UNEP's responsibilities include:

• Promoting international cooperation in the field of the environment and recommending appropriate policies.
• Catalysing action to address major environmental threats.
• Monitoring the status of the global environment and gathering and disseminating environmental information.
• Facilitating the coordination of United Nations activities on matters concerned with the environment, and ensuring, through cooperation, liaison and participation, that their activities take environmental considerations into account.
• Helping, upon request, environment ministries and other environmental authorities, in particular in developing countries and countries with economies in transition, to formulate and implement environmental policies.
• Helping to develop international environmental law.
• Providing expert advice on the development and use of environmental concepts and instruments.
• Developing regional programmes for the environment. The major results of UNEP activities should include:
• International arrangements to enhance environmental protection and policy advice to governments, multilateral organisations and others to strengthen environmental protection and incorporate the environment into the sustainable development process.
• Periodic assessments and scientifically sound forecasts to support decision making and international consensus on the main environmental threats and responses to them.
• More effective coordination of environmental matters within the United Nations system.
• Greater public awareness and capacity for environmental management and effective national and international responses to environmental threats.