UNEP
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| Name | The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) |
|---|---|
| Geographic Scope | Global |
| Subject Focus/Expertise | environment |
| Contact | United Nations Environment Programme
|
Contents |
Description
UNEP works with governments, the private sector and civil society to protect natural resources worldwide. As well as supporting assessments and developing institutional and legal capacity, UNEP promotes dialogue and cooperation among stakeholders, the exchange of best practices and success stories, the transfer of knowledge and technology, and the establishment of demonstration projects. UNEP is an advocate, educator, catalyst and facilitator, promoting the wise use of the planet’s natural assets for sustainable development. UNEP works with many partners: United Nations entities, international organizations, national governments, non-governmental organizations, business, industry, the media and civil society.
UNEP assesses global, regional and national environmental conditions and trends; develops international agreements and
national environmental instruments; strengthens institutions for the wise management of the environment; integrates economic development and environmental protection; facilitates the transfer of knowledge and technology for sustainable development, and encourages new partnerships and mind-sets within civil society and the private sector.
UNEP has eight Divisions to promote and facilitate sound environmental management for sustainable development:
- Early Warning and Assessment
- Policy Development and Law
- Environmental Policy Implementation
- Technology, Industry and Economics
- Regional Cooperation
- Environmental Conventions
- Communications and Public Information
- Global Environment Facility (GEF) Coordination
- Related initiatives
- GEMS/Water Programme
- UNEP/GRID-Arendal
Water and Sanitation related Programmes
UNEP has worked to promote sustainable water resources management practices through collaborative approaches at the national, regional and global levels since its establishment. After more than 30 years, water resources management continues as a strong pillar of UNEP’s work. UNEP is actively participating in addressing the water issues together with partner UN agencies, other organizations and donors. The organisation facilitates and catalyses water resource assessments in various developing countries, implements projects that assist countries in developing integrated water resource management plans, creates awareness of innovative alternative technologies and assists to develop, implement and enforce water resource management policies, laws and regulations.
1. Water and Sanitation
Under Water and Sanitation, UNEP focuses on drinking water provision, technologies for wastewater treatment and water quality improvement within the urban realm.
2. Integrated Water Resource Management
In collaboration with the UNEP Collaborating Center on Water and Environment (UCC-Water) UNEP is addressing the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation target on IWRM Plans 2005. This is done by assisting developing countries and regions in developing IWRM roadmaps that will guide the countries in the development of a national IWRM plan.
3. International Waters
UNEP and the Global Environment Facility are jointly working to reverse the degradation of International shared seas and river basins such as the South China Sea, the Red Sea and the San Francisco River Basin.
4. Freshwater Assessment
UNEP carries out and coordinates the collection and dissemination of comprehensive assessments of worlds freshwater and coastal/marine water resources in an integrated manner.
5. Dams and Development
During the past 5 years UNEP has successfully implemented a project on Dams and Development aiming to promote a dialogue on improving decision-making, planning and management of dams and their alternatives based on the World Commission on Dams (WCD) core values and strategic priorities. The project ended in April 2007.
6. Ecosystem Services
UNEP's Ecosystem Services work to integrate multilateral environment agreements (MEA) objectives within broader development processes including Poverty Reduction Strategies. Through the Partnership for the Development of Law and Institutions in Africa (PADELIA), UNEP assists the development of water related laws and regulations at the national level.
7. Rainwater Harvesting Partnership
Under the initiative of UNEP, the Rainwater Partnership was established on 14th October, 2004 in The Hague, the Netherlands, to promote and mainstream rainwater harvesting activities.
Mission/Mandate
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.
Information Resources/Tools/Materials
Publications
- Water Policy and Strategy of UNEP
- Water and Wastewater Reuse: An Environmentally Sound Approach for Sustainable Urban Water Management (2005) - Water scarcity and water pollution pose a critical challenge in many developing countries. In urban areas, it is becoming difficult for the authorities to manage water supply and wastewater. Strategies for water and wastewater reuse can improve urban water management. This publication provides introductory guidelines for such strategies. Important aspects to minimize public health risks are identified, and the possibilities of wastewater reuse in agriculture, industry, urban uses, and environmental water enhancement are discussed with the help of practical examples.
- Challenges to International Water: Regional Assessments in a Global Perspective - The Global International Waters Assessment (GIWA) is a holistic, globally comparable assessment of the world's transboundary waters that recognises the inextricable links between the freshwater and the coastal marine environment and integrates environmental and socio-economic information to determine the impacts of a broad range of influences on the world's aquatic environment.
- Rainwater Harvesting and Utilisation - Among the various alternative technologies to augment freshwater resources, rainwater harvesting and utilisation is a decentralised, environmentally sound solution, which can avoid many environmental problems often caused in conventional large-scale projects using centralised approaches.
Click Here for all water-relevant UNEP publications.
- Speedup of the Integrated Water Resources Management Objectives-2005 Implementation in Central Asia
- A Common Framework for Addressing Water Issues in Central Asia
- Global Environment Outlook - GEO 4
- UNEP/GEMS Water Quality Outlook
Work on the ground
The main initiative in water and sanitation is the Support for Environmental Management of the Iraqi Marshlands project, within the framework of the United Nations Trust Fund for Iraqi Reconstruction. The US$11 million project, funded by the Government of Japan, supports the sustainable management of the Iraqi Marshlands by facilitating strategy formulation, monitoring marsh conditions, raising capacity of Iraqi decision makers, and providing water, sanitation and wetland management EST options on a pilot basis.
- East-Caspian Assessment of Environment and Security Linkages and Impact
- Innovative Approaches to the Rehabilitation of Heavily Contaminated Bays in the Wider Caribbean.
- Pollution Reduction through Improved Municipal Wastewater Management in Coastal cities in ACP Countries with a Focus on SIDS
- Strengthening Global Capacity To Sustain Transboundary Waters: The International Waters Learning Exchange and Resource Network (IW:LEARN)
- Integrating Watershed and Coastal Area Management in Small Island Developing States of the Caribbean
- Control of eutrophication, hazardous substances and related measures for rehabilitating the Black Sea ecosystem
- Combating Living Resource depletion and coastal area degradation in the Guinea Current LME through ecosystem-based regional actions
- Enhancing regional exchange of water resource information (CAREWIB phase II)
- UNEP Support Programm for CA Countries on Johannesburg Plan and IWRM Plan by 2005
- Tisza community-led demonstration regional project for sustainable development and integrated land and water management
- Tisza community-led demonstration project for sustainable development and integrated land and water management
- Sulu-Celebes Sea Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SCS)
- Strengthening capacities in the Western Balkans countries to address environmental problems
- Preparation of the Strategic Action Programme for the Dnipro River Basin and Development of SAP Implementation Mechanism
- Restoring Depleted Fisheries and Consolidation of a Permanent Regional Environmental Governance Framework in the Caspian Sea
- Knowledge Sharing in International Waters - Train-Sea-Coast
- Integration of Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Measures in the Management of Natural Resources in Four Priority Watersheds of Panama
- Integrating multiple benefits of wetlands and floodplains in to a trans-boundary management plan for the Tisza River Basin
- ENVSEC/UNEP - Environment & security assessment and capacity-building in the Amu-Darya river basin
- Developing Community Network For Sustainable Land Management And Poverty Reduction In The Gburumani – Dimabi Traditional Area Of The Tolon Kumbugu District
- Demonstrating improved governance through sustainable development in the Upper Syr Darya River Basin
- Atlantic and Indian Ocean Small Island Developing States IWRM
- Amu Darya Assessment of Environment and Security Linkages and Impact
See above for other programmes and activities or countries pages
