ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

UNIT IV

4.1(d) UNEP

Presentation by:
Ishmeet K. Taluja
Assistant Professor
DME Law School
i.taluja@dme.ac.in
 Introduction
• UNEP is the leading environment body of the world working towards
achieving environmental goals and setting the needed environmental agendas
for the world.
• It is the main body that supervises the works related to environmental issues at
the global level.
• The main directive of the UN Environment Programme is to facilitate the
improvement of natural arrangement at worldwide and local levels and to carry
arising issues to the consideration of governments and the global-local area.
• The United Nations Environment Programme was established in 1972 after the
Stockholm Conference.
• The UNEP was established on the lines of the International Labour
Organization (ILO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO).
• UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring
for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples
to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future
generations.
 Functions
• The main function of the UN Environment Programme is to deal with every
environmental concern. However, it has many sub-function for environmental safety and
human protection.
• The UNEP is engaged in expanding international environmental conventions and
addressing related issues. It accommodates the secretariats of numerous environmental
conventions.
• Some of these conventions include Basel Convention, Minamata Convention, Vienna
Convention, Stockholm Convention, Carpathian Convention, Tehran Convention,
Bamako Convention, Rotterdam Convention, Convention on Migratory Species, United
Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal Protocol, CITES, and CCAC.
• The organization encourages ecological science and associated information.
• It sponsors and employs developmental projects concerning the environment and
ecosystem.
• UNEP also connects with governments, NGOs, and other organizations or agencies
related to environmental strategies and their execution.
• It prepares treaties and guidelines on transnational trade in hazardous chemicals,
intercontinental waterways, and international air pollution.
• The UNEP also bestows individuals and organizations who work well for environmental
concerns.
 Six Areas of Concentration
• UNEP reorganised its work programme into six strategic areas as part of its move
to results based management. The selection of six areas of concentration was
guided by scientific evidence, the UNEP mandate and priorities emerging from
global and regional forums.
1. CLIMATE CHANGE- UNEP strengthens the ability of countries to integrate
climate change responses by providing leadership in adaptation, mitigation,
technology and finance. UNEP is focusing on facilitating the transition to low-
carbon societies, improving the understanding of climate science, facilitating the
development of renewable energy and raising public awareness.
2. POST-CONFLICT AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT- UNEP conducts
environmental assessments in crisis-affected countries and provides guidance for
implementing legislative and institutional frameworks for improved environmental
management. Activities undertaken by UNEP’s Post-Conflict & Disaster
Management Branch (PCDMB) include post-conflict environmental assessment in
Afghanistan, Côte d’Ivoire, Lebanon, Nigeria and Sudan.
3. ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT Facilitates management and restoration of
ecosystems in a manner consistent with sustainable development, and promotes use
of ecosystem services. Examples include the Global Programme of Action (GPA)
for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities.
 Six Areas of Concentration
• 4. ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE- UNEP supports governments in
establishing, implementing and strengthening the necessary processes, institutions,
laws, policies and programs to achieve sustainable development at the country,
regional and global levels, and mainstreaming environment in development
planning.
• 5. HARMFUL SUBSTANCES- UNEP strives to minimize the impact of harmful
substances and hazardous waste on the environment and human beings. UNEP has
launched negotiations for a global agreement on mercury, and implements projects
on mercury and the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management
(SAICM) to reduce risks to human health and the environment.
• 6. RESOURCE EFFICIENCY/SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND
PRODUCTION- UNEP focuses on regional and global efforts to ensure natural
resources are produced, processed and consumed in a more environmentally
friendly way. For example, the Marrakesh Process is a global strategy to support
the elaboration of a 10-Year Framework of Programs on sustainable consumption
and production.
 UN Environment Assembly and
Governing Council
• The United Nations Environment Assembly was created in June 2012.
• The United Nations Environment Assembly is the world’s highest-level decision-making
body on the environment. It addresses the critical environmental challenges facing the world
today. Understanding these challenges and preserving and rehabilitating our environment is
at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• The Environment Assembly meets biennially to set priorities for global environmental
policies and develop international environmental law. Through its resolutions and calls to
action, the Assembly provides leadership and catalyzes intergovernmental action on the
environment. Decision-making requires broad participation, which is why the Assembly
provides an opportunity for all peoples to help design solutions for our planet’s health.
• The Environment Assembly sets the global environmental agenda in cooperation with UN
institutions and Multilateral Environmental Agreements.
• The Assembly is led by a Bureau and its President. The UN Environment Assembly Bureau
assists the President in the general conduct of business of the UN Environment Assembly.
The Bureau is composed of ten Ministers of the Environment for a term of two years, and
follows geographical rotations.
• The Assembly is the governing body of the UN Environment Programme (UN
Environment) and the successor of its Governing Council, which was composed of 58
member States. The UN Environment Assembly, with a universal membership, is now
composed of 193 Member States.
 UNEP and Sustainable Development
Goals agenda
• In 2015, the UN General Assembly set a total of 17 inter-related Sustainable
Development Goals. These Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or also called global
goals, were set to achieve a better future for everyone and to make the future sustainable
for everyone. A total of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets were set and
adopted by all the UN members unanimously. This is also known as the 2030 agenda or
the agenda 2030. The 17 SDGs set up to be met by 2030 are:

No Poverty Decent work and economic Life on land

Zero Hunger
Good health and well being
Quality Education
Gender Equality
Clean water and sanitation
Affordable and Clean Energy
growth
Industry, innovation and Peace, justice and strong
infrastructure institutions
Reducing inequality Partnership for the girls
Sustainable cities and
communities
Responsible consumption
and production
Climate action
Life below water
 UNEP and Sustainable Development
Goals agenda
• Of the 17 Goals proposed by the Open Working Group (OWG), progress towards 12
straightforwardly rely on the supportable usage of regular assets. The latest things of
heightening unreasonable misuse and utilization of normal assets will influence their
future accessibility also, availability and is in this way liable to obstruct the satisfaction
of the Goals, especially annihilation of neediness and just as disturb basic earth
framework measures.
 THANK YOU

Important Note: This PPT is only for reference purposes and shall not be solely
relied upon. Students are advised to refer to books and commentaries for a thorough
knowledge of the topic.