain to environmental topics:

See international observance and list of environmental dates.

Reform

Following the 2007 publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report, the Paris Call for Action, presented by French president Jacques Chirac and supported by 46 countries, called for the UNEP to be replaced by a new and more powerful "United Nations Environment Organization", to be modeled on the World Health Organization. The 46 countries included the European Union nations, but notably did not include the United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China, the top four emitters of greenhouse gases. [61]

In December 2012, following the Rio+20 Summit, a decision by the General Assembly of the United Nations to "strengthen and upgrade" the UNEP and establish universal membership of its governing body was confirmed. [62]

Funding

The European Investment Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme created the Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP) in 2015 to assist a United Nations project dubbed Sustainable Energy for All. Renewable Energy Performance Platform was established with $67 million from the United Kingdom's International Climate Finance initiative, administered by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in 2015, and $128 million in 2018. REPP was established with a five-year goal of improving energy access for at least two million people in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has so far invested around $45 million to renewable energy projects in 13 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Solar power and hydropower are among the energy methods used in the projects. [63] [64]

Funding complications

In September 2018, a series of allegations were made against the executive director of the UNEP, Eric Solheim, at that time, including excessive number of days spent outside the headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. As a result, Eric Solheim resigned. Several donor countries withdrew their donation in the aftermath of the allegation, including the Dutch government who announced it would withhold $8 million in funding to UNEP until nepotism issues were resolved. [65] Sweden and Denmark stopped funding as well. A spokesman for the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs said the freezing of funds was probably unprecedented. [66]

See also

Sources

Definition of Free Cultural Works logo notext.svg  This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC BY-SA( license statement/permission ). Text taken from Issues and trends in Education for Sustainable Development , 26, 27, UNESCO.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earth Summit</span> 1992 United Nations conference

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Rio de JaneiroConference or the Earth Summit, was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Global Environment Facility</span> A multilateral environmental Foundation that protects the climate

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a multilateral environmental fund that provides grants and blended finance for projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), mercury, sustainable forest management, food security, and sustainable cities in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. It is the largest source of multilateral funding for biodiversity globally and distributes more than $1 billion a year on average to address inter-related environmental challenges.

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is the specialist biodiversity centre of UN Environment Programme, based in Cambridge in the United Kingdom. UNEP-WCMC has been part of UN Environment Programme since 2000 and has responsibility for biodiversity assessment and support to policy development and implementation. The "World Conservation Monitoring Centre" was previously an independent organisation jointly managed by IUCN, UN Environment Programme and WWF established in 1988. Prior to that, the centre was a part of the IUCN Secretariat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eco-Schools</span>

Eco-Schools is an international programme of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that aims to “empower students to be the change our sustainable world needs by engaging them in fun, action-orientated, and socially responsible learning.”

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Achim Steiner</span> German politician and public servant

Achim Steiner is a Brazilian-born environmentalist who currently serves as the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and vice-chair of United Nations Sustainable Development Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Champions of the Earth</span> Annual United Nations environmental award

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established Champions of the Earth in 2005 as an annual awards programme to recognize outstanding environmental leaders from the public and private sectors, and from civil society.

The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was held in Stockholm, Sweden, during June 5–16, 1972.

Proposals for the creation of a United Nations Environmental Organization (UNEO) have come as some question the efficacy of the current United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at dealing with the scope of global environmental issues. Created to act as an anchor institution in the system of Global Environmental Governance (GEG), it has failed to meet those demands. The UNEP has been hindered by its title as a Programme as opposed to a specialized agency like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) or the World Health Organization (WHO), in addition to a lack of voluntary funding, and a location removed from the centers of political power, in Nairobi, Kenya. These factors have led to widespread calls for UNEP reform, and following the publication of Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC in February 2007, a "Paris Call for Action" read out by French President Chirac and supported by 46 countries, called for the UNEP to be replaced by a new and more powerful United Nations Environment Organization, to be modelled on the World Health Organization. The 52 countries included the European Union nations, but notably did not include the United States and BRIC, the top five emitters of greenhouse gases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green growth</span> Economic growth that is environmentally sustainable

Green growth is a concept in economic theory and policymaking used to describe paths of economic growth that are environmentally sustainable. It is based on the understanding that as long as economic growth remains a predominant goal, a decoupling of economic growth from resource use and adverse environmental impacts is required. As such, green growth is closely related to the concepts of green economy and low-carbon or sustainable development. A main driver for green growth is the transition towards sustainable energy systems. Advocates of green growth policies argue that well-implemented green policies can create opportunities for employment in sectors such as renewable energy, green agriculture, or sustainable forestry.

Environmental governance (EG) consists of a system of laws, norms, rules, policies and practices that dictate how the board members of an environment related regulatory body should manage and oversee the affairs of any environment related regulatory body which is responsible for ensuring sustainability (sustainable development) and manage all human activities—political, social and economic. Environmental governance includes government, business and civil society, and emphasizes whole system management. To capture this diverse range of elements, environmental governance often employs alternative systems of governance, for example watershed-based management. Obviously, in fact the EG arrangements are very diversed and not at all as inclusive as we could wish them to be.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajendra Shende</span> Indian climate change scientist

Rajendra Madhavrao Shende, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and former Director in United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is currently serving as the Founder Director of Green TERRE Foundation. which is a not-for-profit organization working towards global goals of NetZero, Carbon Neutrality, Climate Change, Global Warming and Environment, as per various protocols of United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs). He is the Ideator and Director of Smart Campus Cloud Network (SCCN) which is a network of global universities which have pledged to make their campuses carbon neutral by achieving NetZero targets. This program has been widely acclaimed as innovative and practical solution which offers the students hands-on experience and expertise in NetZero and Carbon Neutrality. He previously held the position as Chairman of TERRE Policy Centre which is a not-for-profit organization engaged in the policy development and project based advocacy on the sustainable development. Before August 2011, he was the Head of the OzonAction Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme, Division of the Technology, Industry and Economics in Paris.

Safe Planet: the United Nations Campaign for Responsibility on Hazardous Chemicals and Wastes is the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Food and Agricultural Organization-led global public awareness and outreach campaign for ensuring the safety of human health and the environment against hazardous chemicals and wastes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nairobi Convention</span> International agreement about conservation of the western Indian Ocean

The Nairobi Convention is a partnership between governments, civil society and the private sector, working towards a prosperous Western Indian Ocean Region with healthy rivers, coasts and oceans. It pursues this vision by providing a mechanism for regional cooperation, coordination and collaborative actions; it enables the Contracting Parties to harness resources and expertise from a wide range of stakeholders and interest groups; and in this way it helps solve inter-linked problems of the region's coastal and marine environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ibrahim Thiaw</span> Mauritianian public servant

Ibrahim Thiaw is a Mauritianian public servant who has been serving as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) since 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference</span> Diplomatic summit concerning greenhouse gas emissions effects

The 2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference was an international meeting of political leaders and activists to discuss environmental issues. It was held in Marrakech, Morocco, on 7–18 November 2016. The conference incorporated the twenty-second Conference of the Parties (COP22), the twelfth meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP12), and the first meeting of the parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA1). The purpose of the conference was to discuss and implement plans about combatting climate change and to "[demonstrate] to the world that the implementation of the Paris Agreement is underway". Participants work together to come up with global solutions to climate change.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradnee Chambers</span>

Bradnee Chambers was an expert on international environmental governance, law and politics. In March 2013 he was appointed as the Executive Secretary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), a main United Nations multilateral conservation treaty He was also the acting Executive Secretary of the Gorilla Agreement and the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans in the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS) both administered under the UN Environment Programme. These agreements form the global framework for conservation of wild animals migrating between countries. The agreements cover an immense scope of wildlife including whales, dolphins, sharks, elephants, big cats, bats, monarch butterflies, saiga antelope, waterbirds, and migratory fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate change education</span> Education that aims to address and develop effective responses to climate change

Climate change education (CCE) is education that aims to address and develop effective responses to climate change. It helps learners understand the causes and consequences of climate change, prepares them to live with the impacts of climate change and empowers learners to take appropriate actions to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. Climate change and climate change education are global challenges that can be anchored in the curriculum in order to provide local learning and widen up mindset shifts on how climate change can be mitigated. In such as case CCE is more than climate change literacy but understanding ways of dealing with climate

The Global Peatlands Initiative is an effort made by leading experts and institutions formed in 2016 by 13 founding members at the UNFCCC COP in Marrakech, Morocco. The mission of the Initiative is to protect and conserve peatlands as the world's largest terrestrial organic carbon stock and to prevent it from being emitted into the atmosphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goal 13</span> UN goal to combat climate change

Sustainable Development Goal 13 is to limit and adapt to climate change. It is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The official mission statement of this goal is to "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts". SDG 13 and SDG 7 on clean energy are closely related and complementary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goal 12</span> 12th of 17 Sustainable Development Goals to ensure responsible consumption and production

Sustainable Development Goal 12, titled "responsible consumption and production", is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015. The official wording of SDG 12 is "Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns". SDG 12 is meant to ensure good use of resources, improve energy efficiency and sustainable infrastructure, provide access to basic services, create green and decent jobs, and ensure a better quality of life for all. SDG 12 has 11 targets to be achieved by at least 2030, and progress towards the targets is measured using 13 indicators.

References

  1. "Funds, Programmes, Specialized Agencies and Others". un.org. November 18, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "About UN Environment Programme". UNEP. Archived from the original on 2020-04-09. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  3. "Climate Change". unep.org. 2021.
  4. "Green Economy". unep.org. 2021.
  5. "About » UNDG at the Global Level » UNDG". United Nations Development Group. 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  6. "Secretariats and Conventions". UNEP. 30 October 2017.
  7. "History of the IPCC". IPCC.
  8. Environment, U. N. "Global Environment Facility". Global Environment Facility. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  9. Environment, U. N. (2018-10-29). "About Montreal Protocol". Ozonaction. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  10. "Why does UN Environment Programme matter?". UNEP. 28 September 2017.
  11. 1 2 Ivanova, Maria (2007-11-23). "Designing the United Nations Environment Programme: a story of compromise and confrontation". International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics. 7 (4): 356. Bibcode:2007IEAPL...7..337I. doi:10.1007/s10784-007-9052-4. ISSN   1567-9764. S2CID   153356802.
  12. 1 2 Mark Allan, Gray (1990). "The United Nations Environment Programme: An Assessment". Lewis & Clark Law School. 20 (2): 43–49. JSTOR   43265919.
  13. "Environment Fund". UN Environment. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  14. "The United Environment Programme(UNEP)". Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) (23): 16. 1989. JSTOR   24339600.
  15. Najam, Adil (2005). "Developing Countries and Global Environmental Governance: From Contestation to Participation to Engagement". International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics. 5 (3): 309. Bibcode:2005IEAPL...5..303N. doi:10.1007/s10784-005-3807-6. ISSN   1567-9764. S2CID   16813351.
  16. "Tanzanian appointed to head U.N. Environment Programme". AfricaNews. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  17. "Secretary-General Appoints Inger Andersen of Denmark Executive Director of United Nations Environment Programme, Following Election by General Assembly | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  18. Schrijver, Nico (2010). Development Without Destruction: The UN and Global Resource Management. United Nations Intellectual History Project Series. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. p. 116. ISBN   978-0-253-22197-1.
  19. "UN Environment Assembly and Governing Council". UNEP. Archived from the original on 11 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  20. United Nations General Assembly Session 67 Resolution251. Change of the designation of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment ProgrammeA/RES/67/251 13 March 2013.
  21. Environment, U. N. (2017-10-31). "UN Environment divisions". UNEP - UN Environment Programme. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
  22. UNEP. "Climate Action". UNEP - UN Environment Programme. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  23. "Territorial Approach to Climate Change (TACC) | UNDP Climate Change Adaptation". www.adaptation-undp.org. Archived from the original on 2021-07-25. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  24. UNEP. "Disasters & conflicts". UNEP - UN Environment Programme. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  25. "Why do disasters and conflicts matter?". UN Environment. August 2017. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  26. UNEP. "Nature Action". UNEP - UN Environment Programme. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  27. UNEP. "Environmental rights and governance". UNEP - UN Environment Programme. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  28. UNEP. "Environment under review". UNEP - UN Environment Programme. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  29. "Environment under review". UN Environment. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  30. UNEP. "Chemicals & pollution action". UNEP - UN Environment Programme. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  31. UNEP. "Resource efficiency". UNEP - UN Environment Programme. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  32. Doyle, Alister (2013-02-17). "Reformed U.N. formula for making planet greener to get first test". Reuters . Retrieved 2023-02-12.
  33. "Solar loan programme in India". Archived from the original on 2007-04-17. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
  34. UNEP Marshland project in Middle East Archived October 6, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  35. "AEO-for-Youth". Archived from the original on December 23, 2011.
  36. Issues and trends in Education for Sustainable Development. Paris: UNESCO. 2018. pp. 26, 27. ISBN   9789231002441.
  37. JAMES SPIELMANN. "U.N. Predicts Disaster if Global Warming Not Checked". Associated Press. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  38. "U.N. Predicts Disaster if Global Warming Not Checked". Associated Press . Archived from the original on 2018-10-08.
  39. Axel Bojanowski (18 April 2011). "UN Embarrassed by Forecast on Climate Refugees". Der Spiegel . Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  40. "U.N.: Glaciers shrinking at record rate". Archived from the original on 2020-04-09. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
  41. "UNEP and Daimler Call for Infrastructure for Electric and Fuel-cell Vehicles". Climate-L.org. 4 July 2008. Archived from the original on 13 December 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
  42. "UNEP-IRP Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE)". Global Business Coalition. 2018-01-24. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
  43. "Why does working with regional seas matter?". UNEP. 16 August 2017. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  44. Bliss-Guest, Patricia A.; Keckes, Stjepan (1982). "The Regional Seas Programme of UNEP" (PDF). Environmental Conservation. 9 (1): 43–49. Bibcode:1982EnvCo...9...43B. doi:10.1017/S0376892900019494. JSTOR   44520294. S2CID   54602079. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-07-19.
  45. "UNEP/MAP".
  46. Environment, U. N. (2021-06-02). "Faith for Earth Initiative". UNEP - UN Environment Programme. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
  47. 1 2 Environment, U. N. (2020-08-31). "Faith for Earth: A Call for Action". UNEP - UN Environment Programme. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  48. Nations, United. "International Years". United Nations. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  49. "Year of the Dolphin | CMS". www.cms.int. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  50. "Pop Superstar Nick Carter to Help Wild Dolphins and Oceans". www.newswise.com.
  51. "United Nations Decade on Biodiversity". www.cbd.int. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  52. "US Forest Service - International Year of Forests". www.fs.fed.us. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  53. "International Year of Sustainable Energy for All - 2012". www.un.org. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  54. "United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation". www.un.org. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  55. "Home". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  56. "International Year of Light 2015". www.nature.com. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  57. "International Year of Pulses 2016, 2016 International Year of Pulses". www.fao.org. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  58. "2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development | UNWTO". www.unwto.org. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  59. "Home". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  60. "International Year of Fruits and Vegetables". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  61. Doyle, Alister (2007-02-03). "46 nations call for tougher U.N. environment role". Reuters .[ dead link ]
  62. "United Nations Environment Programme Upgraded to Universal Membership Following Rio+20 Summit - UNEP". Archived from the original on 2013-11-07. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
  63. "Access to energy is Africa development key". European Investment Bank. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  64. "About | Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP)". REPP. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  65. Damian Carrington (27 September 2018). "Under-fire UN environment chief forced back to HQ". The Guardian . Retrieved 5 December 2018. a spokesman for the Dutch government told the Guardian: "A planned payment of €8m will be held until Unep provides more clarity, and until it is clear that Unep is taking this matter seriously." [...] "In relation to any notion of nepotism, I wish to clarify that my spouse was recruited to REV Ocean through an open, transparent and competitive process," said Solheim
  66. Damian Carrington (25 September 2018). "Nations halt funding to UN environment programme as outcry over chief grows". The Guardian . Retrieved 5 December 2018. the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs thinktank said he thought the freezing of funds was probably unprecedented. "There are many who don't think Unep is functioning as it should

Further reading