Preventing, controlling and managing pollution is central to improving health, human well-being and prosperity for all.
UNEP drives capacity and leadership in sound management of chemicals and waste while working to improve ways to reduce waste through circularity and pollutants released to the air, water, soil and the ocean.
UNEP, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the State of Global Air and the Africa Clean Air Network are inviting photographers, activists, students and community members worldwide to submit powerful images and stories that capture the reality of air pollution and the hope found in clean air solutions.
Selected entries will be featured in the context of the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies (7 September 2026). Submit your photos by 26 June 2026.
Help shape the global theme of the next World AMR Awareness Week.
The Quadripartite (FAO, WHO, UNEP and WOAH) is running a survey to develop the theme and communication priorities for the 2026 World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW), observed from 18 to 24 November 2026.
Take the survey now
Deadline: 29 May 2026
Pollution contributes to antimicrobial resistance. A growing global challenge, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is projected to cause 39 million deaths between 2025 and 2050, reduce global GDP and push 24 million more people into extreme poverty.
Environmental action is part of the solution: from pollution prevention to improved waste and wastewater management and surveillance.
To bring environmental voices into the conversation, help shape the global theme of the next World AMR Awareness Week.
Take the survey now
Deadline: 29 May 2026
This webinar will help companies better understand air pollution as a material business issue and provide practical guidance on measuring, reporting, and reducing air pollutant emissions. Experts from the UN Environment Programme, the UN Global Compact, the Stockholm Environment Institute, and the private sector will cover the business case for clean air, priority industries, and practical tools for corporate action.
The session will be available in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.
From emerging pathogens to antimicrobial resistance to water pollution, many threats to human, animal and environmental health can spread quietly before they are detected.
To respond to this challenge, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and partners are supporting an effort to monitor wastewater at African airports and seaports. This water can contain early signals of potential public and environmental health threats.
The push is part of the Wastewater Surveillance for Africa Initiative. Read on for a closer look at the programme.
To mark the International Day of Zero Waste 2026, UNEP has joined forces with UN-Habitat, Scholars of Sustenance (SOS) Thailand, and partners from the ECO-Capitals Forum in Bangkok to transform surplus food into meaningful support for communities in need. A city-wide food drive, running from 30 March through April, is collecting and safely redistributing excess food across the Thai capital, highlighting the power of coordinated action to address both waste and food insecurity.
The initiative will culminate in a joint activation event at CentralWorld, one of Bangkok’s largest shopping centres, alongside outreach efforts in Phra Jen Community, a low-income neighborhood where redistributed food will support vulnerable households. Organizers say the campaign underscores how cross-sector collaboration can reduce waste, cut pollution, and deliver practical, community-driven solutions.
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Fourteen leading businesses in the tourism sector have joined the UNEP and UN Tourism Recipe of Change initiative, which aims to reduce food waste by mobilising the sector on a large scale, influencing consumer behaviour, and accelerating the transition to more sustainable food systems.
The group of companies, which represent 56.5 billion USD in annual revenues and 600 million guests annually, includes Accor, ClubMed, Hilton, Iberostar, Meliá, Radisson, TUI Group and Winnow.
Are you taking action this International Day of Zero Waste? Over 135 events are taking place around the world to mark the day. Find the one closest to you.
Cada dólar gastado en la restauración de bosques degradados puede resultar en US$ 30 en beneficios económicos.
