United Nations Environment Programme

The UN Environment Programme (or UNEP) coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and encourages sustainable development through sound environmental practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and is headquartered in Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya. UNEP also has six regional offices and various country offices.

Its activities cover a wide range of issues regarding the atmosphere, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. It has played a significant role in developing international environmental conventions, promoting environmental science and information and illustrating the way those can work in conjunction with policy, working on the development and implementation of policy with national governments and regional institution and working in conjunction with environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). UNEP has also been active in funding and implementing environmentally related development projects.

UNEP has aided in the development of guidelines and treaties on issues such as the international trade in potentially harmful chemicals, transboundary air pollution, and contamination of international waterways.

The World Meteorological Organization and the UNEP established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. UNEP is also one of several Implementing Agencies for the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

MISSION

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.

Structure

UNEP's Governing Council consists of a total of 58 member states which serve three-year terms. These seats are allocated according to geographical regions. The Governing Council is the primary developer of policy guidelines for UN environmental programs and plays a diplomatic role in promoting cooperation between UN member states on environmental issues.

The UNEP secretariat consists of 890 staff members, roughly 500 of which are international staff while the remaining are hired locally. The Secretariat is the body which oversees the implementation of UNEP policies and programs and is responsible for the annual budget which totals around $105 million (US) and is almost entirely earned from member states.

Executive Director

UNEP's current Executive Director is Achim Steiner, who succeeded previous director Klaus Töpfer in 2006. Dr Töpfer served two consecutive terms, beginning in February 1998.

On 15 March 2006, the United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, nominated Achim Steiner, former Director General of the IUCN to the position of Executive Director. One day later, the UN General Assembly followed Annan's proposal and elected him [2]. However, the nomination raised questions regarding conflict of interest after it was revealed that Steiner had (previous to his nomination by Annan) served as a judge on a panel that awarded the $500,000 Dubai prize to Mr. Annan. The London-based Financial Times reported that the appointment "has prompted new questions about what standards should apply to senior U.N. officials to avoid conflicts of interest".

The position was held for 17 years (1975-1992) by Dr. Mostafa Kamal Tolba, who was instrumental in bringing environmental considerations to the forefront of global thinking and action. Under his leadership, UNEP's most widely acclaimed success - the historic 1988 agreement to protect the ozone layer - the Montreal Protocol was negotiated.

Awards

UNEP established a Global 500 Roll of Honour in 1987 to recognize notable contributions by individuals and organizations. This scheme closed in 2003 and has been replaced by Champions of the Earth.

International Years

2007: (International) Year of the Dolphin

The year 2007 has been declared as (International) Year of the Dolphin - (http://www.yod2007.org) by the United Nations and UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme).

The UN Convention on Migratory Species, together with its specialized agreements on dolphin conservation ACCOBAMS and ASCOBANS and the WDCS (Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society) have proposed 2007 as the Year of the Dolphin ('YOD'))
(International) Patron of the Year of the Dolphin is H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.

Reform

Following the publication of Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in February 2007, a "Paris Call for Action" read out by French President Chirac and supported by 46 countries, called for the United Nations Environment Programme to be replaced by a new and more powerful 'United Nations Environment Organization' (UNEO), to be modelled on the World Health Organization. The 46 countries included the European Union nations, but notably did not include the United States, China, Russia, and India, the top four emitters of greenhouse gasses.

See also

• United Nations
• World Conservation Monitoring Centre
• Notable oceanographers
• The Treasure of the Deep Ocean is the Property of all Mankind
• Conference on the Human Environment: 1972, Stockholm, Sweden
• World Commission on Environment and Development: 1982, Nairobi, Kenya
• Conference on Environment and Development: 1992, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Timeline of environmental events
• World Summit on Sustainable Development: 2002, Johannesburg, South Africa
• Melbourne Principles on Sustainable Cities

External links

UNEP projects

• Official UNEP Website
• UNEP: Atlas of Our Changing Environment
• United Nations Environment Network
• United Nations Earthwatch
• UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre
• UNEP/GRID-Arendal Maps and Graphics library -- a collection of graphics, including interactive maps, related to environment and sustainable development themes.
• Global Environment Facility
• Online Access to Research in the Environment - A program that enables developing countries to gain free or low cost access to one of the world's largest collections of environmental science literature.
• Interactive World Atlas

Related links

• Reports on UNEP Meetings by Earth Negotiations Bulletin
• Official Carpathian Convention Website
• United Nations - Official site
• History of the United Nations - UK Government site
• one-world-generation Environment and the individual
• green.tv - UNEP Partner Organisation
• BASE - UNEP Collaboration Center

Resources

• United Nations Environmental Programme. "Natural Allies: UNEP and Civil Society." Nairobi: United Nations Foundation, 2004.