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United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP was founded on 15 December 1972, as recognition of ‘environmental problems of broad international significance’ by creating global environment authority that sets out agenda for environment protection worldwide. Its Headquarter is located in Nairobi (Kenya). Ms. Inger Anderson is the Executive Director of UNEP since 2019.
In the Stockholm Conference, there was an outstanding debate on basic institutional structure at international level to deal with the environmental problem. United Nations Conference on Human Environment prepared a draft resolution which was later approved by General Assembly in the form of four bodies constituting United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
- The Governing Council.
- The Environment Secretariat.
- The Environment Fund.
- The Environment Coordination Board
The mission attached to UNEP as mentioned in its preamble is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. United Nations Environment Programme is solely funded by voluntary contributions of member states and individuals who wish to fund environment activities. Sustainable Development is the key guiding principle adopted by UNEP in its working. UNEP is mainly responsible for co-ordinating the UN’s environment activities and also helping developing countries to adapt environmentally sound policies and evolving legislations to safeguard so. It covers wide range of responsibilities and activities over climate change, policy making, disaster management, assisting treaty formulations concerning environment, promoting environment science and information etc. Few of its main activities are mentioned below:
Climate Change has been the main concern of UNEP over the last 30 years. It has assisted in creation of U.N Framework Convention of Climate change. UNEP act as global leader to strengthen the ability of countries, in particular developing countries, to integrate climate change responses into national development processes. The programme of UNEP related to disaster and conflicts seeks to minimize environmental threats to human beings from the environmental consequences of conflicts and disasters. It has responded to various disaster and conflicts in over 40 countries including Afghanistan, Nigeria, Ukraine, Liberia, Japan, Iraq, China etc.
For strengthening environmental governance, UNEP assists governments in obtaining environmental information for decision-making, enhancing global and local environmental cooperation, implementing national and international environmental law, and bridging major groups and governments in policy development and implementation processes.
UNEP has played an instrumental role in policy formulation and implementation concerning environment and assisting developing countries to adapt healthy environment practices. One of the major contributions of UNEP is assistance provided by it in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are 17 in number.
It works as an authoritative advocate for environment and represents coherently at global level for the idea of Sustainable Development.Spreading public awareness, aiding and taking up environment development plans such as reforestation and wetlands restoration are other activities taken up by UN environment.UNEP publishes many reports, atlases and newsletters providing information and data on the global environment to stakeholders including governments, non-governmental organizations and the public
Often, UNEP is regarded as the most successful outcome of UNCHE, established as global environmental body advocating its development and preservation. UNEP has registered several notable achievements, such as Montreal Protocol 1987 for limiting emissions of gases harmful for ozone depletion, and the 2012 Minamata Convention, a treaty to limit toxic mercury.
