TheUnited Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system.[1][2] It was established byMaurice Strong, its first director, after theUnited 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 terrestrialecosystems, and green economic development.[4] The organization also developsinternational environmental agreements; publishes and promotesenvironmental science and helps national governments achieve environmental targets.
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 diplomatMaurice Strong convinced many of the developing nations' governments that they needed to prioritize this issue. In the words ofNigerian professorAdebayo 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 organizations such as theInternational Labour Organization, theFood and Agriculture Organization and theWorld Health Organization, the 1972United 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 aDeclaration 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 byGeneral Assembly Resolution 2997.[12] Headquarters were established inNairobi, 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 theUnited 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 byMember 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, withdeveloped countries preferringGeneva, where several other UN offices are based, whiledeveloping countries preferred Nairobi, as that would be the first international organization headquartered in theGlobal South. At first,Mexico City,New Delhi, andCairo 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]
UNEP Executive DirectorInger 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 theEarth Summit (1992).
The position was then held for 17 years (1975–1992) byMostafa 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 theozone layer—theMontreal Protocol was negotiated. He was succeeded byElizabeth Dowdeswell (1992–1998),Klaus Töpfer (1998–2006),Achim Steiner (2006–2016), andErik Solheim (2016–2018).
UNEP's acting executive director,Joyce Msuya, took office in November 2018 following the resignation ofErik Solheim. Prior to that appointment, she was UNEP's deputy executive director.[16]Inger Andersen was appointed executive director of UNEP by UN secretary-generalAntónio Guterres in February 2019.[17]
TheUnited Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) 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]
The first session of the assembly took place in Nairobi from 23-27 June 2014.[21]
The sixth session (UNEA-6) took place in Nairobi, Kenya, from 26 February to 1 March 2024,[22] and the seventh session (UNEA-7) is scheduled to take place from 8 to 12 December 2025, also in Nairobi. The theme for UNEA-7 is "Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet".[23]
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 andSustainable Development Goals.
Policy and Programme Division: makes the policy and programme of the UNEP. This division ensures other divisions are coordinated.
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, increaseresilience to climate change, and think about the environment in their development planning.
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.
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.
Law Division: helps to developenvironmental law. Works with countries to combatenvironmental crime and meet international environmental commitments. The law division aims to improve cooperation between lawmakers around the world who are making environmental laws.
Communication Division: develops and disseminates UNEP's messages. It delivers them to governments and individuals through digital and traditional media channels.
Corporate Services Division: handles UNEP's corporate interests such as management and exposure to financial risk.
Disasters and conflicts ("to minimize the environmental causes and consequences of crises")[26]
Nature Action ("conservation, restoration and the sustainable use of nature")[27]
Global environmental governance (the UNEP website states that "UNEP is committed to supporting countries in developing and implementing integrated environmental policies").[28]
Data collection and reporting[29] (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 theSustainable Development Goals. For example, the UN environment Live Platform and Online Access to Research in Environment (OARE) provide transparent information collected by UNEP.[30])
Already in 1989, UNEP published a statement predicting that "entire nations could be wiped off the face of the Earth bysea level rise if theglobal warming trend is not reversed by the year 2000".[33][34] In 2005, UNEP issued a joint statement with theUnited Nations University predicting that "50 million people could becomeenvironmental refugees by 2010, fleeing theeffects of climate change". This was reinforced in 2008, bySrgjan Kerim, President of the UN General Assembly, who estimated that there would be between 50 million and 200 million environmental migrants by 2010.[35]
At the fifth Magdeburg Environmental Forum held in 2008, inMagdeburg, Germany, UNEP and car manufacturerDaimler AG called for the establishment of infrastructure forelectric 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".[36]
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 mobilizeeducation for environmental awareness. In 1976 UNESCO launched an environmental education newsletterConnect 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.[37]
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 theHelsinki Convention, theOslo Dumping Convention, theBarcelona Convention or the Bucharest Convention. The RSCAPs include theCaribbean 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 andGulf 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.[39] UNEP protects seas by promoting international conventions through education and training.[40]
The Mediterranean Action Plan[41] of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP/MAP) was established in 1975 as the first regional action plan under the Regional Seas Programme.
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.[42] 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."[43] 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.[43]
Several awards programs have been established to recognize outstanding work in the environmental field. TheGlobal 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.
The Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Shri Jairam Ramesh, delivering the inaugural address at theReporting 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.[44] The following years pertain to environmental topics:
UNEP has registered several successes, such as the 1987Montreal Protocol for limiting emissions of gases blamed for thinning the planet's protective ozone layer, and the 2017Minamata Convention, a treaty to limit toxic mercury.[57]
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 purchasesolar PV systems. The most famous example is the solar loan programme sponsored by UNEP that helped 100,000 people finance solar power systems inIndia.[58] Success in India's solar programme has led to similar projects in other parts of the developing world, includingTunisia,Morocco,Indonesia andMexico.
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 theIraqi Marshland" began in 2004, to manage the marshland area in an environmentally sound manner.[59]
UNEP has a programme for young people known as Tunza. Within this programme are other projects like theAEO for Youth.[60]
Following the 2007 publication of theIntergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeFourth Assessment Report, theParis Call for Action, presented by French presidentJacques 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 theWorld 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 ofgreenhouse 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] In other words, it was reorganized by applying the existing executive member system (58 member states) from 1973 to 2013 to a universal member system (all UN member states). It was implemented in 2014.[21]
TheEuropean Investment Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme created the Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP) in 2015 to assist aUnited Nations project dubbed Sustainable Energy for All. Renewable Energy Performance Platform was established with $67 million from theUnited Kingdom's International Climate Finance initiative, administered by theDepartment 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 torenewable energy projects in 13 countries inSub-Saharan Africa.Solar power andhydropower are among the energy methods used in the projects.[63][64]
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 theDutch government who announced it would withhold $8 million in funding to UNEP until nepotism issues were resolved.[65]Sweden andDenmark stopped funding as well. A spokesman for the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs said the freezing of funds was probably unprecedented.[66]
^Damian Carrington (27 September 2018)."Under-fire UN environment chief forced back to HQ".The Guardian. Retrieved5 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
Borowy, Iris. "Before UNEP: who was in charge of the global environment? The struggle for institutional responsibility 1968–72."Journal of Global History 14.1 (2019): 87–106.
United Nations Environment Programme. "Natural Allies: UNEP and Civil Society." Nairobi:United Nations Foundation, 2004.
Paul Berthoud,A Professional Life Narrative, 2008, worked with UNEP and offers testimony from the inside of the early years of the organization.
Dodds, F., Strauss, M., with Strong, M., 2012,Only One Earth: The Long Road via Rio to Sustainable Development. LondonEarthscan
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
.jpg)
_Ausschnitt.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
