United Nations Environment Programme

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is an agency of the United Nations responsible for coordinating the organization's environmental activities and assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. UNEP was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

History

UNEP was established following the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm, Sweden. The conference was the first major international gathering to discuss global environmental issues, and it led to the creation of UNEP to act as a global advocate for the environment. Maurice Strong, who was the Secretary-General of the conference, became the first Executive Director of UNEP.

Functions

UNEP's mission 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. UNEP works in seven broad thematic areas:

• Climate change
• Disasters and conflicts
• Ecosystem management
• Environmental governance
• Chemicals and waste
• Resource efficiency
• Environment under review

Major Initiatives

UNEP has been involved in several major environmental initiatives, including:

• The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
• The Convention on Biological Diversity
• The Minamata Convention on Mercury
• The Global Environment Outlook

Executive Directors

UNEP has had several Executive Directors since its inception:

• Maurice Strong (1972-1975)
• Mostafa Tolba (1976-1992)
• Elizabeth Dowdeswell (1993-1998)
• Klaus Topfer (1998-2006)
• Achim Steiner (2006-2016)
• Erik Solheim (2016-2018)
• Joyce Msuya (acting, 2018-2019)
• Inger Andersen (2019-present)

Related Pages

• United Nations Development Programme
• World Health Organization
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

References

• "About UNEP." United Nations Environment Programme. Accessed October 2023. [1]
• "History of UNEP." United Nations Environment Programme. Accessed October 2023. [2]

Gallery

• UNEP Logo
  UNEP Logo
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  UNEP at COP15
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  Maurice Strong
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  Mostafa Tolba
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  Elizabeth Dowdeswell
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  Achim Steiner
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  Erik Solheim
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  Joyce Msuya
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  Inger Andersen
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  UNEP International Resource Panel
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  Carbon Financing
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  UNEP Media Workshop