The Global Aspects: UNEP

United Nations Environment Programme:

  

"The challenges are so immense that, only by working together in mutual self interest, can we realize internationally agreed goals and deliver a stable, just and healthy planet for this and future generations."

   -Achim Steiner, Director of the UNEP-

 

        The earth’s climate has been undergoing a change over the last several decades.  This has been caused by the clearing of forests and other lands for agriculture, the over-hunting of animals and fish, the overuse of pesticides and other poisons, and the overuse of natural fuels.  This has also destroyed natural habitats and ecosystems of many animals on our planet.  In recent years, tens of billion dollars from thousands of corporations have been donated to a number of different organizations which seek to solve our planet’s problems.  Some of these are the prevention of human health natural disasters, sustainable solutions to resource depletion, and how to solve global climate change.

 

        In 1972, responding to the urgent need to take action to protect the earth’s natural environment for this and future generations, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was created by the United Nations General Assembly. The UNEP performs a wide range of functions and runs many programs, sometimes in partnership with other organizations, to help protect and renew the earth’s natural environment.

 

        

        When Achim Steiner started as UNEP director in June 2006, he said, "For too long economics and (the) environment have seemed like players on rival teams. There have been a lot of nasty challenges and far too many own goals. We need to make these two sides of the development coin team players, players on the same side”. At present, the earth’s air, water, land and biodiversity are treated as free, limitless resources. His idea is to treat the environment as valuable natural resources which must be protected in any economic study or policy.

 

        The following are just a few of the programs the UNEP has initiated. One such program run by the UNEP is called “Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign”. Its goal is to plant one billion trees every year by inviting any interested people, governments, businesses or social groups to enter tree planting pledges on their websites.  In 2001, the UNEP launched the Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP) to save the great apes, such as gorillas, orang-utans, chimpanzees, bonobos, and other primates, from extinction in Africa and Southeast Asia.  In October 2007 there was a GRASP meeting of donor countries and agencies numbering over 60.  During the meeting many issues were discussed including the funding of GRASP and ways to help the local people near the forests live without the need to clear the forests or hunt the great apes.

 

        The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is collaboration between the UNEP and the WCMC 2000, a United Kingdom based charity which promotes biodiversity and offers biodiversity knowledge in decision-making. Biodiversity means saving the different animals and plants from extinction. The UNEP also addresses the problems caused by of the use of pesticides and other toxic chemicals by providing information about their use, safety, and management with regard to protecting the environment. Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) is an international policy framework group designed to foster the sound management of chemicals.

 

        The UNEP is playing an important role helping to protect and improve the earth’s environment for ours and the future generations as it works in all nations of the world. 

 

Are you a Stewardship Expert? Play our Quiz  

 

---

Sources:

 

Gingrich, Newt, and Terry L. Maple. A Contract with the Earth.  Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 2007. Accessed 6 February 2008.

 

“Great Apes Survival Project”. United Nations Environment Programme.  Accessed 6 February 2008. <http://www.unep.org/grasp/index.asp>

 

“Let's plant One Billion more trees in 2008!.” United Nations Environment Programme.  Accessed 6 February 2008. <http://www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign/>

 

“New Man at the UNEP”. Environment News Service. June 2006. Accessed 6 February 2008.<http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jun2006/2006-06-15-01.asp>

 

“New Man at UNEP: Steiner Tackles World's Top Environment Job”. “World Conservation Monitoring Centre.” United Nations Environment Programme. United Nations Environment News Service. Accessed 6 February 2008. <http://www.unep-wcmc.org/>

 

Royston, Reggie. “UN Launches Campaign to Save Last Great Apes in the Wild.”  National Geographic News. May 21, 2001.  Accessed 6 Feb 2008. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/05/0521_apes.html>

 

“Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management.” UNEP Chemicals.  Accessed 6 Feb 2008. <http://www.chem.unep.ch/saicm/>

 

United Nations Environment Programme. Accessed 6 February 2008. <http://www.unep.org/>

 

United Nations Environment Programme Chemicals.   Accessed 6 Feb 2008.  <http://www.unep.org/grasp/docs/GRASP_Donors_meeting_Report_07.11.07.pdf>

 

“World Conservation Monitoring Centre.” United Nations Environment Programme. Accessed 6 February 2008. <http://www.unep.org/Documents.multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=97&ArticleID=1493&l=en>

 

Photograph: 

Zarahminor. “Keynote Speech: Achim Steiner”. Flickr.com. 12 November 2007. Accessed 6 February 2008. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/zarahminor/1987305434/>