UPSC PRELIMS - 2017 - ENVIRONMENTAL ORG - UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME

UPSC PRELIMS - 2017 - ENVIRONMENTAL ORG - UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME

UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME

Formation: 5 June 1972 
H. Q. : Nairobi, Kenya

The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) is an agency of United Nations and coordinates its environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices.

It was founded by Maurice Strong, its first director, as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm Conference). UN Environment also has six regional offices and various country offices.

UN Environment has overall responsibility for environmental problems among United Nations agencies but international talks on specialized issues, such as addressing global warming or combating desertification, are overseen by other UN organizations, like the Bonn-based Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.


UN Environment activities cover a wide range of issues regarding the atmosphere, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, environmental governance and green economy.

The World Meteorological Organization and UN Environment established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988.

The International Cyanide Management Code, a program of best practice for the chemical’s use at gold mining operations, was developed under UN Environment’s aegis.

It is also a member of the United Nations Development Group.

UN Environment has a programme for young people known as Tunza.

Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is a series of reports on the environment issued periodically by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).

The GEO project was initiated in response to the environmental reporting requirements of UN Agenda 21 and to a UNEP Governing Council decision of May 1995 which requested the production of a new comprehensive global state of the environment report.

Five GEO reports have been published to date: GEO-1 in 1997; GEO-2000 in 1999; GEO-3 in 2002; GEO-4 in 2007; and GEO-5 in 2012.

United Nations Environment Programme has launched “Young Champions of the Earth,” a new initiative that aims to celebrate and support individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 with outstanding ideas to save the environment. The initiative is sponsored by Covestro, one of the world’s leading polymer companies and a strong proponent of innovation for environmental sustainability.

Each year, six young people – one from each of UN Environment’s global regions – will be named “Young Champions of the Earth.” These winners will each receive $15,000 in seed funding as well as intensive training and tailored mentoring to help bring their big environmental ideas to life.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recently published a report, “Fintech and Sustainable Development: Assessing the Implications,” exploring how digital finance can be leveraged for environmental gains.

UN Environment's main activities are related to:

climate change;
including the Territorial Approach to Climate Change (TACC);
disasters and conflicts;
ecosystem management;
environmental governance;
environment under review;
harmful substances; and
resource efficiency.