United Nations Organizations/Agencies
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Objectives
Membership and Structure
UNEP's Accomplishments
Current Issues
Environment Canada's Involvement
UNEP was established in 1972, following the Stockholm Conference on the Human
Environment. It is the leading environmental authority within the UN system. Its mandate
is to analyze and assess the state of the global environment; further the development of
international environmental law; advance the implementation of agreed international norms
and policies; monitor and foster compliance in these areas; promote greater awareness and
facilitate effective cooperation in the implementation of the international environmental
agenda; and provide policy advice in key areas of institution building.
There are three main components of UNEP's governing structure:
The Governing Council (GC), which comprises 58 member States,
assesses the state of the world environment, establishes UNEP's program priorities,
and approves the budget and program of work. UNEP's Governing Council meets
every two years in Nairobi, Kenya, and every other year in special session,
usually in another country. Members are elected by the UN General Assembly
for a four-year term. The Governing Council's membership is distributed
as follows based
on equitable regional representation: 16 seats for Africa; 13 seats for Asia;
6 seats for Eastern Europe; 13 seats for Western Europe and Other Group ; and
10 seats for Latin America. Canada was re-elected in December 2005 for another
four-year term.
The Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GMEF) is the high level
environmental policy forum in the UN, with universal participation of UN member
states. It meets at the same time as the Governing Council to help shape and
advance the international agenda on global environmental issues and policy
challenges.
The Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR)
monitors and assesses implementation of GC decisions on administrative, budgetary,
and program matters, and reviews secretariat reports and the preparation
of the program of work. The CPR, based in Nairobi, holds four regular meetings each year, with
provision for extraordinary meetings if requested by at least five members.
Canada's participation in the CPR is through DFAIT officials stationed at the Permanent Mission of
Canada to UNEP in Nairobi, Kenya. Canada's High Commissioner to Kenya is
also the Canadian Permanent Representative
to UNEP.
Conventions and Environmental Law – UNEP has been the international
agency responsible for the negotiating processes for numerous multilateral
environmental agreements including the
Convention on Biological Diversity and its Cartagena Protocol, the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES), the Vienna Convention on the Protection of
the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone
Layer, the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and their Disposal, the Convention to Combat Desertification Convention, the
Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous
Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, and the Stockholm Convention on
Persistent Organic Pollutants. The Secretariats for the Convention on Biological
Diversity and the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol
are located in Montreal.
International Environmental Governance — UNEP developed
the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity-Building, which
was adopted during the 23rd session of UNEP Governing Council in 2005. The
Plan will help focus UNEP’s work including
support for developing countries and economies in transition in areas ranging
from waste and data gathering to environmental law and wildlife.
Integrating Land and Seas – For over thirty years the UNEP Regional
Seas Programme has provided an institutional framework for regional and global
cooperation on issues relating to seas, oceans and coasts. UNEP was a driving
force behind the creation of the Global Programme of Action for Land-Based
Sources of Marine Pollution.
State of the Global Environment – The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is
an important flagship product of UNEP, and a major component of its division
of early warning and assessment. UNEP first launched the GEO Project in 1995,
with two main components: the GEO process and the GEO outputs. The main outputs
are the GEO Report Series, which includes Pachamama: Our Earth, Our Future,
a book for young people based on the GEO reports, and Web-based versions of
these reports. The first in the GEO Report Series was published in 1997 and
two other reports were released in 2000 and in 2003. The next GEO report will
be published in 2007. Since 2003, UNEP prepares a GEO Yearbook. The GEO reports
are produced using inputs from a wide range of sources, including UN organizations,
national centres and independent experts.
Working with the Private Sector – UNEP has a number of innovative programs aimed
at helping decision-makers in government and the private sector integrate environmental
considerations into their policies and operations. These include initiatives related to cleaner
production, sustainable technologies, economic instruments, and corporate social responsibility
(such as the UN Global Compact).
Awareness Raising – UNEP has a number of initiatives including the $200,000 Sasakawa
Environment Prize, the Global 500 Honour Roll, annual celebrations for World Environment Day,
Global Youth Forums, and outreach efforts with a diverse array of partners, including Consumers
International, International Olympic Committee, the International Council for Local Environmental
Initiatives (ICLEI) and GLOBE Parliamentarians.
Regional Representation – UNEP regional offices exist in all six UN regions. While the
specific activities of these offices vary depending upon regional priorities, each office acts as
a liaison between UNEP headquarters and local governments and civil society, helps promote awareness
of UNEP's programmes and activities, and fosters international cooperation. The Regional Office for
North America is located in Washington, D.C., and serves Canada and the United States.
9th special session of UNEP Governing Council and 7th Global Ministerial
Environment Forum
The 9th special session of UNEP Governing Council and 7th Global Ministerial
Environment Forum took place from February 7 to 9, 2006, in Dubai, United Arab
Emirates. The GC/GMEF agenda was organized along two parallel tracks: 1) ministerial
consultations, which discussed energy and environment, chemicals management,
tourism and the environment, and outcome of the 2005 World Summit and universal
membership of the UNEP GC; and 2) a Committee of the Whole discussed assessment,
monitoring and early warning, contribution of UNEP to the 14th session of the
Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-14), outcomes of intergovernmental
meetings relevant to UNEP, international environmental governance and implementation
of UNEP’s program of work and relevant GC decisions.
The main outcomes of the 9th special session were a decision endorsing the
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management as contained in the
Dubai Declaration on International Chemicals Management, the Overarching policy
Strategy and the Global Plan of Action; and a President’s summary of
the discussions by ministers and heads of delegation, which will be conveyed
to the President of the UN General Assembly and the 14th session of the Commission
on Sustainable Development.
UNEP released its third Global Environment Outlook (GEO) yearbook 2006, with
a feature focus on the environmental, socio-economic and public health impacts
of energy-related air pollution. It also identifies emerging challenges related
to food security – crop production in a changing climate and fish and
shellfish farming in marine ecosystems.
The 24th regular session of UNEP Governing Council/8th Global Ministerial
Environment Forum will take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from February 5 to 9,
2007.
International Environmental Governance
As part of the broad UN reform launched in 1997, significant efforts have
been devoted to reforming the multilateral system. The International Environmental
Governance (IEG) process, initiated by the Governing Council of UNEP in early
2001, was a major undertaking in this regard. Chaired by Canada’s Environment
Minister, an intergovernmental group of ministers undertook a comprehensive
policy-oriented assessment of existing institutional weaknesses as well as
future needs and options for strengthened international environmental governance.
This broad review led to a number of Governing Council (GC) decisions covering
six main areas, which were endorsed by world leaders at the 2002 World Summit
on Sustainable Development, intended to make UNEP stronger and more effective.
The six elements of the international environmental governance process are
as follows:
- Universal participation in the Global Ministerial Environment Forum
and explore the possibility of universal membership of UNEP GC.
- Strengthening the scientific base of UNEP
- Strengthening the role and financial situation of UNEP
- Improved coordination among and effectiveness of multilateral environmental
agreements
- Capacity-building, technology transfer and country-level coordination for the
environment pillar of sustainable development
- Enhanced coordination across the United Nations system - the role of the Environmental
Management Group
Canada has a long record of close cooperation with UNEP. Environment Canada
manages Canada's relations with UNEP, in consultation with the Department of
Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the Canadian International Development
Agency, as well as other government departments. This role includes providing
advice on UNEP reform and governance issues; overall preparation for and representation
at UNEP Governing Council and Global Ministerial Environmental Forum meetings;
coordination of federal government input into the North American chapter of UNEP's
Global Environmental Outlook (GEO) reports. Environment Canada also plays
an ongoing role related to the negotiation and implementation of
multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and specific work program activities
like chemical management, cleaner production, environmental emergencies, environmental
law, regional seas and other marine issues and GEO.
http://www.unep.org
|
