UN Report Finds Imports of Waste Electronics from Europe Continue to Add to Problem
(Friday 10 February 2012)

The French scientific research vessel, Tara Oceans, which is backed by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), has made a stopover at UN headquarters in New York as part of its campaign to raise awareness on the state of the oceans and marine life.
(Friday 10 February 2012)

Launch to Include Media Preview of UNEP Governing Council
(Thursday 9 February 2012)

Kenya's top runners will join the public later this month for a half-marathon to mark the fortieth anniversary of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
(Tuesday 7 February 2012)

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP), in partnership with the Paul Tergat Foundation and Athletics Kenya, will announce a half-marathon in commemoration of UNEP's upcoming 40th anniversary celebrations.
(Friday 3 February 2012)

Celebrating World Wetlands Day under the theme of wetland tourism gives the perfect occasion to recall the relevance of this unique natural scenery as one of tourism's greatest assets and a fundamental cornerstone to its long-term growth while stressing how tourism.
(Thursday 2 February 2012)

Heads of State from over thirty African countries have taken part in an event to mark the 40th anniversary of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
(Monday 30 January 2012)

(Monday 30 January 2012)

UNEP and the Green Economy-Four Decades in Development
(Sunday 29 January 2012)

Representatives from 65 countries have agreed to step up efforts to protect the world's oceans from land-based activities, while underlining the central role played by the marine environment in the transition to a green economy.
(Friday 27 January 2012)

(Thursday 26 January 2012)

Ecological health and economic productivity of marine and coastal ecosystems, which are currently in decline around the globe, can be boosted by shifting to a more sustainable economic paradigm that taps their natural potential
(Monday 23 January 2012)

South Sudan has become the 197th signatory to the Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol - two treaties that are helping to restore concentrations of ozone around the planet, thereby protecting life on Earth from the sun's ultraviolet rays.
(Monday 23 January 2012)

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced, Friday, the appointment of Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, a national of Brazil, as Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
(Sunday 22 January 2012)

(Wednesday 18 January 2012)

(Tuesday 17 January 2012)

On her first official visit to Africa, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador and iconic face of fashion, Gisele Bündchen, went to the grassroots level in Kenya to experience the reality of energy poverty and to see how Kenyans are transforming their lives by accessing sustainable energy.
(Friday 13 January 2012)

UNEP Goodwill Ambassador and International Supermodel Gisele Bündchen will participate in a Press Conference organized by UNEP at the UN Gigiri Headquarters on Friday, 13 January 2012 at 12 noon.
(Wednesday 11 January 2012)

The exhibition demonstrates the role of art as an outreach tool for increasing public awareness with a focus on the environmental pillar of sustainable development, as the world heads towards Rio+20 in June 2012
(Thursday 5 January 2012)

2012 also marks the 40th anniversary of the environment programme of the UN.
(Wednesday 4 January 2012)

2011 has proven to be a defining year for the environmental pillar of sustainable development as the world heads towards Rio+20 in June 2012.
(Tuesday 3 January 2012)

From UNEP's contribution to the UN's 'International Year of Forests' to the rapidly evolving analysis of how to catalyze a global transition towards a Green Economy, 2011 has proven to be a defining year for the environmental pillar of sustainable development as the world heads towards Rio+20 in June 2012.
(Friday 30 December 2011)

A project backed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is working to make clean energy a reality for households in a rural region of Pakistan.
(Tuesday 27 December 2011)

(Tuesday 20 December 2011)

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is closing its Climate Neutral Network (CN Net) and inviting members to join similar platforms that promote low carbon transformations in the public and private sectors.
(Tuesday 20 December 2011)

(Friday 16 December 2011)

The annual international SEED Awards, which is part of the SEED Initiative, recognise inspiring social and environmental entrepreneurs whose grassroots businesses in developing countries can help to meet sustainable development challenges
(Thursday 15 December 2011)

Day by day, we see a key challenge to better care for the atmosphere, air, land, water and seas: namely, how to best utilise the mounting data from satellites and monitoring stations in ways that are useful to people and the planet.
(Wednesday 14 December 2011)

In the first-ever inter-agency report on the Green Economy, the Environment Management Group (EMG), representing the work of UN agencies, the Bretton Woods Institutions and other intergovernmental bodies - many of whom have a human and social development mandate - outlines steps and policies for pursuing a green economic transformation that generates new sources of sustainable and equitable economic growth that will assist in a global economic recovery.
(Wednesday 14 December 2011)

The UNEP application draws attention to the critical role played by ecosystems such as salt marshes, mangroves, tropical forests and seagrasses in tackling climate change.
(Tuesday 13 December 2011)

Significant Emissions Gap However Remains With Doubts on How it Will be Decisively Bridged by 2020
Kyoto Protocol to Continue-But Covers Only a Fraction of the Necessary Global Emissions
(Sunday 11 December 2011)

How many mangroves does it take to offset a transatlantic flight? What consumer actions can we take to reduce damage to rainforests? Answers to these questions and many more will be provided by a new iPhone application to be launched by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at the Eye on Earth summit in Abu Dhabi.
(Friday 9 December 2011)

(Friday 9 December 2011)

New Partnerships Emerging from Climate Change Action that are Accelerating Sustainability Strategies
(Thursday 8 December 2011)

(Wednesday 7 December 2011)

South Africa Announces National Phase-Out Plan

UNEP and GEF Announce Global Phase-out Target for 2016
(Wednesday 7 December 2011)

New Phase for Campaign Which Has Planted Over 12 Billion Trees Worldwide
(Wednesday 7 December 2011)

From cutting greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficient lighting, to the role of reducing deforestation in achieving sustainable development, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is launching key studies and initiatives during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP17), being held in Durban, South Africa.
(Tuesday 6 December 2011)

A new study has found that the impacts of changing climatic conditions on the availability of natural resources, combined with population growth and weak governance, have led to greater competition over scarce resources and to changing migration patterns in the region.
(Monday 5 December 2011)

Spanish soccer star Carles Puyol, who captains FC Barcelona and led Spain to the World Cup title one year ago, is now tackling an even bigger challenge - saving endangered orangutans.
(Monday 5 December 2011)

(Saturday 3 December 2011)

New evidence of changing climate trends in the Sahel and West Africa and their potentially profound implications for food security and regional stability will be released today at the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, adding to the pressure on governments to stay on a course to reach a new international climate agreement.
(Friday 2 December 2011)

Entries for the 2011 UNEP Young Environmental Journalist Award will close on 16 December 2011.
(Thursday 1 December 2011)

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released today its Final Environmental Review of the 2010 World Exposition which is a complete appraisal of the environmental and social impacts of the six-month long event with recommendations that could be replicated in future international mass events.
(Wednesday 30 November 2011)

Launch of €2.3 m landmark Project to Promote Conservation, Economic Growth & Sustainable Livelihoods in Kenya & the Region
(Tuesday 29 November 2011)

Efforts to conserve seven migratory species, from the Giant Manta Ray to the Saker Falcon, have been strengthened following a major United Nations conference on conservation.
(Monday 28 November 2011)

The Green Up! Campaign from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is encouraging people across Europe to use their old mobile phones to promote sustainable development.
(Monday 28 November 2011)

The project is set to deliver multiple benefits for Kenya and the region that range from the restoration of vital water catchments and the establishment of payments for environmental services to improving the livelihoods of local communities; building national capacity; and the assessment and monitoring of carbon storage in the Mau Forest.
(Monday 28 November 2011)

London/Nairobi, 25 November 2011-A package of 16 measures could, if fully implemented across the globe, save close to 2.5 million lives a year; avoid crop losses amounting to 32 million tonnes annually and deliver near-term climate protection of about half a degree C by 2040.
(Friday 25 November 2011)

New UNEP Report Outlines the Pathways to 2020 Able to Deliver the Additional 6 to 11 Gigatonne Cuts Needed to Get World onto Safe track
(Wednesday 23 November 2011)

Dr. King's research has focused on the response of the African Savannah Elephant to the tiny honey bees.
(Tuesday 22 November 2011)

Keeping a global, 21st century temperature rise under 2 degrees Celsius will require urgent action on a group of chemicals increasingly being used in products such as air conditioners, refrigerators, firefighting equipment and insulation foams.
(Monday 21 November 2011)

UN Calls for International Collaboration to Safeguard Wildlife Frequent Travellers
(Monday 21 November 2011)

The Summary for Policymakers of the Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) was approved today by member governments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
(Friday 18 November 2011)

Countries are developing Green Economy strategies and activities to spur greater economic growth and jobs, environmental protection and equality.
(Wednesday 16 November 2011)

Nairobi, 22 November 2011 - This week, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will launch major reports on climate change in the run-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP17).
(Wednesday 16 November 2011)

A new study published by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and partners examines key challenges faced by post-conflict countries in peacefully and sustainably developing their natural resources, while avoiding major environmental degradation.
(Tuesday 15 November 2011)

From today, humanitarian workers around the world can access training and practical information to help them anticipate and minimize the negative environmental impacts of relief and recovery operations.
(Tuesday 15 November 2011)

The briefing will give journalists an opportunity to address UNEP's ground-breaking report: Toward a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication.
(Tuesday 15 November 2011)

It is high time that the world got back to basics, looked climate change in the eye, re-engaged with the science and embraced the multitude of options that offer clear ways out of the dilemma.
(Monday 14 November 2011)

Up to 10,000 animal species are thought to migrate. Yet, increasingly, air, water and land routes are being destroyed by barriers ranging from roads, fences, dams and power lines to unsustainable hunting or fishing practices, habitat degradation, pollution and climate change.
(Monday 14 November 2011)

The International Energy Agency (IEA) warns that if the current trend to build high-carbon generating infrastructures continues, the world's carbon budget will be swallowed up by 2017.
(Friday 11 November 2011)

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is supporting efforts to restore weather and climate services in Sierra Leone after the country's civil war.
(Friday 11 November 2011)

Special Report Approval and Launch: Managing the Risks of Extreme Weather Events
(Wednesday 9 November 2011)

More than 12 billion trees have now been planted in 193 countries under the Billion Tree Campaign, organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
(Tuesday 8 November 2011)

Representatives from 120 governments are gathering at the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programmed (UNEP) in Nairobi this week for negotiations towards a global treaty on mercury.
(Thursday 3 November 2011)

New Report Lays-out the Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Development up to Rio+20 and beyond
(Tuesday 1 November 2011)

Top United Nations officials marked the global population reaching 7 billion with a call to action to world leaders to meet the challenges that a growing population poses, from ensuring adequate food and clean water to guaranteeing equal access to security and justice.
(Tuesday 1 November 2011)

(Monday 31 October 2011)

The report is produced as part UNEP's "Global Environmental Outlook-5" (GEO -5) series, the UN's most authoritative assessment of the state of the global environment.
(Friday 28 October 2011)

Paper offers options to scale up climate action globally in Durban, Rio and beyond
(Monday 24 October 2011)

Most marine species are heavily affected by ongoing and unsustainable mortalities through fishery interactions
(Monday 24 October 2011)

With 10 percent of the world's dryland ecosystems already degraded, putting at risk the social and economic well-being of millions of people, United Nations agencies have agreed to step up their efforts to protect and revitalise drylands.
(Thursday 20 October 2011)

Stockholm Convention POPs Review Committee assesses hazards of two industrial chemicals nominated for elimination and agrees to prepare guidance on alternatives to pesticide endosulfan
(Wednesday 19 October 2011)

The Roundtable brings together more than 100 speakers - including 20 CEOs and two former heads of government - who will consider the emerging role of sustainable finance in reforming the financial sector to ensure greater long-term stability in the world economy.
(Tuesday 18 October 2011)

Youth Vision for Green Economy Highlighted at UNEP-Bayer Young Envoy Programme
(Monday 17 October 2011)

Bee farming is not only a source of employment but has become a viable long-term solution for addressing the food crisis in Ethiopia
(Friday 14 October 2011)

Released at the conclusion of the Summit of the Urban Environmental Accords, the Gwangiu Cities Declaration sets the way forward towards the greening of cities through improved planning and intelligent management.
(Friday 14 October 2011)

African journalists between 21 and 35 years are once again invited to enter the UNEP Young Environmental Journalist Award.
(Thursday 13 October 2011)

Improved planning and more intelligent management of cities across the developed and developing world could play a key role in growing economies, boosting social improvements and reducing humanity's environmental footprint
(Thursday 13 October 2011)

Cities are the source of some the world's most pressing challenges, but also where hope and innovation lie, said UNEP Deputy Executive Director Amina Mohamed in a speech at the 2011 Urban Environmental Accords (UEA) Gwangju Summit.
(Wednesday 12 October 2011)

With half of Africa's forests and water resources and trillion-dollar mineral reserves, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could become a powerhouse of African development provided multiple pressures on its natural resources are urgently addressed.
(Monday 10 October 2011)

The world population is set to hit 7 billion on 31 October 2011, bringing into sharp focus the challenges of ensuring sustainable development and a fair share of the planet's resources for a growing global population.
(Thursday 6 October 2011)

All organizations are dependent on ecosystem services. It is ecosystem services which support manufacturing and the final products and raw materials of traded goods.
(Wednesday 5 October 2011)

Address by Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, UN Environment Programme to the first session of a plenary meeting on the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
(Monday 3 October 2011)

Delegates, representing all the regions of the world and over 100 countries, were in Bandung, Indonesia, for a unique five-day event that has also put the final touches to children and youth's requests to governments attending the Rio+20 conference in Brazil next year.
(Saturday 1 October 2011)

Conserving key rainforests in Indonesia could generate revenues three times greater than felling them for palm oil plantations.
(Wednesday 28 September 2011)

A love of walking in forests in her home country of the Philippines inspired the winning entry of 13-year-old Trisha Co Reyes in the 2011 International Children's Painting Competition on the Environment.
(Tuesday 27 September 2011)

Young people see things for what they are and call their elders on their actions. Youth don't know what isn't possible
(Tuesday 27 September 2011)

Urgently bridging the skills gap among young people through improved education and training will be one of the keys towards delivering a global Green Economy.
(Tuesday 27 September 2011)

As delegates from around the world converge in Indonesia for the Tunza International Children and Youth Conference 2011, greening the economy as well as generating decent jobs for young people now and in the future are emerging as major tests for the global economy.
(Monday 26 September 2011)

Professor Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, founder of Kenya's Green Belt Movement and patron of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Billion Tree Campaign, has died in Nairobi. She was 71 years old.
(Monday 26 September 2011)

Your meeting comes at a time of extraordinary reflection, debate and discourse on sustainable development in terms of acceleration and scaling-up
(Wednesday 21 September 2011)

A new 'green' industrial revolution is needed in the Asia-Pacific region that catalyzes dramatic improvements in resource efficiency
(Monday 19 September 2011)

According to the latest UN figures, the world's population is projected to reach 7 billion on 31 October.
(Friday 16 September 2011)

The agreement to phase out halons is another step forward to further strengthen the ability to minimize the impact of air transport operations on the environment.
(Friday 16 September 2011)

The closing of the hole in the world's stratospheric ozone layer is still many decades away and the effects and interactions of ozone depletion on climate change are just starting to be understood.
(Friday 16 September 2011)

As the world prepares for the Rio+20 conference in June 2012, more than 1,400 young people from 120 countries are gathering in Indonesia later this month to shape, sharpen and finalize their unique position on this once in a generation event
(Thursday 15 September 2011)

A healthy forestry-based carbon market could achieve to mobilise investment for the protection and rehabilitation of natural forests in the order of $10+ billion by 2020
(Tuesday 13 September 2011)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) stated that it has initiated a review of whether captive chimpanzees should be "up-listed" from the current "threatened" status to "endangered."
(Tuesday 13 September 2011)

Remarks by Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director (UNEP)
Ministerial Meeting on Short Lived Climate Forcers (SLCFs)
(Monday 12 September 2011)

Sustainable development agenda is the agenda for the 21st century. It means connecting the dots between challenges such as climate change and water scarcity, energy shortages, global health issues, food insecurity and the empowerment of the world's women
(Thursday 8 September 2011)

The now completed 400 km electrified fence enclosing the Aberdare Conservation Area (ACA) has improved the livelihoods of millions of people in central Kenya, according to an independent study launched today at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi.
(Monday 5 September 2011)

UNEP is delighted to have assisted in supporting the assessment of the impacts of conservation measures in the Aberdares.
(Monday 5 September 2011)

Bonn, 3 September 2011—Thank you for inviting me to address this important meeting. Unequivocally and unreservedly the process that is leading to Rio+20 needs not only the voice but the passion, experience, vision, creativity and determination of civil society.
(Saturday 3 September 2011)

Nominations are now open for the 2012 Champions of the Earth - the United Nations' flagship environment award that recognizes outstanding visionaries and leaders in the fields of policy, science, entrepreneurship and civil society action.
(Thursday 1 September 2011)

(Thursday 1 September 2011)

Your meeting takes places some nine months in advance of Rio+20, scheduled to take place in early June 2012. Rio+20 comes at a moment in time when there is a consensus on the need to re-think the global economy and re-envision policies and instruments that reflect persistent but also emerging issues
(Thursday 1 September 2011)

Message from Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UN Environment Programme Executive Director to Helen Clark, Chair of the UN Development Group (UNDG) concerning the attack on the United Nations in Abuja, Nigeria
(Saturday 27 August 2011)

Investing 0.16 per cent of global GDP in the water sector could reduce water scarcity and halve the number of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation in less than four years, according to United Nations research released today.
(Thursday 25 August 2011)

Eight million seven hundred thousand (give or take 1.3 million) is the latest estimated total number of species on Earth and the most precise calculation ever offered, according to a new study co-authored by a researcher with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
(Wednesday 24 August 2011)

(Tuesday 23 August 2011)

Recognising healthy ecosystems as the basis for sustainable water resources and stable food security can help produce more food from each unit of agricultural land, improve resilience to climate change and provide economic benefits for poor communities
(Monday 22 August 2011)

A UN-backed meeting of global conservation experts has concluded in Geneva with important decisions to protect a number of endangered species, including the launch of a trust fund to ensure the long-term survival of the African elephant population.
(Monday 22 August 2011)

The five countries bordering the Caspian Sea have agreed on new commitments to strengthen regional responses to oil spills and to improve the way potential sources of pollution are monitored and managed across national borders.
(Monday 15 August 2011)

en.lighten is an initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), in partnership with the United Nations Enviornment Programme (UNEP) and leading global lighting manufacturers (Philips and OSRAM), to accelerate market transformation of efficient lighting technologies on a global scale.
(Monday 15 August 2011)

Two Nairobi students have been selected as Young Environmental Envoys for Kenya by the United Nations Environment Programme and Bayer
(Wednesday 10 August 2011)

The inextricable link between cultural and linguistic diversity and biodiversity is today celebrated on the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
(Tuesday 9 August 2011)

As the humanitarian community works to save lives in the areas affected, the need for sustainable solutions to prevent a reoccurance of this situation in the medium and long-term is becoming increasingly apparent.
(Monday 8 August 2011)

The environmental restoration of Ogoniland in Nigeria could prove to be the world's most wide-ranging and long term oil clean-up exercise ever undertaken if contaminated drinking water, land, creeks and important ecosystems such as mangroves are to be brought back to full, productive health.
(Thursday 4 August 2011)

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has received the UN21 Award for Climate Neutrality from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. UNEP was unveiled as the co-winner of the award along with the UN Department of Field Support during a ceremony at the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium at UN Headquarters in New York.
(Wednesday 3 August 2011)

China, the largest producer and consumer of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which not only harm the ozone layer but also the climate due to their high global-warming potential, has been granted US $265 million to cut its use of these gases by 2015.
(Tuesday 2 August 2011)

Efforts to establish international standards for measuring energy use in buildings have received a boost, after the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) decided to consider an innovative tool developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to gauge energy consumption and CO₂ emissions in homes and offices across the world.
(Tuesday 2 August 2011)

One of Europe's most endangered bat species has received an important conservation boost thanks to an innovative project carried out as part of the UNEP-backed 'Year of the Bat'.
(Monday 1 August 2011)

Amina Mohamed of Kenya today formally took up office as Deputy Executive Director (DED) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
(Monday 25 July 2011)

A record number of over 200 delegates, from fifty countries, attending the meeting expressed concern about the sustainability of current levels of trade in skins of three species of snakes used in luxury products and an other 20 animal species used in biomedical research, the food industry or as pets.
(Monday 25 July 2011)

UNEP Executive Director delivered the following address at a UN Security Council debate on the impact of climate change on maintaining international peace and security on 20 July 2011.
(Wednesday 20 July 2011)

Scientists from around the world are gathering in Geneva for a meeting of the UN-backed body aimed at stopping trade in endangered species.
(Tuesday 19 July 2011)

UNEP has published a statement following reports in the Dutch media regarding the forthcoming Ogoniland Environmental Assessment Report.
(Monday 18 July 2011)

Despite its late start, Angola takes a big leap forward as the UN treaty Depositary recently announced receipt of ratification documents for all the Amendments to the Montreal protocol on the protection of the Ozone layer at a go.
(Wednesday 13 July 2011)

The renewable energy sector continued to perform well in 2010 despite the economic recession, according to a new report supported by UNEP.
(Wednesday 13 July 2011)

Today, the top 18 winners of the Chinese Children's Painting Competition received their awards in the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
(Wednesday 13 July 2011)

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, visited the headquarters of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya, today for a roundtable discussion on the Green Economy.
(Tuesday 12 July 2011)

China's Minister of Environment Zhou Shengxian today made his first visit to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) where he spoke on international environmental cooperation and the promotion of a Green Economy.
(Monday 11 July 2011)

Boosting cooperation between countries sharing the waters of the Amu Darya, Central Asia's longest river, could be key to future peace and security in the region a new report launched today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says.
(Monday 11 July 2011)

Wind farms in China and small-scale solar panels on rooftops in Europe were largely responsible for last year's 32% rise in green energy investments worldwide according to the latest annual report on renewable energy investment trends issued by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
(Thursday 7 July 2011)

Political commitment, donor interest and increased awareness of the need to manage Darfur's scarce water resources sustainably were among the key outcomes of a two-day international conference organized by the Sudanese Government and its international partners in Khartoum last week.
(Thursday 7 July 2011)

The growing interest in CDM projects will help turn the tide and contribute to firmly positioning Africa's opportunities for the carbon market landscape beyond 2012
(Wednesday 6 July 2011)

Social and environmental entrepreneurs who can demonstrate innovation, leadership and sustainability have the chance to win expert assistance and support for their sustainable development initiatives in the 2011 SEED Awards.
(Tuesday 5 July 2011)

African heads of state have stressed the need for a common voice on sustainable development in the run-up to next year's major Rio+20 conference.
(Friday 1 July 2011)

Rio+20 could represent an evolution of sustainable development that recognizes and values Africa's assets in a way that reflects the economic, social and environmental realities of a world markedly different from Rio 1992.
(Thursday 30 June 2011)

Transferring from paper to electronic systems will allow more efficient tracing of an ever-growing trade in wildlife products.
(Thursday 30 June 2011)

There is a sense that while recent discussions, most notably in Bonn, Germany only a few weeks ago did make progress, big gaps remain between the pace of political and practical progress and the pace of climate change
(Thursday 30 June 2011)

An environmental and public health hazard for the residents of Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, has been contained following the successful removal of 93 barrels of toxic waste
(Thursday 30 June 2011)

The UN has added three pesticides to the Rotterdam Convention to protect human health and the environment against hazardous chemicals in international trade.
(Wednesday 29 June 2011)

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner pays tribute to South African politician and activist Professor Kader Asmal who died on 23 June 2011.
(Friday 24 June 2011)

Climate adaptation offers competitive advantages to businesses worldwide, according to the results of survey by the United Nations and partners.
(Tuesday 21 June 2011)

In a new, three-part film, UNEP has revisited the three baby gorillas named during World Environment Day celebrations in 2010.
(Monday 20 June 2011)

Investing in more sustainable ways to manage fisheries is needed to secure food security, biodiversity and other vital services provided by oceans, writes UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner and Joshua S. Reichert of the Pew Environment Group.
(Friday 17 June 2011)

In a message to mark the World Day to Combat Desertification, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner says that investing in arid zone forests can fight poverty and help the transition towards a green economy.
(Thursday 16 June 2011)

Fast action on pollutants such as black carbon, ground level ozone and methane may significantly increase the chances of keeping global temperature rise below 2 degrees C, a UN new assessment says.
(Tuesday 14 June 2011)

Declines in marine ecosystems due to overfishing and pollution could be reversed if organisations, communities and other stakeholders adopt a more integrated approach to managing coastal environments, according to a new UN publication.
(Wednesday 8 June 2011)

Countries from the tropical forest ecosystems of the Amazon, Congo and South East Asia have strengthened co-operation on the sustainable use of forest resources to achieve national economic growth, at a major summit in Congo-Brazzaville.
(Wednesday 8 June 2011)

Last month the Ivory and Rhinoceros Enforcement Task Force of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) met in the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi to discuss urgent action against organized crime targeting the world's two largest pachyderms: the elephant and the rhino.
(Tuesday 7 June 2011)

Today we celebrate World Environment Day, declared by the United Nations as June 5.
(Monday 6 June 2011)

Thousands of projects are taking place internationally for World Environment Day (WED), but perhaps none as high as the clean-up operation held some 8,848m metres above sea level on Mount Everest
(Monday 6 June 2011)

Investing an additional US$40 billion a year in the forestry sector could halve deforestation rates by 2030, increase rates of tree planting by around 140 per cent by 2050, and help create millions of new jobs according to a report by the UN Environment Programme
(Sunday 5 June 2011)

In the run-up to World Environment Day (WED) on 5 June 2011, celebrities across the world are squaring up to their fellow stars - all in the name of the environment.
(Friday 3 June 2011)

A new UNEP report will detail the economic, environmental, health and social benefits of investing in forests. 'Forests in a Green Economy' will be launched in New Delhi and Nairobi on 5 June 2011.
(Thursday 2 June 2011)

(Tuesday 31 May 2011)

From Bangalore to Bangkok, World Environment Day on 5 June 2011 will see thousands of people come together to celebrate the value of forests
(Tuesday 31 May 2011)

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) will be part of a major conference on water and peace in Sudan's Darfur region to be held in June.
(Tuesday 31 May 2011)

European forests may be expanding, but many are still under threat from 'fragmentation' as a result of felling, fires and conversion to agricultural land, according to experts with the United Nations.
(Tuesday 31 May 2011)

UNEP and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) call for a dramatic increase in support for sustainable agriculture as a way to drive green growth and reduce poverty.
(Tuesday 31 May 2011)

Latest estimates showing that greenhouse gas emissions reached record levels in 2010 are a stark warning to governments to provide strong new progress this year towards global solutions to climate change, says UN Climate Chief Christiana Figueres.
(Monday 30 May 2011)

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner delivered the opening speech at the high-level segment of the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Carpathian Convention in Bratislava, Slovakia, last week.
(Monday 30 May 2011)

Smarter product designs, support for developing country waste management schemes, and encouraging developed country households not to 'squirrel away' old electronic goods in drawers and closets could help boost recycling of metals worldwide, according to a report released today by the United Nations Environment Programme
(Thursday 26 May 2011)

Green Week - the largest annual environmental policy conference in Europe attracting around 4,000 participants, is taking place in Brussels this week. In its 11th year, this year's meeting will focus on the theme of "Resource Efficiency: Using less, living better".
(Tuesday 24 May 2011)

Failure to recycle many metals around the world not only causes wasted resources and environmental damage, it threatens shortages of elements essential to modern technologies, according to the first-ever comprehensive analysis of the problem.
(Monday 23 May 2011)

Biodiversity Day 2011 falls in the UN's International Year of Forests marking 12 months of celebrations and action towards improved conservation and management of these essential natural assets.
(Sunday 22 May 2011)

Every year, on 22 May, we celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity, proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations eleven years ago to commemorate the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity, with the objective to raise awareness of issues related to biodiversity
(Friday 20 May 2011)

This year's observance of the International Day for Biodiversity falls during the 2011 International Year of Forests, declared by the United Nations General Assembly to educate the global community about the value of forests and the extreme social, economic and environmental costs of losing them
(Friday 20 May 2011)

An organization tackling pollution in developing countries and an academic working to make houses safer during earthquakes are among the recipients of this year's Green Star Awards.
(Thursday 19 May 2011)

The responsibility of this generation is not to reinvent sustainable development, but to help it evolve
(Tuesday 17 May 2011)

Many LDCs are rich in the kinds of natural resources which other economies have damaged or degraded or simply used up; resources that will become increasingly sought after in a resource constrained world.
(Friday 13 May 2011)

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Amina Mohamed, a Kenyan national, as Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
(Friday 13 May 2011)

In an editorial in the Guardian, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner writes that millions of people are displaced annually as a result of climate disasters. The global community must take a precautionary approach
(Thursday 12 May 2011)

By 2050, humanity could consume an estimated 140 billion tons of minerals, ores, fossil fuels and biomass per year - three times its current appetite - unless the economic growth rate is "decoupled" from the rate of natural resource consumption.
(Thursday 12 May 2011)

The loss, fragmentation and degradation of natural bird habitats is occurring globally and is mainly caused by the pressures resulting from a growing human population, rapid urbanization and unsustainable human use of natural areas
(Thursday 12 May 2011)

From using green technology to cut air pollution in China, to tackling the impact of toxic chemicals in Eastern Europe or crossing the globe to fly the flag for solar power, this year's Champions of the Earth represent green innovation in action.
(Wednesday 11 May 2011)

It's not every day you see an international supermodel squaring up to a Hollywood actor. But as the countdown to World Environment Day (WED) on June 5th begins, Gisele Bundchen and Don Cheadle are taking off the gloves to do battle.
(Tuesday 10 May 2011)

A new report from UNEP's International Resource Panel has sought to apply the concept of decoupling economic growth and human well-being from negative environmental impacts and escalating resource use to address this challenge
(Monday 9 May 2011)

Close to 80 percent of the world's energy supply could be met by renewables by mid-century if backed by the right enabling public policies a new report shows
(Monday 9 May 2011)

The world's 48 least developed countries are well-positioned to jump start the transition to a green economy, according to a new UN report released today.
(Monday 9 May 2011)

The forestry-based carbon market's value holds the potential to grow to $10+ billion USD by 2020, according to The Economics of Ecosystem and Biodiversity (TEEB), while that of total forest ecosystem goods and services is estimated at $5 trillion USD
(Friday 6 May 2011)

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and TreeHugger have joined forces to launch a blogging competition for World Environment Day 2011
(Thursday 5 May 2011)

Representatives from 127 governments have agreed to add endosulfan to the United Nations' list of persistent organic pollutants to be eliminated worldwide.
(Tuesday 3 May 2011)

The UN Conference on Sustainable Development 2012 or Rio+20; the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. Three major events; three enormous opportunities to catalyze innovation and sustainable development; three occasions that dovetail, resonate and echo to our agenda and meeting in Qatar.
(Sunday 1 May 2011)

What do a head of state, adventurer, chemicals campaigner, green entrepreneur and a world-famous performer have in common? All five will receive the UN's flagship environmental award later in New York today.
(Thursday 28 April 2011)

Celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Sierra Leone's independence resonated with strong calls to protect, conserve and manage the country's precious natural resources.
(Wednesday 27 April 2011)

Investing about one and a quarter per cent of global GDP each year in energy efficiency and renewable energies could cut global primary energy demand by nine per cent in 2020 and close to 40 per cent by 2050
(Tuesday 26 April 2011)

On April 22nd we celebrate the 31st anniversary of the Earth Day created in 1970, a landmark for the environmental movement
(Thursday 21 April 2011)

The stark environmental challenges in Haiti during 2010 and opportunities for a more sustainable future are presented in a new UNEP publication.
(Thursday 21 April 2011)

To safeguard the environmental and economic value of Africa's Atlantic coastline, members of the Abidjan Convention have agreed on new steps to deal with oil pollution.
(Wednesday 20 April 2011)

Better scientific information and closer supervision of captive breeding facilities are crucial for addressing the conservation and sustainability aspects of the Asian snake trade, according to participants at a major workshop in China.
(Monday 18 April 2011)

Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have agreed the selection of the forty members who will be entrusted with the task of designing the Green Climate Fund
(Friday 15 April 2011)

Thirty winners of the UNEP-hosted Seed Awards are among participants in a Green Economy Symposium in South Africa. The event focuses on how community-level entrepreneurs can accelerate the transition to a Green Economy.
(Friday 15 April 2011)

Some 200 representatives from business and industry, governments and civil society gathered in Paris this week to debate the transition to a green economy.
(Thursday 14 April 2011)

The idea of a Green Economy is fast becoming a key component of mainstream economic discourse and is seen as the blueprint for a transition to a more efficient and equitable economy that makes better use of natural resources to achieve sustainable growth.
(Monday 11 April 2011)

No one UN agency, government, NGO or private sector company can hope to address the multiple challenges or deliver on multiple opportunities out there in the world of today.
(Monday 11 April 2011)

From pandas to tigers, China is home to some of the most magnificent wild species and plays a prominent role in the conservation and sustainable use of the planet's biodiversity.
(Friday 8 April 2011)

Journalists are invited to attend a press briefing on two reports to be published by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR).
(Wednesday 6 April 2011)

Renewable energy was given a boost with the opening of the first General Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) which opened in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
(Tuesday 5 April 2011)

Renewable energy is no longer a dream or a fringe preoccupation of the few. It is fast emerging as a mainstream technology able to answer multiple challenges and deliver multiple opportunities for countries and communities across the developed and the developing world.
(Monday 4 April 2011)

The rise of geothermal energy in Kenya's Great Rift Valley was witnessed today by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who toured the Olkaria plant northwest of the country's capital of Nairobi.
(Saturday 2 April 2011)

United Nations chemical experts have recommended that two pesticides that pose an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment be included in the Rotterdam Convention's Prior Informed Consent procedure
(Friday 1 April 2011)

The United Nations has released details of its greenhouse gas emissions for 52 institutions, covering 200,000 employees, in a new report published as part of ongoing efforts to reduce the organisation's carbon footprint.
(Friday 1 April 2011)

Kigali, 31 March 2011 An international meeting organized by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP/CMS) called for better enforcement of wildlife law in the ten countries in Africa with gorilla populations. For the first time ever, UN agencies, national governments in the region, local wildlife authorities, non-governmental organizations and international experts came together this week at a two-day meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, to deal with wildlife crime threatening endangered gorillas.
(Thursday 31 March 2011)

The Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon has officially opened the new offices of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) in Nairobi, Kenya.
(Thursday 31 March 2011)

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, will visit Nairobi from Wednesday 30 March to Saturday 2 April 2011 for a meeting of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB).
(Wednesday 30 March 2011)

Africa is rich in the kinds of natural resources that in many parts of the world have been over-exploited and diminished by centuries of unsustainable development
(Monday 28 March 2011)

A partnership conceived and supported by UNEP's OzonAction team has received a prestigious award from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
(Monday 28 March 2011)

Government representatives, major industries and leading marine researchers have come together to make a new set of commitments to tackle the widespread problem of debris in the world's seas and oceans.
(Friday 25 March 2011)

The Olympics are a source of national pride but also an opportunity for showcasing innovation and catalyzing action towards a more sustainable future nationally and internationally
(Wednesday 23 March 2011)

Climate change and rapid urbanization are threatening fragile water resources in Mongolia, where more than half of the inhabitants have no access to clean water
(Tuesday 22 March 2011)

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) possesses over half of Africa's water reserves, yet 74 percent of its population lacks access to safe drinking water, according to a new study by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
(Tuesday 22 March 2011)

A new pilot project to address the hunting and capture of the endangered marine mammal, the dugong, has been launched in Palau. The action plan is one of the major initiatives to be promoted as part of the 2011 Pacific Year of the Dugong.
(Monday 14 March 2011)

More than a dozen factors, ranging from declines in flowering plants and the use of memory-damaging insecticides to the world-wide spread of pests and air pollution, may be behind the emerging decline of bee colonies across many parts of the globe.
(Thursday 10 March 2011)

A new UNEP report shows that bee colonies worldwide are under threat, with serious implications for biodiversity and food security. Habitat loss, air pollution, crop spraying and the widespread use of insecticides are some of the key factors behind the decline.
(Wednesday 9 March 2011)

Desertification, land degradation and drought affect over one and a half billion people in more than 110 countries
(Friday 4 March 2011)

Celebrated every year on 5 June, WED aims to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environment. This year's events will take place in India under the theme, 'Forests: Nature at Your Service'.
(Wednesday 2 March 2011)

It is with great sadness that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has learned of the death of Nigerian scientist Clement Kemte Nekabari Faah, a valued member of UNEP's Ogoniland project team
(Tuesday 1 March 2011)

A new comprehensive analysis finds that 75 percent of the world's coral reefs are currently threatened by local and global pressures
(Thursday 24 February 2011)

A major sustainable development conference in Brazil next year offers a key opportunity to accelerate and to scale-up a global transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient Green Economy, a meeting of the world's environment ministers has signaled.
(Thursday 24 February 2011)

A wide-ranging new partnership aimed at furthering sustainable development in the 21st century was announced today by the European Union's (EU) Commissioner for the Environment Janez Potočnik and UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
(Wednesday 23 February 2011)

Two projects conserving forests and promoting sustainable development in remote rural communities of Latin America and Asia are the laureates of the 2010-11 UNEP Sasakawa Prize, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today.
(Wednesday 23 February 2011)

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) today announced that India, with one of the fastest growing economies in the world that is embracing the process of a transition to a Green Economy, will be for the first time ever the global host of World Environment Day 2011 (WED) on 5 June.
(Tuesday 22 February 2011)

The European Commission, Government of Kenya and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) are set to announce a major new partnership to assist in the restoration of part of the Mau Forest Complex.
(Tuesday 22 February 2011)

Today's new cooperative statement, outlining a strategic partnership covering European Union funding from the European Commission (EC) to UNEP up to 2013, identifies key areas of joint activities including under the European Union's "Thematic Programme for Environment and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources including Energy".
(Tuesday 22 February 2011)

We live in some of the most challenging times that perhaps any generation has faced, but also one of the most exciting moments where the possibilities of re-shaping and re-focusing towards a sustainable 21st century have never been more tangible.
(Monday 21 February 2011)

In just two years, the idea of a "Green Economy," with its links to sustainable development and poverty eradication, has gone from being an interesting idea to being among the top two issues at the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20.
(Sunday 20 February 2011)

Investing two per cent of global GDP into ten key sectors can kick-start a transition towards a low carbon, resource efficient Green Economy a new report launched today says.
(Saturday 19 February 2011)

Transition to low-sulphur diesel and cleaner vehicles could achieve US$6 billion in health savings for Sub-Saharan Africa each year
(Friday 18 February 2011)

Massive amounts of phosphorus, a valuable fertilizer needed to feed a growing global population, are being lost to the oceans as result of inefficiencies in farming and a failure to recycle wastewater.
(Thursday 17 February 2011)

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Hisense International Co. Ltd. today signed a partnership at a ceremony in UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, which will work to promote and strengthen the brand profile and global positioning of the SEED Award The SEED Award is a component of the SEED Initiative programme, which supports innovative and small-scale entrepreneurs worldwide who integrate environmental and social benefits into their business models.
(Tuesday 15 February 2011)

Government ministers, civil society representatives and high-profile figures from finance to environment will meet in Nairobi from 21- 24 February 2011 for the 26th UNEP Governing Council / Global Ministerial Environment Forum.
(Friday 11 February 2011)

Reducing the scientific knowledge gap between industrialized countries and the developing world is one of the eight UN Millennium Development Goals which nations seek to attain by 2015.
(Friday 4 February 2011)

The realisation of a global treaty on mercury is gaining momentum following a meeting of over 120 states in Chiba, Japan. The metal can have seriously damaging effects on the environment, while human exposure to mercury poses a multitude of health risks.
(Thursday 3 February 2011)

Forests represent many things to many people including spiritual, aesthetic and cultural dimensions that are, in many ways, priceless. But they are also cornerstones of our economies, whose real value has all too often been invisible in national accounts of profit and loss.
(Wednesday 2 February 2011)

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for "revolutionary action" to achieve sustainable development, warning that the past century's heedless consumption of resources is "a global suicide pact" with time running out to ensure an economic model for survival.
(Monday 31 January 2011)

Tourism is one of the world's largest industries and for developing countries it can be a source of much needed income
(Friday 28 January 2011)

More than 1,200 species of bats comprise nearly a quarter of all mammals, and their ecological services are essential to human economies and the health of whole ecosystems worldwide.
(Friday 21 January 2011)

(Wednesday 12 January 2011)

The availability of climate change information remains insufficient, according to many of the world's financial institutions. More than 60 institutions took part in a survey organised by the UNEP Finance Initiative and the Sustainable Business Institute, Germany.
(Wednesday 12 January 2011)

The UN has released a report calling on Nigerian authorities to prevent further lead poisoning in the country. Abnormally high rates of death and illness among children have been recorded since the beginning of 2010 in Zamfara State.
(Friday 7 January 2011)

The last two years have been a roller coaster ride in respect to securing a new global treaty to combat climate change. Some even despair that the window for action is closing fast. But giving up is not an option, writes UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
(Thursday 6 January 2011)

An ambitious environmental recovery and sustainable development initiative for southwest Haiti was launched yesterday in Port-Salut by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and a consortium of partners including the Government of Haiti, the Government of Norway, Catholic Relief services and the Earth Institute at Columbia University.
(Wednesday 5 January 2011)

In a new report, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) emphasises the urgency of advancing negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) towards an international agreement to ban harmful government fishing subsidies and to introduce new measures to ensure the sustainability and future viability of the world's oceans.
(Thursday 23 December 2010)

A new international body aimed at catalyzing a global response to the loss of biodiversity and world's economically-important forests, coral reefs and other ecosystems was born yesterday by governments at the United Nations 65th General Assembly (UNGA).
(Tuesday 21 December 2010)

Over the past four decades the international community has developed and adopted Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), which under international law are fundamental for assisting countries to work together on global environmental issues.
(Thursday 16 December 2010)

The rich grasslands in South America, home to one of the world's most valuable ecosystems is fast disappearing and migratory grassland birds, which play an important role by dispersing seeds and controlling insects, are also rapidly declining in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
(Wednesday 15 December 2010)

From deforestation in Guatemala to the effects of mining in Colombia, a new atlas produced by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) uses over 200 striking satellite images to highlight the most pressing environmental issues in Latin America and the Caribbean.
(Tuesday 14 December 2010)

The UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico, ended on Saturday with the adoption of a balanced package of decisions that set all governments more firmly on the path towards a low-emissions future and support enhanced action on climate change in the developing world.
(Saturday 11 December 2010)

Fast-track climate funding for vulnerable mountain communities and low carbon development strategies was announced today by the governments of Denmark and Germany and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
(Friday 10 December 2010)

A landmark assessment, spotlighting the emissions gaps between what nations pledged on climate change 12 months ago and what is actually needed to avoid a 2 degree temperature rise, has been handed over to the Government of Mexico.
(Wednesday 8 December 2010)

After covering more than 25,000 kilometres across four continents, participants in the Zero Emissions Race received a warm welcome in Cancun, Mexico at the UN Climate Change Conference, having powered their way from Geneva in less than 80 days using renewable energy
(Tuesday 7 December 2010)

Climate change increases vulnerability to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), a UN research team concluded in a major study previewed in Cancun, Tuesday.
(Tuesday 7 December 2010)

Glaciers in parts of Argentina and Chile, followed by those in the coastal mountain ranges of Alaska, have been losing mass faster and for longer than glaciers in other parts of the world, according to a new UNEP report.
(Tuesday 7 December 2010)

There is increasing concern about the effects of climate change on high mountain glaciers and the resulting impact on sea-level rises, natural hazards and water resources.
(Tuesday 7 December 2010)

The climate change challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean have been laid out in graphic detail in a new publication by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Using charts, graphs and maps, the report shows the major signs of climate change as well as calculating current levels of greenhouse gas emissions and possibilities for mitigation.
(Monday 6 December 2010)

The climate change challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean have been laid out in graphic detail in a new publication by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
(Monday 6 December 2010)

Three of four electric vehicles which departed on a round-the-world race from the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on 15 August have made it to Cancun, Mexico to show-case alternative transport and its role in combating climate change.
(Monday 6 December 2010)

Globally, the waste management sector contributes 3-5 per cent of man-made greenhouse gas emissions, roughly equal to around the current emissions from international aviation and shipping.
(Friday 3 December 2010)

Food security of half of the world's population is dependent on the use of fertilizers but large amounts of fertilizers either escape into the atmosphere, or into groundwater, soil, rivers and coastal waters, creating an excess of nutrients in the environment
(Friday 3 December 2010)

The future impact of rising emissions on the health of seas and oceans may be far more wide-ranging and complex than was previously supposed, a new report released at the UN climate convention meeting in Mexico says.
(Thursday 2 December 2010)

The future impact of rising emissions on the health of seas and oceans may be far more wide-ranging and complex than was previously supposed
(Thursday 2 December 2010)

Indonesia could save US$1 billion a year and cut its greenhouse gas emissions by eight million tonnes annually by switching to energy-saving bulbs - just one of many findings in a worldwide lighting study released at the UN Climate Change Conference.
(Wednesday 1 December 2010)

Some 15,000 participants have gathered in Cancun, Mexico for the UN Climate Change Conference. UN climate change chief Christiana Figueres said that a balanced set of decisions under both the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol could be an achievable outcome of the conference.
(Tuesday 30 November 2010)

A new assessment by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), to be launched 1 December at the UN Climate Change meeting in Cancun, provides estimates of potential emissions reduction and savings that can be achieved by switching to energy efficient lighting technologies
(Tuesday 30 November 2010)

The major challenges facing Africa's water resources have been laid out in striking clarity in a new atlas compiled by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Africa Water Atlas uses hundreds of 'before and after' shots, detailed new maps and satellite images from 53 countries to show the problems facing Africa's water supplies, such as the drying of Lake Chad and the erosion of the Nile Delta, as well as new, successful methods of conserving water.
(Thursday 25 November 2010)

(Tuesday 23 November 2010)

Nations have the chance to deliver almost 60 per cent of the emissions reductions needed to keep global temperatures under a 2 degrees Celsius rise. But only if the pledges made last year in Copenhagen are fully met. These are among the findings of a new report compiled by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and over 30 leading climate scientists.
(Tuesday 23 November 2010)

The fieldwork by UNEP's scientific teams on oil pollution in Ogoniland, Nigeria is firmly focused on collecting samples of water, soil, sediment, air and plant and animal tissue, with the on-the-ground activities due to be completed in December 2010 after which there will be further laboratory analysis.
(Monday 22 November 2010)

As governments prepare for the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico from 29 November to 10 December, a new report spells out what the pledges of the past 12 months by governments might actually mean in terms of putting the world on track to limit global temperature rises.
(Thursday 18 November 2010)

Investors responsible for the management of funds the size of US GDP call for policies to unlock the vast potential of low-carbon markets and avoid economic devastation caused by climate change
(Wednesday 17 November 2010)

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Polar Cap Productions, Inc. (PCP) are pleased to announce the COP16 screenings of Mark Terry's new climate change documentary The Polar Explorer
(Wednesday 17 November 2010)

(Friday 12 November 2010)

India has embarked on a new pathway towards developing a low-carbon transport system, days before the convening of the UN climate change convention in Cancun.
(Friday 12 November 2010)

The provision of water is a challenge across much of northern Sudan, but in Darfur, the displacement of over two million people has put unique stress on aquifers and compounded the region's chronic vulnerability to drought.
(Wednesday 10 November 2010)

Participants at the Global Forum for Sport and Environment (G-ForSE), held at UNEP headquarters from 8 - 9 November, reviewed the impact of environmental projects from the likes of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and discussed the sustainability measures planned for future sports events
(Tuesday 9 November 2010)

As governments prepare for the G20 summit in South Korea this week, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner says the event is an opportunity for countries to move towards a more sustainable global economy.
(Tuesday 9 November 2010)

Week two of UNEP's "30 Ways in 30 Days" reveals how an investment of US$100,000 has improved vital reservoirs in Togo, the true environmental impact of the buildings we live and work in and how cleaner stoves are improving health and benefiting the environment.
(Monday 8 November 2010)

Through the partnership, UNEP and Bayer create opportunities for young people and children to expand and share their environmental knowledge and skills and to put into practice concrete environmental protection ideas.
(Monday 8 November 2010)

Future generations should not have to look at the last tigers behind bars in a zoo. Instead, it is those criminals who poach and trade tigers that should be the ones behind bars
(Monday 8 November 2010)

(Friday 5 November 2010)

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says more investment is needed in policies, institutions and actions to help reduce damage to the environmental from armed conflict.
(Friday 5 November 2010)

A Ugandan business that manufactures stationery from agricultural waste and a bamboo bicycle project in Ghana are among the 30 winners of the 2010 SEED Awards.
(Wednesday 3 November 2010)

From today, a month out from the start of the UN Climate Convention's meeting in Cancun, Mexico, UNEP will release online case studies to show that solutions to climate change are available and can be copied and scaled up around the world
(Monday 1 November 2010)

Are you a young journalist with a passion for the environment? If so, then the United Nations wants to hear from you! The Young Environmental Journalist Award Africa is open to radio, television, print and online journalists aged 25 to 35 years from any African nation.
(Monday 1 November 2010)

After close to 20 years of discussion and debate, governments from across the globe today agreed to a new treaty to manage the world's economically-central genetic resources in a far fairer and more systematic way.
(Friday 29 October 2010)

Participants attending the Tunza International Children's Conference on the Environment culminated in a Declaration on Biodiversity presented today to the high-level segment of the Conference of the Parties of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan
(Thursday 28 October 2010)

From recycled golf balls to close shaves with black rhinos, the actor talks to UNEP's Our Planet magazine about his new environmental role.
(Wednesday 27 October 2010)

More than 15 national parks and marine reserves are receiving a US$6.7 million conservation boost thanks to a new partnership between UNEP and the government of Spain.
(Wednesday 27 October 2010)

UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director addresses the high-level session of the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 10), taking place in Nagoya, Japan - 27 October 2010
(Wednesday 27 October 2010)

New research backed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reveals European bats to be a major conservation success. This is largely thanks to legislation and treaties that promote bat conservation.
(Tuesday 26 October 2010)

The Arctic is experiencing some of the most rapid environmental changes on the planet. More cooperation between nations is to meet these challenges, according to a new UNEP report.
(Tuesday 26 October 2010)

The TUNZA International Children's Conference saw young people from across the world discuss biodiversity challenges. The winners of the International Children's Painting Competition also received their awards.
(Tuesday 26 October 2010)

This CEO Briefing underscores the critical natural capital that underpins our economic activity and financial capital
(Tuesday 26 October 2010)

The guide, the first of its kind, is geared to assist the business community, governments as well as NGOs by providing useful expert reviewed information, links to tools with spatial data, and further online resources to raise awareness and support decision-making about areas important for biodiversity conservation
(Monday 25 October 2010)

A joined-up approach to bioenergy development, one that balances greenhouse gas emissions with impacts on biodiversity, water and food security, is needed.
(Monday 25 October 2010)

Fishing from rivers and lakes provides jobs and a source of nutrition for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. A new report looks at the economic, social and environmental role played by inland fisheries and the mounting threats they face.
(Thursday 21 October 2010)

Protectedplanet.net, launched today at the 10th Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, offers an 'Explore the World' function where users can take an online visit to several protected areas
(Tuesday 19 October 2010)

Losses of multi-trillion dollar-worth natural assets are being sustained worldwide every year, undermining economies, business prospects and opportunities to combat poverty.
(Tuesday 19 October 2010)

Mapping where a country's carbon stocks overlap with areas that are rich in wildlife and important for local peoples' livelihoods is underway in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
(Monday 18 October 2010)

ProtectedPlanet.net is an interactive, social media-based website that provides in-depth information on 150,000 protected areas worldwide
(Monday 18 October 2010)

Rising pollution, the effects of climate change and over-fishing are threatening the future of marine biodiversity across the globe
(Monday 18 October 2010)

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner calls for "bolder and more determined" biodiversity goals to be adopted, as delegates gather for the Convention on Biodiversity summit in Nagoya, Japan.
(Monday 18 October 2010)

A new UNEP-led mapping project shows how carbon stocks in Asia, Africa and Latin America overlap with biodiversity hotspots
(Sunday 17 October 2010)

Africa is at key crossroads in its history. It is facing multiple challenges from overcoming poverty and coping with climate change, but it is also a moment of rising opportunities from the potential for renewable energy to the extraordinary economic importance of it's nature-based assets
(Wednesday 13 October 2010)

In the past decade alone, an estimated 2.5 million people globally were affected by natural hazards, 97% of whom were impacted by climate-related and hydro-meteorological disasters
(Wednesday 13 October 2010)

The death of Linda Norgrove, a respected environmentalist and humanitarian, has shocked and deeply saddened her former colleagues at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
(Tuesday 12 October 2010)

The escalating importance of environmental diplomacy is linked with a fundamental change in the scale and the reach of humanity's footprint-pollution can travel across Continents via the jet stream or in ocean currents from those who have generated it for economic development to those who are impacted, but who have not reaped any benefits from its production.
(Tuesday 12 October 2010)

There have been many moments when world attention has focused on the IPCC - this week is one of the moments. The world is looking to this plenary and to governments to take the IPCC, as a body on which it relies, forward by drawing and acting on the IAC's recommendations, or to propose and agree on other arrangements in terms of "retooling" the IPCC.
(Monday 11 October 2010)

On 29 January 2000 the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was adopted to protect biological diversity from the risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology
(Monday 11 October 2010)

Hundreds of people from different walks of life - from young schoolchildren to army officials - are planting trees across East Africa in the latest activities to be registered under Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign (BTC) run by UNEP.
(Friday 8 October 2010)

Dugongs are believed to have been at the origin of mermaid legends when spotted swimming in the water from a distance. Now the remaining populations of this seemingly clumsy sea mammal, commonly known as a sea cow, are at serious risk of becoming extinct within the next 40 years.
(Thursday 7 October 2010)

Business leaders from global corporations have committed to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions across a wide range of sectors, including energy, communications, building and construction.
(Wednesday 6 October 2010)

The United Nations Environment Programme is releasing 30 case studies in the run-up to the UN climate convention in Mexico to prove that solutions to combat Climate Change are available, accessible and replicable
(Tuesday 5 October 2010)

With less than two months to go before the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico, UNFCCC chief Christiana Figueres has said that a concrete outcome is urgently needed at the December talks.
(Monday 4 October 2010)

The Green Star Awards emphasize the connection between environmental risks from disasters and conflicts, crisis-affected populations, and providers of humanitarian assistance.
(Friday 1 October 2010)

International organisations have presented evidence on the emergence of clean energy technologies and their potential to provide valuable insights into the climate change debate
(Thursday 30 September 2010)

Leaders from influential global corporations and key global environmental organizations are expected to call on countries to make a success of this years UN climate negotiations in Mexico.
(Wednesday 29 September 2010)

Greening the Blue , the website covering all issues relating to the United Nations's sustainability performance has won an international award for 'Best Website'
(Tuesday 28 September 2010)

They save the farming industry millions of dollars each year, help sustain the world's forests and, in some countries, are a major tourist attraction. Bats are now flying out of the night and into the spotlight for a two-year-long celebration.
(Wednesday 22 September 2010)

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has joined a new international alliance that aims to cut the estimated 1.6 million premature deaths - and environmental damage - linked to emissions from inefficient cook stoves.
(Tuesday 21 September 2010)

Investing in clean energy, sustainable transport, forests and environmentally-friendly agriculture is essential if internationally-agreed goals to reduce poverty are to be achieved.
(Monday 20 September 2010)