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.
In a community garden in The Gambia, women are turning kitchen scraps into compost instead of reaching for synthetic pesticides. In Moldova, a farmer carefully rinses chemical containers using a technique he learned at a local training session. In Armenia, scientists are strengthening mercury monitoring systems to detect pollution risks earlier. Across very different contexts, a common thread is emerging: countries are finding practical, local ways to act on global commitments to manage chemicals and waste more safely — and the Special Programme is helping make it happen.
Chemicals underpin more than 95 per cent of manufactured goods — and with global chemical production expected to double by 2030, the pressure on countries to strengthen how they manage these substances is only growing. Read on to find out how communities, farmers and governments around the world are rising to that challenge — and the role the Special Programme is playing in getting them there.
Resource use has long been tied to economic growth—tripling over the past 50 years and projected to rise another 60% by 2060. This trajectory threatens climate, biodiversity and pollution goals, as well as long-term prosperity and human well-being. Today, half of global carbon emissions stem from resource extraction.
Yet growth and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive. Shifting to more sustainable resource use could make the global economy about 3% larger than under current trends, according to the latest Global Resource Outlook by the International Resource Panel (IRP).
The IRP, established by UNEP in 2007, provides science-based solutions for managing natural resources sustainably. As it holds its annual meeting this week in Berlin, watch this video highlighting key solutions based on sustainable resource management.
Wastewater treatment is emerging as a practical and cost-effective strategy in the climate mitigation toolkit. The sector is a significant but often overlooked source of methane and nitrous oxide — two greenhouse gases far more potent than CO₂ — yet existing technologies can already cut methane emissions by up to 80 per cent, often at little or no net cost. Beyond climate benefits, investing in wastewater systems simultaneously reduces pollution, protects ecosystems and improves public health — making it a high-return solution for governments and industries looking to act on multiple fronts at once.
A practical guide developed by UNEP and partners provides practitioners and policymakers with the methodologies, strategies and policy tools needed to monitor emissions and accelerate the transition to net-zero wastewater treatment.
Nitrous oxide is the third most significant greenhouse gas and the most powerful ozone-depleting substance still being emitted. Most emissions come from how we grow food.
Without urgent action on rising nitrous oxide emissions, there is no viable pathway to limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
The good news: We can cut emissions by 40%+ with practical changes in nitrogen and farming systems.
Findings from the Global Nitrous Oxide Assessment analyse the urgent action needed to get there.
Our planet is sending clear signals.
More heat. More floods. More wildfires.
Beyond changing weather patterns, climate change is also increasing chemical risks, affecting the air we breathe, the water we drink and the ecosystems we depend on. These challenges are deeply interconnected. And so are the solutions.
This World Environment Day, find out how these crises intersect and how effective action can help to prevent pollution, tackle climate change and protect nature.
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.
Apenas 12% das cidades tem níveis de qualidade do ar compatíveis aos padrões de qualidade da OMS.
