Our work

Taking action on global water challenges
Ian Lyons

UNEP is one of the original members of the Global Environment Facility, and during the last 30 years of implementing GEF projects, it has trailblazed best practices that have now become standard application.  By taking both a bottom up and a top down approach to international water issues, the UNEP International Waters team has advanced an integrated approach, and has had the ability to track its projects’ progress and successes from the source.

But the strength of UNEP International Waters isn’t just its innovation, but its commitment to follow-thru and testing that innovation in the field and in practice. As conservation and policy guidance evolves, much of the best practices being put forth are those tested and proven by UNEP International Waters projects.

The breadth of the UNEP International Waters portfolio is unmatched; it addresses 17 SDGs, 16 UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolutions, and represents nearly every geographic region in the world.