United Nations Environment Programme

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations System. 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, the management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and green economic development. The organization also develops international environmental agreements; publishes and promotes environmental science and helps national governments achieve environmental targets.

As a member of the United Nations Development Group, UNEP aims to help the world meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. 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.

In 1988, the World Meteorological Organization and UNEP established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 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. UNEP sometimes uses the alternative name UN Environment. The headquarters of the agency is in Nairobi, Kenya.

History

In the 1970s, many countries, especially those facing poverty, did not think protecting the environment was important. But Maurice Strong, a leader from Canada, helped convince them that everyone, no matter how rich or poor, needed to care about the environment. This led to the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, where leaders talked about issues like pollution and protecting nature. The conference created the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to help manage the world's environment.

UNEP was set up in Nairobi, Kenya, making it the first major UN office in the Global South. Between 1974 and 1986, UNEP created over 200 guides to help countries manage forests, water, pests, and pollution. In 2000, the World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge joined UNEP to help with its work.

Governance

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is led by an executive director, who oversees its work. Maurice Strong was the first director, elected in 1972. Other directors have included Mostafa Kamal Tolba, who helped create the Montreal Protocol to protect the ozone layer, and Inger Andersen, the current director since 2019.

UNEP’s governing body is the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), which replaced the Governing Council in 2012. It has 193 members and meets every two years. The Assembly works to guide UNEP’s policies and programs on global environmental issues. UNEP’s work is organized into eight divisions, each focusing on different areas such as science, policy, ecosystems, economy, governance, law, communication, and corporate services. These divisions help UNEP support countries in addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainable development.

Main article: United Nations Environment Assembly

#	Picture	Name (birth–death)	Nationality	Took office	Left office
1		Maurice Strong (1929–2015)	Canada	1972	1975
2		Mostafa Kamal Tolba (1922–2016)	Egypt	1975	1992
3		Elizabeth Dowdeswell (born 1944)	Canada	1992	1998
4		Klaus Töpfer (1938–2024)	Germany	1998	2006
5		Achim Steiner (born 1961)	Brazil	2006	2016
6		Erik Solheim (born 1955)	Norway	2016	2018
7		Joyce Msuya (acting) (born 1968)	Tanzania	2018	2019
8		Inger Andersen (born 1958)	Denmark	2019	Present

Topic areas

UNEP focuses on several important areas to help protect our planet. These include taking action on climate change, working to conserve and restore nature, and supporting countries in creating good environmental policies like global environmental governance. UNEP also collects and shares important data about the environment to help everyone work towards a healthier planet, such as through the Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, UNEP addresses issues like managing chemicals and waste, and improving resource efficiency.

Advocacy

UNEP works to raise awareness about important environmental issues. It has spoken about climate change, warning about rising sea levels and people needing to move because of environmental changes.

UNEP has started many programs to help the environment. It worked with UNESCO on environmental education for years. It also supports a circular economy, which means using resources in a way that reduces waste. The Regional Seas Programme helps protect oceans and seas in different parts of the world by bringing countries together to care for shared waters. The Faith for Earth Initiative works with religious groups to support environmental protection.

Further information: Effects of climate change and Causes of climate change

Other activities

Main articles: Global 500 Roll of Honour and Champions of the Earth

The United Nations Environment Programme has created special awards to honor people and groups doing great work for the environment. One award, called the Global 500 Roll of Honour, started in 1987 but ended in 2003. Since 2005, they give out the Champions of the Earth award and the Young Champions of the Earth award each year.

The UN also picks special years to focus on important environmental topics. For example, 2010 was the International Year of Biodiversity, and 2011 was the International Year of Forests. These special years help people pay more attention to these issues.

Notable achievements

UNEP has helped create important agreements to protect our planet, like the 1987 Montreal Protocol to protect the ozone layer and the 2017 Minamata Convention to reduce harmful mercury.

The agency has also supported solar power projects, making it easier for people to buy solar panels. A big success was helping 100,000 people in India get solar power, which inspired similar projects in Tunisia, Morocco, Indonesia, and Mexico. UNEP also works with young people through its Tunza program, including projects like the AEO for Youth.

Reform

See also: UNEO and IRENA

After a major report on climate change in 2007, some leaders suggested replacing the UNEP with a new organization similar to the World Health Organization. This idea was supported by 46 countries, but not by big polluters like the United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China.

Later, in 2012, the United Nations decided to strengthen the UNEP and change its membership to include all UN member states. This change happened in 2014.

Funding

The European Investment Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme created the Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP) in 2015 to help a United Nations project called Sustainable Energy for All. The platform started with $67 million from the United Kingdom and later received $128 million more in 2018. Its goal was to improve energy access for two million people in Sub-Saharan Africa over five years. So far, it has invested about $45 million in renewable energy projects in 13 countries, using methods like solar power and hydropower.

Some funding problems happened in 2018 when allegations were made against the UNEP director, leading to his resignation. After this, several countries, including the Dutch, Sweden, and Denmark, stopped their funding until issues were fixed.