Information AboutUnep |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME | |
| international environmental organizations | |
| united nations specialized agencies | |
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UNEP is the designated authority of the United Nations system in environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. The mandate and objectives of UNEP emanate from United Nations General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII) of 15 December 1972 and subsequent amendments adopted at UNCED in 1992, the Nairobi Declaration on the Role and Mandate of UNEP, adopted at the Nineteenth Session of the UNEP Governing Council, and the Malmö Ministerial Declaration of 31 May, 2000. Its activities cover a wide range of issues regarding the Atmosphere , marine and terrestrial Ecosystem s. 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. The implementation of UNEP's work is done by the following 7 Divisions:
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 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". nysun.com: After Awarding Annan $500,000, German Is Given Top U.N. Post. {Link without Title} 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. INTERNATIONAL YEARS The year 2007 has been declared as (International) Year Of The Dolphin by the United Nations and UNEP. 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.1 SEE ALSO
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