United Nations Environment Programme

UNEP is the United Nations Environment Programme which aims to overcome environmental crises globally and establish a common ground for all Member States under environmental authority. UNEP contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the Agenda of 2030, which were adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015, mainly focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals 6, 7, 13, 14, 15. Adopted on 16 September 1987, the Montreal Protocol is to date the only UN treaty ever that has been ratified every country on Earth – all 198 UN Member States Through its regional offices, UNEP sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

The United Nations Environment Programme’s primary role is to assist Article 5 countries in actual or potential non-compliance to be in compliance with their obligations under this Multilateral Environmental Agreement (MEA) that has numerous offices in Africa that helps initiate project processes. The United Nations Environment Programme’s office in Nairobi, Kenya seeks to eliminate environmental problems through the efficient use of resources and the limitation of nature’s exploitation, and also engages in efforts to bridge the gap between science, policy, and society in order to effectively address emerging issues. Specifically in Africa, the organization’s focus is to address the prevailing challenges of deforestation, biodiversity loss and extreme vulnerability to climate change. UNEP Africa also has sub-regional offices in Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa, a liaison office in Ethiopia and an office in Tanzania, whilst also hosting the Secretariat of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).