UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 1 © United Nations Environment Programme, 2016

Publication: UNEP 2015 Annual Report

ISBN: 978-92-807-3518-5 Job No: DCP/1938/NA

* All dollar ($) amounts refer to US dollars. * The term ‘one billion’ in this report refers to one thousand million.

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Cover photo by Tatiana Clauzet Image taken in the Cerrado, a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil, showing a bioluminescent termite mound. The phenomenon is the result of firefly larvae nesting in the holes to attract the winged termites coming out of the nest.

2 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME CONTENTS

A VICTORY FOR THE CLIMATE IN PARIS 2 MESSAGE FROM BAN KI-MOON 3 2015 HIGHLIGHTS FROM ACHIM STEINER 4 CLIMATE CHANGE 9 DISASTERS AND CONFLICTS 15 ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT 21 ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE 27 CHEMICALS AND WASTE 33 RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABLE 39 CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT UNDER REVIEW 45 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS 50 MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS 52 KEY FINANCIALS 2014 – 2015 54 RECOGNITION OF DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS 55 CHAMPIONS OF THE EARTH 56 GOODWILL AMBASSADORS 58 MAURICE STRONG 60 UNEP LEADERSHIP 61

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 3 The slogan “Decarbonize” is projected on the Eifel Tower as the international community signs A VICTORY FOR up to a universal climate agreement. © AFP/ THE CLIMATE IN PARIS Charles Platiau

On 12 December 2015, at the 21st Specific UNEP contributions to COP meeting of the Conference of the 21 and the Paris Agreement Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Assisted 36 countries who submitted Change, 195 countries adopted the Intended Nationally Determined Paris Agreement, one of the most Contributions (INDCs) to develop and important international agreements in complete their plans. UNEP history. Mobilized institutional investors, who MOBILIZED In doing so, they recognized the severity promised to decarbonize $600 billion INSTITUTIONAL of climate change, acknowledged its of investments (see page 12 for more dramatic costs and committed to take details). INVESTORS action to stay well below a 2°C global WHO PROMISED TO temperature rise. UNEP has worked for Helped facilitate over $10 billion in decades to support climate action – pledges to the Africa Renewable Energy bringing science to policymakers, and Initiative (see page 12 for more details). DECARBONIZE helping communities around the world adapt to climate change. Through the Global Adaptation $600 BILLION Gap Report 2014, contributed to 97 OF INVESTMENTS We look forward to working with our countries including adaptation partners to put the Paris Agreement components in their INDCs. into action and prompt stronger for details on the Emissions Gap Report and wider action. We will do this Partnered with the COP Presidency as an example). through supporting the expansion of on launching the Global Alliance renewable energy and energy efciency for Buildings and Construction. 22 Partnered in engaging non-state actors, technologies, promoting fuel efciency countries and 60 organizations joined a key pillar of the COP Presidency. measures, guiding the world toward the alliance, which UNEP will host. Non-state actors are crucial to delivering sustainable consumption and production emissions reductions, especially in the patterns, and helping countries adapt to Helped countries make links between four years before the Paris Agreement a changing climate climate science and policy (see page 11 enters into force.

4 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME MESSAGE FROM BAN KI-MOON UN SECRETARY-GENERAL

The final months of 2015 saw two Crucially, UNEP has worked closely with other UN bodies, governments at all levels, intergovernmental organizations, inspiring advances for humankind and civil society and the private sector to drive the process of victories for multilateralism: in September, change. Such global collaboration will be essential as we the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for strive to reach the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainable Development, and in December, bring the Paris Agreement to life. Action is needed from everyone, everywhere; we must look beyond national the Paris Agreement on climate change. boundaries and short-term interests and act in solidarity for the long-term. These new agendas put forth a universal, integrated and transformative vision for a better world. World leaders have This Annual Report presents examples of the partnerships promised to pursue shared prosperity, peace and partnership, and global outlooks that will be critical to our future success. and they have recognized the fundamental importance As we begin to implement both agendas, the world can of protecting the planet in order to meet our ambitions. continue to count on UNEP to help us secure lives of dignity for all on a healthy planet. As the voice of the environment for the United Nations system, UNEP has been a key player in bringing us to this realization. For more than four decades, UNEP has uncovered and highlighted the science on how a healthy, functioning environment is central to a sustainable future. It has ofered many solutions to the challenges we face, from mitigating and adapting to climate change to transforming unsustainable consumption and production practices.

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 5 2015 HIGHLIGHTS FROM ACHIM STEINER UNEP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The year 2015 will be remembered as a These are victories for multilateralism, which the United Nations embodies like no other organization. They are also turning point for the environmental agenda. milestones for the environment, which UNEP has championed The international community set pivotal for over four decades – presenting cutting-edge science tracks for sustainability by adopting the through the Emissions Gap and Global Environment Outlook 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, assessments to assist nations to understand and develop their policy and management responses. the Paris Agreement on climate change, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Crucially, the Sustainable Development Goals integrate Reduction and the Addis Ababa Action environmental sustainability and social equity with Agenda on financing for development – economic progress. Such integration – the idea that environmental sustainability is not an impediment to, demonstrating a unity of purpose that but a driver of, development and human well-being – places us more firmly on the path has been a key focus of UNEP’s work. As you will see to a sustainable future. in this Annual Report, initiatives such as The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) and ProEcoServ In the 2030 Agenda, we outlined a way forward continue to demonstrate that recognizing the tangible that focuses on sustainability in both the developing economic benefits of ecosystems is central to creating and the developed world. Meanwhile, through the inclusive green economies and lifting millions of people Paris Agreement, nations acknowledged that climate out of poverty. change poses a threat to the security and prosperity of all societies that we can only address together.

6 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME With these landmark agreements For example, under the Portfolio I would like to express my gratitude in place, we have a new opportunity Decarbonization Coalition, which to our partners across the planet, to unify global agendas. Yes, we can is led by UNEP and partners, over whose vision, as well as political and reflect on the impressive progress two dozen major institutional investors financial support, has enabled UNEP we have made. But, to be clear: had by December 2015 committed to to rise to the challenge of making a once the glow of these achievements decarbonize over $600 billion of assets diference. The milestones of 2015 fades, we must redouble our eforts. under management. These financial are also an afrmation and validation For example, we must find a way to steps, just examples of the many of the 1972 Stockholm Conference cut an additional 12 gigatonnes of underway, represent investments decision to establish within the United carbon dioxide equivalent from annual that can bolster the 2030 Agenda Nations family a programme dedicated emissions by 2030 to give us a real and Paris Agreement. Now we must to the environment – UNEP. Over the chance of keeping the world below shed light on best practices to prompt past four decades many have worked a 2°C temperature rise this century. the mainstream of our economies and tirelessly to turn this vision into a reality. markets to follow – as UNEP is doing UNEP has evolved and thrived as part We can achieve our goals if we focus through the Inquiry into the Design of an ‘ecosystem of individuals and on solutions that drive an inclusive of a Sustainable Financial System, institutions’ – such as the United green economy: increased renewable which in 2015 released its ground- Nations family, non-governmental energy and energy efciency measures, breaking report on how to harness organizations, the scientific community, conserving and expanding forest cover the assets of the world’s financial and national ministries and authorities through initiatives such as Reducing system for sustainability. responsible for the environment. Emissions from Deforestation and It also succeeded in becoming the Forest Degradation (REDD), the sound In this pivotal year, I could authoritative ‘voice for the environment’ management of chemicals, embedding highlight many other examples because of the professionalism of its sustainable consumption and production of how UNEP’s work informs and staf and the leadership of its successive practices at every level of society, and facilitates a rapidly evolving public Executive Directors. assisting nations to adapt to the impacts policy landscape, which in turn of climate change, to name but a few. leverages the development of I would like to take this opportunity These are all areas in which UNEP, technology, finance and markets to pay tribute to all of them – in in collaboration with many inspiring in support of globally agreed particular to UNEP’s first Executive partners, has led the way. environmental goals and priorities. Director, Maurice Strong, whose Instead, I invite you to browse this passing just days before the Paris report and discover the breadth Climate Conference of the Parties and scale of the achievements provided a poignant reminder of of this organization, which I have the foundational legacy he created, ENVIRONMENTAL been privileged to lead for ten years. upon which we have built our work SUSTAINABILITY I hope what you read will motivate and progress to date. His vision, you as much as it has me, for we dedication and lifelong commitment IS NOT AN IMPEDIMENT must all be inspired to deliver on to the environment and sustainable TO, BUT A DRIVER the promises made. development remain an inspiration and speak to the power of individuals OF, DEVELOPMENT. Working through dozens of global to make a diference. initiatives and multilateral agreements, and hundreds of partnerships, and A simple truth is that finance is by supporting governments and central to our aspirations. The good communities directly, UNEP will news is that this message has been continue to build on the successes heard across the board. For example, of 2015. Through its Medium-Term the international community in Strategy and Programme of Work, December pledged $10 billion to it will align itself to help deliver on the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative. the 2030 Agenda and continue This initiative – led by Africa and to convene the global environmental supported by UNEP and key partners community to do the same. in the international community – represents a step change for One such opportunity will come renewables on the continent. It will in May 2016, when we will host the provide access to clean power to second United Nations Environment millions, minimizing greenhouse gas Assembly (UNEA-2) at our headquarters emissions and reducing the air pollution in Nairobi. UNEA-2 focuses on the that claims hundreds of thousands environmental dimension of the 2030 of lives each year. This triple gain on Agenda to add further momentum access to energy, climate and human to the quest for a healthy environment health is exactly the kind of result for healthy people. UNEP head Achim Steiner presents Pope Francis we must pursue to reach our goals. with an elephant made from recycled flip-flops outside UNEP’s energy-efcient ofces. Pope The private sector is also putting its Francis called for climate action during his visit capital behind a better future for all. to UNEP’s headquarters. © UNEP

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 7 UNEP RESULTS

IMPLEMENTED INTERNATIONAL ECOSYSTEM-BASED AND COMMUNITY OTHER ADAPTATION PLEDGED 20COUNTRIES APPROACHES OVER $10 BILLION INSTITUTIONAL TO UNEP-SUPPORTED INVESTORS 25PLEDGED TO DECARBONIZE AFRICA $600 BILLION OF ASSETS RENEWABLE ENERGY UNDER PORTFOLIO INITIATIVE

SUPPORTED TO REDUCE THE RISKS OF NATURAL DISASTERS, FIRST INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS MASSIVE COUNTRIES28 AND CONFLICTS OPEN ONLINE COURSE ON OVER 10,000 PEOPLE ECOSYSTEM-BASED APPROACHES TO FROM 20 VILLAGES DISASTER BENEFITED FROM RISK REDUCTION THE FIRST HARVEST UNEP RESPONDED TO CRISES AND REACHED 12,000 PEOPLE IN IN THE AREA OF THE SUPPORTED RECOVERY IN

SEIL GIDEIM 22 COUNTRIES – WATER-SPREADING 10 OF WHICH WERE ACUTE 183 DAM, NORTH DARFUR ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCIES COUNTRIES

COMPLETED A VALUATION PROECOSERV PROJECT COUNTRIES17 OF THEIR ECOSYSTEMS IDENTIFIED ALMOST $1 BILLION 58 COUNTRIES OF ANNUAL SUPPORTED TO ENABLE ECOSYSTEM BENEFITS IN DIFFERENT SECTORS TO USE AN COUNTRIES ECOSYSTEM APPROACH 4

8 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME COUNTRIES UN ORGANIZATIONS PLEDGED COMMITTED TO 15 COUNTRIES 32 21 CLIMATE FINALIZED UN TOUGHER ACTION NEUTRALITY DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ON ILLEGAL FRAMEWORKS THAT INCORPORATED WILDLIFE THE PRINCIPLES OF TRADE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

14 GOVERNMENTS, STRATEGIC APPROACH COUNTRIES 21 BUSINESSES TO INTERNATIONAL ADOPTED AND INDUSTRIES, CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT: 17 APPROVED IN 12 CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS 184 108 ADDRESSED PRIORITY PROJECTS COUNTRIES POLICIES CHEMICAL ISSUES UNDER QUICK START PROGRAMME PROMOTING

HAVE LEGAL SOUND AND REGULATORY MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORKS OF CHEMICALS 58COUNTRIES ON LEAD IN PAINT AND WASTE 140 COUNTRIES, INSTITUTIONS COUNTRIES8 9 AND BUSINESSES IMPROVED CITIES MANAGEMENT ADVANCED PRACTICES SUSTAINABLE OR STRATEGIES CONSUMPTION AND IN GLOBAL PRODUCTION AND GREEN SUPPLY CHAINS ECONOMY POLICIES

AVAILABLE ON UNEP LIVE: NATIONAL DATA FLOWS FROM UNEP LIVE 192 COUNTRIES NATIONAL REPORTING SYSTEM 9 COMMUNITIES DEMONSTRATED IN OF PRACTICE WITH OVER 1,500 MEMBERS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS TRACKING PORTAL 20COUNTRIES

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 9 MINIMIZING THE SCALE AND IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE

10 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Image © Chris Bickford / National Geographic Creative ANNUAL REPORT 2015 11 CLIMATE CHANGE

In its work on combating Climate Resilience climate change, UNEP Over the last two years, UNEP enabled focuses on three areas: 20 countries to implement ecosystem- based and other adaptation approaches. – Supporting • Climate resilience Of these countries, ten incorporated countries in using ecosystem-based ecosystem-based (EbA) and other approaches to adapt and build supporting adaptation approaches in resilience to climate change. key sectoral and development plans, bringing the total to 19 – including – Supporting • Low-emission growth Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Tanzania. countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adopt renewable energy, However, the implementation of increase energy efciency measures such plans requires financing, which and reduce air pollution. is currently lagging behind needs. According to advance findings from • REDD+ – Enabling countries to UNEP Deputy Executive Director Ibrahim Thiaw UNEP’s second Global Adaptation Gap seize investment opportunities speaks at an event held by the Global Alliance Report, adaptation costs are likely to that reduce greenhouse emissions for Buildings and Construction during the Paris be up to three times higher than current climate meeting. © AFP / Loic Venance from deforestation and forest estimates. UNEP encourages further degradation with adequate social sources of adaptation funding and and environmental safeguards. helps countries access existing finance. UNEP supported 10 countries with their UNEP exceeded its climate targets accreditation process to the Adaptation in the last reporting period due to Fund, of which four (Costa Rica, Mexico, additional income and efective Namibia and Peru) became accredited global partnerships – highlighting and can access finance directly. the importance of the organization to In addition, UNEP helped countries the coming eforts to implement the increase the availability of microfinance Paris Agreement and the Sustainable for adaptation (see in-focus story Development Goal on Climate Change. on page 13).

The 2015 Global Adaptation Report

Total bilateral and multilateral financing targeting climate change adaptation in developing countries in 2014 was estimated at $18.4 billion, representing an 8-9% increase over the past five years – but still far short of what will be needed by 2030. $18.4 BILLION TOTAL BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL FINANCING TARGETING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

A man stands near the Toau atoll in French Polynesia. Small Island Developing States are at the frontline of climate change. © AFP/Gregory Boissy

12 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Global trends in renewable energy investment 2015 (billions of dollars)

Growth: 62% 54% 37% 18% -2% 33% 18% -8% -10% 17%

279 270 256 237 232 Corporate R&D

182 178 Government R&D 154 Venture Capital/ Private Equity 112 Public markets 73 Small distributed capacity 45 Asset finance*

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

*Asset finance volume adjusts for re-invested equity. Total values include estimates for undisclosed deals. Source: UNEP, Bloomberg New Energy Finance

Low-emission growth UNEP-supported achievements in energy efciency

UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report 2015, 24 countries completed their national a key document in negotiations at efcient lighting strategies, with the EFFICIENT the Paris climate meeting, assessed support of the en.lighten initiative, 24 LIGHTING 119 Intended Nationally Determined bringing the total to 38. COUNTRIES Contributions (INDCs) submitted to the STRATEGY UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. These pledges, combined with are adopting efcient existing measures, could cut up to 10 13 countries appliances strategies under the Efcient gigatonnes of emissions (GtCO e) per 2 Appliances and Equipment Partnership, year by 2030. However, this is half what EFFICIENT which targets a global shift that could cut is needed to have a likely chance of 13 APPLIANCE 1.25 billion tonnes of emissions and save limiting global warming to 2°C target this COUNTRIES STRATEGY $350 billion each year. century, beyond which serious climate impacts can be expected.

The report notes that enhanced energy Chile, Kenya, Mauritius and Viet efciency in buildings, industry and Nam, with the support of the Global CLEANER transport, and increased renewable Fuel Economy Initiative, adopted fuel VEHICLE AND energy, are critical to closing the gap. efciency policies, bringing the total 10 As these sectors account for around number of countries with cleaner vehicle COUNTRIES FUEL 40% of global energy use, UNEP and fuel efciency policies to 10. POLICIES works closely with its partners and governments to accelerate action in these areas. In the last two years, UNEP provided assistance to 31 countries to implement initiatives to improve energy efciency or invest in renewables, far exceeding the target of 20 countries set for December 2015. UNEP complements these eforts with major partnerships to enable a broader reach than would be possible on its own.

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 13 CLIMATE CHANGE

Major partnership initiatives on climate change

The 1 A coalition of 25 countries and 40 organizations that supports Gigaton nations to report on savings from renewable energy and energy Coalition efciency measures. The first report, released in Paris, found 25 40 potential savings of 1.7 gigatonnes a year by 2020. COUNTRIES ORGANIZATIONS

Portfolio 25 institutional investors have joined the coalition of Decarbonization investors committed to fighting climate change through green $600 Coalition (PDC) investment, run by the UNEP Finance Initiative. Two of the $ 25 world’s biggest institutional investors – Allianz and ABP – INSTITUTIONAL BILLION ASSETS UNDER joined in December 2015. Some $600 billion of assets INVESTORS MANAGEMENT WILL under management will be decarbonized. BE DECARBONIZED

The Climate The 110 partners of the CCAC are implementing high- and Clean impact measures to reduce black carbon, methane and Air Coalition hydrofluorocarbon in agriculture, brick production, cooking, (CCAC) heating, diesel vehicles, oil and gas production, and municipal PARTNERS110 5 YEAR solid waste. Members pledged tens of millions of dollars to a new five-year plan at the Paris climate meeting. PLAN

The Climate The CTCN, which UNEP manages in partnership with the Technology UN Industrial Development Organization, assists 10 countries Centre and on their climate technology challenges – including waste 10 Network and energy efciency in Colombia, refrigerant technologies COUNTRIES (CTCN) in Namibia and Mauritius, and efcient lighting in the ASSISTED Dominican Republic.

Including the 25 members of the REDD+ Portfolio Decarbonization Coalition, a total of 67 finance institutions have Global momentum on conserving forests committed to clean technology increased with the adoption of the New investments, exceeding UNEP’s York Declaration on Forests, which 2015 target of 55 such institutions. aims to halve the rate of loss of natural In addition, at the Paris climate meeting forests by 2020 and end it by 2030. The the international community pledged UN Collaborative Initiative on Reducing over $10 billion to the UNEP-supported Emissions from Forest Degradation in Africa Renewable Energy Initiative, Developing Countries (UN-REDD) – an African-led plan to add 10,000 jointly implemented by UNEP, the Food MW of additional renewable energy and Agriculture Organization and the on the continent by 2020. UN Development Programme – scaled up support to 64 countries to help them For more information on UNEP’s work become ready for the expanded REDD+ on climate change, visit unep.org approach, up from 48 in December or follow us on Facebook or Twitter. 2013. Twenty-six of these countries had national programmes; half of those went on to develop or adopt national REDD+ strategies in 2014-2015. A total of 20 countries have begun the process of developing, adopting or implementing national REDD+ strategies, exceeding UNEP’s target of 15 countries by December 2015.

A view under the Altesch Glacier in Fiesch, Switzerland, which coils 23 km through the Swiss Alps. The glacier has retreated about 3 km (1.9 miles) since 1870 and that pace is quickening. © Denis Balibouse / Reuters

14 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME IN FOCUS

Colombian farmer Carlos Lopez shows lettuce crops damaged by a lack of rain. Ecosystem-based ADAPTATION IMPROVING adaptation can help farmers build resilience to LIVES OF COLOMBIAN FARMERS erratic weather. © John Vizcaino / Reuters

For years, Raul Sarmiento and The drip irrigation system and other But EbA projects will only be meaningful Margot Quintero, farmers from EbA measures – such as organic if matched with policies to promote Rionegro in Colombia, struggled fertilizer use, crop diversification and private sector participation and the to cope with the changing climate. terracing – increase the resilience of implementation of sustainable and Once, the rains were predictable. small farmers through better use of cost-efective adaptation options, on Now they are scarce. When they ecosystem services. They also reduce which UNEP is collecting more and do come, it is often as storms. production costs, increase productivity more evidence. UNEP is working with Both extremes damage their and diversify income streams. governments in the Latin American crops. However, as the result region to promote such policies, and of a microcredit project that Their credit is one of nearly 3,300 with national and regional development funds climate change adaptation credits delivered under the project, banks to make the case on EbA and measures, the husband and wife resulting in roughly $4.6 million of create MEbA-specific credit lines. are among thousands of farmers private investment towards sustainable in Colombia who can thrive despite adaptation alternatives. And the project For Raul, such wide-ranging support such erratic weather. is growing. is essential to safeguard traditional rural lifestyles, which produce the They are on their third loan of $2,000 Partner institutions have committed food needed to support the planet’s from Crezcamos, a partner of the to allocate $20 million over the next growing population. Microfinance for Ecosystem-based five years, delivering 24,000 credits Adaptation (MEbA) project, which is and training 14,000 clients on EbA. “ We say that it would be good for implemented in Colombia and Peru by The challenge is to replicate the young people not to leave for the UNEP and the Frankfurt School with MEbA concept in vulnerable rural town or city. But how are they going German government funding. The drip areas throughout the developing to stay in the fields if they have irrigation system Raul installed with world, increasing climate resilience no support?” he says. “If we don’t the money has strengthened his farm’s and improving livelihoods to achieve look for systems to help us produce resilience to drought – proving that such the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable despite climate change, like these projects can help communities adapt to Development. Public-private MEbA systems, harvests will be lost. the coming climactic changes that even partnerships like MEbA could reduce After we all leave our farms, people emissions cuts envisioned under the the current global shortfall of $2 billion will start biting their cell phones; Paris Agreement cannot head of. in adaptation financing. that is how they will eat.”

“We used to lose around 50% of our crops, now we only lose about 20%,” says Margot. “Last year, there was a drought, but since we had our irrigation system we were able COMMITTED to save our entire production. We harvested over 1,000 boxes TO OVER NEXT of mandarins, which are sold in the $20M market at between $6 and $12 each.” IN FUNDING 5 YEARS

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 15 MINIMIZING ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS

16 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Image © Sandra Boles ANNUAL REPORT 2015 17 DISASTERS AND CONFLICTS

In its work on disasters and conflicts, which aims to minimize threats to human well-being from environmental degradation, UNEP focuses on achieving results in two areas:

• Risk reduction – Improving countries’ ability to use environmental management to prevent and reduce the risks of natural hazards, industrial disasters and conflict.

• Response and recovery – Supporting countries in the aftermath of a disaster or conflict to identify and address environmental risks that could have serious social and economic impacts.

Risk reduction

Over the last two years, UNEP supported 28 countries to reduce the risks of natural disasters, industrial accidents and conflicts.

At the global level, a key measure of success is how well UNEP can integrate ecosystem-based solutions for disaster A grain miller at work in Les Anglais, Haiti, where a sustainable micro-grid is providing risk reduction (DRR) and peacebuilding energy to households and small businesses – part of long-term support for recovery into the wider UN’s guidelines, policies from the 2010 earthquake. © Marc Lee Steed and programmes. Ten significant UN policies, guidelines and programmes now reflect best practice in sustainable natural resource management, bringing the total number to 23. This exceeds the Highlights of UNEP support on risk reduction target of 20 for the end of 2015. UNEP is now also directly reaching the next UNEP conducted an assessment generation of policymakers through Madagascar of major risks posed by hazardous online training on DRR (see In Focus ammonia storage in an industrial site. feature on page 19). The containers were safely removed and neutralized.

Peru, Thailand Emergency preparedness was improved through regional (Asia-Pacific and Latin America) training of trainers in the Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level (APELL) methodology.

Tajikistan Environmental emergency preparedness training; support to dam safety; training 28COUNTRIES and support in the safe management of SUPPORTED TO REDUCE debris and asbestos waste; training in THE RISKS OF NATURAL ecosystem approaches to Disaster Risk DISASTERS, INDUSTRIAL Reduction (eco-DRR). ACCIDENTS AND CONFLICTS.

18 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME UNEP policy influence on crisis reduction

Who we influenced What we influenced What we did Why it’s important

Member states, the The Sendai Framework on UNEP worked to ensure the The Sendai Framework sets humanitarian and Disaster Risk Reduction environment was included as the goals for disaster risk development communities (SFDRR) a key factor in disaster risk reduction policies for the and taken into account as next 15 years. a solution.

The UN, World Bank and EU Post Disaster Needs UNEP led the environmental The PDNA is the principal Assessments (PDNA) section of the development framework used by the UN, of the PDNA guidelines, the World Bank and the including a guideline on EU to gauge post-disaster environmental issues. needs. The inclusion of the environment should ensure more sustainable spending of billions of dollars of post- disaster assistance.

The High Level Independent Uniting our Strengths for UNEP provided input on This high-level review will Panel on UN Peace Peace report the environmental impacts shape the future of UN Operations of peacekeeping operations peace operations. and the potential of green technology.

Response and recovery

UNEP responds to acute environmental emergencies as part of humanitarian response teams. It also conducts post- crisis assessments of environmental damage and recovery needs, and provides guidance to those involved in recovery. UNEP responded to crises and supported recovery in 22 countries over the last two years – ten of which were acute environmental emergencies. UNEP has carried out post-crisis or rapid environmental assessments in 29 countries since 2010. Between 2010 and 2014, in 88% of the assessments where UNEP identified serious risks, national governments or the UN took action to reduce those risks.

BETWEEN 2010-2014 IN % 88OF THE ASSESSMENTS WHERE UNEP IDENTIFIED SERIOUS RISKS, ACTION WAS TAKEN* TO REDUCE THOSE RISKS.

UNEP provided advice to the Government of Nepal, international agencies, and the UN system on dealing with environmental issues linked to the earthquake, which killed over 8,000 people in April 2015. UNEP also participated in a Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA). UNEP is now developing a multi-year *BY NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS OR THE UN. programme to support green recovery and environmental resilience in Nepal. © Adnan Abidi / Reuters

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 19 DISASTERS AND CONFLICTS

Highlights of UNEP emergency response to crisis situations

Country UNEP support Result

Serbia Assessment of flood-related risks Follow-up activities have been conducted of chemical leaks and landslides by the Serbian government to implement the recommendations from the assessment. Post-flood planning has been integrated into a regional climate change adaptation project for South East Europe.

Solomon Islands Assessment of flood-weakened gold The government is using UNEP’s assessment to mining tailings dam pursue a claim against the previous mine owner. Plans and the equipment to lower the level of water are now in place.

Ukraine Recovery and post-conflict needs The assessment informed the development of the assessment as part of the UN team Donbas Recovery Programme, which was the basis with the EC and the World Bank for €1.4 billion in loans.

Highlights of long-term support

430 households and business have been provided Haiti ELECTRICITY with clean and reliable electricity as part of a project aiming to provide 1,600 households with electricity by 2016. HOUSEHOLDS1600 BY 2016

Afghanistan Four major projects linked ecosystem-based disaster reduction with climate action to deliver capacity building to seven government departments, and support 35 LOCAL WATERSHED MANAGEMENT 35 local communities in projects for watershed management COMMUNITIES across four provinces.

Sudan More than 10,000 people from 20 villages benefited HARVEST from the first successful harvest in the area of the Seil Gideim 10,000 water-spreading dam, North Darfur. PEOPLE CROPS

While UNEP provides environmental assessments immediately after a crisis on request from the country or UN system, the organization also provides long-term support to countries that require more-sustained environmental assistance for recovery, which has meant longer-term support in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Haiti, South Sudan and Sudan.

For more information on UNEP’s work on Disasters and Conflicts, visit unep.org or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

The natural beauty of Bamyan, Afghanistan. The nation is working with UNEP on ecosystem-based disaster reduction and climate action. © AFP Photo / AFP

20 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME IN FOCUS

Floods in India inspired Heba Anna Philip to join UNEP’s course and learn more NEW ONLINE APPROACH TO TRAINING on how to prepare for natural disasters. BUILDS RESILIENCE TO DISASTERS © Reuters / Rupak De Chowdhuri

Over the last ten years, UNEP and majoring in desertification and natural Dr. Naeem Shahzad, its partners have run in-person resources. To complement his studies, training courses on how to manage he signed up for UNEP’s course. Pakistan The course inspired him to build a ecosystems to increase resilience to Following the 2005 earthquake grassroots organization, The Rural natural disasters. These courses have and 2010 flooding in Pakistan, which Women Resilience Bedrock, which helps reached hundreds of people in over killed tens of thousands of people, rural women become more financially 40 countries. But this hasn’t been the National University of Sciences resilient to the efects of climate change enough to meet demand, or to tackle and Technology (NUST) developed a through cultivating fruit trees. the scale of the problem. graduate-level programme on disaster management, the first of its kind in In 2015, UNEP launched the world’s “ In the face of a changing climate, the country. Dr. Naeem Shahzad, an first Massive Open Online Course no development can be sustainable Assistant Professor in the programme, (MOOC) on Disasters and Ecosystems. if disaster risk reduction and signed up for UNEP’s course to broaden Run in collaboration with the Cologne climate change adaptation are his view of disaster management. University of Applied Sciences, not integrated in development Global Universities Partnership on planning,” he says. Environment for Sustainability and “ Interactions with international experts [in] this course helped me the Partnership for Environment and Heba Anna Philip, India Disaster Risk Reduction, the course gain knowledge and experience,” reached over 12,000 people in 183 he says. “We learned how disaster In the summer of 2013, Heba Anna risk reduction, climate change countries. Focusing on ecosystem- Philip’s homeland in the Kuttanad region based approaches to disaster risk adaptation and ecosystem[s] are of Kerala, southern India, sufered interrelated.” reduction (Eco-DRR) and climate change devastating floods. Many people lost adaptation, the course aims to reach their property, others their livelihoods. The course is going to have “long- one million people over the next five As a result, she took the course, lasting efects”, Dr. Shahzad says, years and enable a new generation which taught her how to work with because the measures it advocates to promote more sustainable and communities to reduce disaster risk. are economical, efective, and easy resilient development. The community Ms. Philips, now a 9th-grade student, to implement. He is working to have is growing; its MOOC Facebook group is helping farmers in her home region the course included as an elective now has over 10,000 members, and prepare for floods, encouraging them to in the curriculum of his university’s students’ experiences show change is invest in growbags – sacks of soil that master’s programme. already happening. can be used to grow vegetables even if fields have flooded. A minimum of Nkembeteck Henry Nkwa, 25 growbags would make households Cameroon more food secure during three months THE COURSE REACHED OVER of heavy rains and floods. For a place A row of mature trees protected like Kuttanad, implementing green Nkembeteck Henry Nkwa’s family home infrastructure, such as Eco-DRR and until road developers tore them down. ecosystem-based adaptation measures, Three days later, a storm damaged his is an efective solution. 12,000 house. The experience prompted him PEOPLE IN 183 COUNTRIES. to learn more about how the natural “ We hope to bring awareness to world can bufer disaster impacts. He is people at the grassroots level – the working toward a master’s at the Higher simple villagers whose voices are Institute of the Sahel in Cameroon, often not heard or ignored by the government,” she says.

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 21 SUPPORTING HUMAN WELL-BEING THROUGH HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS

22 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Image © Nicolas Andrew Suryono ANNUAL REPORT 2015 23 ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT

In its work on ecosystem management, which is of particular significance to the Sustainable Development Goals on conserving and sustainably managing terrestrial and ocean ecosystems, UNEP focuses on the following areas:

• The Enabling Environment – Assisting countries in incorporating the value and the long-term function of ecosystems in planning and accounting frameworks.

• The productivity of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems – Assisting countries to use an ecosystem approach to managing terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

• The productivity of marine ecosystems – Assisting countries Kenya has valued its ecosystems, including the Mount Kenya water catchment to use an ecosystem approach in area, pictured here during a forest fire in 2012. © Thomas Mukoya / Reuters marine ecosystem management.

Building knowledge Productivity of terrestrial and enabling conditions and aquatic ecosystems

Ecosystems – complex webs of living UNEP supported 58 countries to enable organisms and other natural resources diferent sectors to use an ecosystem – play a critical role in supporting approach. The result of this support is human well-being and driving economic that eight countries, over the last two growth through the services they years, have taken steps to integrate the 17 provide such as food, water, pollination ecosystem approach into sector-based COUNTRIES and climate regulation. As such, their natural resource management, bringing COMPLETED A continued health will be vital to the the total to 25 countries, in line with world’s sustainable development targeted results. aspirations. To help create an enabling VALUATION environment for countries to understand and conserve these services, UNEP assists governments to quantify and OF THEIR understand the value of ecosystems and ECOSYSTEMS how to best use that information in their national decision-making processes.

Over the last two years, 17 countries – from a total of 61 working on the subject with UNEP, including through the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) – completed a valuation of their ecosystems. Seven countries – including Guatemala, Kenya and the United States – were able to use valuation data on priority ecosystem services in their national accounting and budgeting processes, meeting the target set for December 2015. For a good example of this work, see the In Focus feature on UNEP’s flagship UNEP’s Europe Director, Jan Dusik, speaks on mountain agriculture during ProEcoServ project (page 25). Mountain Week in Milan. © UNEP

24 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME UNEP support to countries to use an ecosystem approach

Country Result

Angola In conjunction with the Mayombe Transboundary Conservation Agreement, Angola – which will host World Environment Day 2016 to draw attention to the fight against the illegal wildlife trade – gazetted a first protected area.

Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Finance secured for the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan for Volta Basin. Ivory Coast, Mali, Togo

Democratic Republic of Congo, Signature of the Treaty of the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration, Rwanda, Uganda which aims to protect mountain gorillas and their landscapes, as well as the communities that depend on them through tourism, in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Indonesia The ecosystem approach was used in Sumatra to establish a spatial plan and a strategic landscapes document.

South Africa Increased its investment by $4 million to restore the water catchment area of the Ntabelanga Dam.

Great apes survival communities and governments in the UNEP also enabled 14 countries to conservation of wild populations in use an ecosystem approach to sustain partnership responds West Kalimantan. GRASP has added ecosystem services from coastal and to Borneo fires 21 partners since 2013, with 102 marine systems. Viet Nam launched governments, research institutions, its National Integrated Coastal Zone As fires ravaged Southeast Asia United Nations agencies, conservation Management Strategy, while Palau last year, the Great Apes Survival organizations and private supporters in October created the Palau Marine Partnership (GRASP) stepped up committed to the protection of great Sanctuary – an area in which no fishing, its support to afected great ape apes and their habitats. or other uses such as drilling for oil, populations. Annual fires set to clear will be permitted. The Bahamas, which land for agricultural development on has been supported in its endeavours Borneo, where the majority of the Productivity of by UNEP and the Global Environment remaining 70,000 orangutans in the marine ecosystems Facility since 2009, also announced wild live, were whipped beyond control the creation of 24 new marine protected by El Niño meteorological conditions, Country action towards addressing areas and the expansion of 3 existing resulting in the loss of one-third of marine litter increased substantially national parks, thus adding around 3 the orangutans’ forests. over the last two years with the G7 million hectares to its marine protected and the Barcelona, Cartagena, Helsinki areas and reserves system. Caribbean The fires left orangutan rehabilitation and OSPAR Conventions agreeing upon states signed up to the Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI) have agreed centers overwhelmed by rescued apes. marine litter action plans. At national to a goal of protecting 20% of their The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm and sub-national levels, Brazil, Chile, coastal and marine ecosystems Oil donated $100,000 to GRASP Colombia, Ecuador, Nigeria, Panama by 2020. projects in Borneo, which were and Samoa are working on action used to fund orangutan rescue and plans on marine litter. rehabilitation, fire-fighting, and habitat protection projects. Eforts in Borneo UNEP’s Regional Seas Programmes and were further boosted when two the Global Programme of Action for the new organizations joined GRASP in Protection of the Marine Environment December: Orangutan Appeal UK, from Land-Based Activities (GPA) are the main vehicles UNEP utilizes to which provides direct support to support countries in integrating the the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation ecosystem approach in their eforts to Centre in Sabah, and the Gunung sustain coastal and marine ecosystems. Palung Orangutan Conservation Program, which engages local

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 25 ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT

Biodegradable plastics not the answer

To mark the 20th anniversary of the GPA, a report was released in November to highlight concerns over the widespread adoption of products labelled ‘biodegradable’. Biodegradable Plastics and Marine Litter. Misconceptions, Concerns and Impacts on Marine Environments found that complete biodegradation of plastics occurs in conditions that are rarely, if ever, met in marine environments. There is also evidence suggesting that labelling products as ‘biodegradable’ increases the public’s inclination to litter.

Another highlight was the adoption of the Biodiversity Protocol by the parties to the Tehran Convention, which obliges the Parties to work together beyond national borders in Delicate marine ecosystems were increasingly protected in 2015. © David Gray / Reuters the conservation and restoration of the Caspian Sea. Governments also agreed to establish a permanent Secretariat of the Convention, under the administration of UNEP.

For more information on UNEP’s work on ecosystems, visit unep.org or follow us on Facebook or Twitter. “ ISLAND COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN AMONG THE HARDEST HIT BY THE THREATS FACING THE OCEAN. CREATING THIS SANCTUARY IS A BOLD MOVE 500,000 THAT THE PEOPLE OF PALAU RECOGNIZE AS ESSENTIAL TO OUR SURVIVAL. WE WANT SQ / KM TO LEAD THE WAY IN RESTORING SET ASIDE FOR THE HEALTH OF THE OCEAN PROTECTION FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.” PALAU PRESIDENT TOMMY E. REMENGESAU JR. IN PALAU (A 2014 UNEP CHAMPION OF THE EARTH)

26 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME IN FOCUS

Surakit Laeaddee stands outside his sustainable shrimp farm in Thailand. Shrimp farms have eroded PROECOSERV PROJECT HELPING mangrove forests, but many across the region are now recognizing the benefits of better practices. TO CONSERVE ECOSYSTEMS © Athit Perawongmetha / Reuters

Much of Viet Nam’s mangrove forests Ecosystem benefits The concepts are also gaining are located in the southern Ca Mau traction across the Greater Mekong Province, where they play a vital in Ca Mau province Subregion, an economic area bound together by the Mekong River – role in maintaining the health of Inshore fishing and traditional encompassing a population of 326 ecosystems and provide services aquaculture play an important role million across Cambodia, the People’s to 1.53 million people. for livelihoods in the Ngoc Hien Republic of China, Lao People’s District in Ca Mau – $87.5 million Yet, over the last 30 years, large Democratic Republic, Myanmar, from aquaculture in 2012. But farmers areas of mangroves – around half in Thailand, and Viet Nam. are now realizing that production the wider Mekong Delta, by some will fall without the mangroves, which estimates – have made way for also provide protection from natural “ We recognize that natural capital shrimp farms and other development. disasters and extreme weather events. lies at the heart of economic A continuation of this trend would lead During the period of ProEcoServ development, underpins inclusive to the decimation of the remaining project, mangrove coverage in the and sustainable development mangroves, with huge implications area increased by 5.67%, resulting and sustains the livelihoods for both ecosystems and livelihoods. in increased aquaculture production and wellbeing of all people in valued at more than $4 million. the Greater Mekong Subregion, However, with the assistance of especially the rural poor,” UNEP’s ProEcoServ project, which environment ministers from “ Forest area in my land is less than aims to integrate the economic value of the six countries said in the required 50%. Many of my ecosystems into government policies, a joint statement. attitudes are changing. The four-year shrimp died from disease, especially project identified almost one billion on the land not protected by The ProEcoServ work adds further dollars of annual benefits in four mangrove forest. I could see then weight to the body of evidence proving countries – including soil retention that the forest is useful for raising ecosystems are crucial to sustainable services worth $622 million in Trinidad shrimp,” says Shrimp Farmer development, and is also changing and Tobago and $166 million in savings Van Cong To. policy in other countries. In South Africa, through ecosystem-based disaster risk the role of ecosystem services is now ProEcoServ supported land-use reduction in South Africa. In Ca Mau, recognized as a part of an ecological planning at the Ca Mau level, helping to the Global Environment Facility-funded infrastructure, with an active contribution consolidate and protect land devoted to project showed that the economic to the $93 billion National Infrastructure mangroves. Furthermore, ProEcoServ benefits of the 45,523 hectares of Development Plan. In Chile, meanwhile, work, carried out by the Institute mangrove forest reach up to $2,985 per the first tourism development plan of Strategy and Policy on Natural hectare per year. This value extends far for the Municipality of San Pedro Resources (ISPONRE), and the Ministry beyond resource exploitation such as de Atacama recognizes the role of of Natural Resources and Environment in shrimp farming. ecosystem services in sustainable Viet Nam, provided input to the National and tourism management. Green Growth Strategy to 2020, and the National Strategy for Environmental Protection to 2020.

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 27 STRENGTHENING GLOBAL GOVERNANCE IN AN INTERCONNECTED WORLD

28 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Image © Brent Stirton / Getty Images ANNUAL REPORT 2015 29 ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE

In its work on environmental Coherence and synergy Environmental sustainability and governance, the overarching climate neutrality in the UN system In a complex world, in which many element that needs to be bodies and personalities work Heads of UN agencies adopted a strengthened to implement and interact on issues that afect common approach on environmental the 2030 Agenda for the environment, UNEP promotes management systems to reduce emissions and environmental impacts. Sustainable Development coherence and synergy in the multilateral system to ensure the Twenty-one UN organizations are and other international international community embraces pursuing climate neutrality, up from frameworks, including the a sustainable future in a united and six in 2013, of which 18 organizations recently adopted Paris streamlined way. Coherence increased have emission reduction strategies in the way the UN system and and five Environmental Management Agreement, UNEP focuses multilateral environmental agreements Systems. Furthermore, the UN system, on three areas: (MEAs) handled environmental issues through the Environment Management over the last two years, resulting in Group (EMG), is developing system- • Coherence and synergy – Improving several initiatives, some of which are wide strategies on the environment the manner in which the UN system highlighted below. to enhance coherence. The aim is and multilateral environmental to have a framework for aligning agreements achieve policy coherence. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable agencies’ respective strategies on the Development (see page 50 for environmental dimension of the 2030 – Enhancing • Law and institutions more on UNEP’s role) Agenda for Sustainable Development. the capacities of countries to establish and enforce legal and The environment is a key component institutional frameworks to address of the Agenda and in specific environmental priorities. Sustainable Development Goals, targets and indicators. Governments agreed • Mainstreaming the environment to an integrated approach, which will into development processes – require environmental issues to be Assisting countries to integrate addressed as part of a wider agenda environment into sectoral and for change that includes social and development processes and plans, economic aspects. including those on poverty reduction. 21

UNORGANIZATIONS ARE PURSUING CLIMATE NEUTRALITY

UP FROM 6 IN 2013 Residents of Mazatlan, Mexico release Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings as part of a programme to recover the endangered species, highlighting the harmony between people and planet that sustainable development strives for. © Stringer Mexico / Reuters

30 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Human rights and the environment “ CLIMATE CHANGE IS THE RESULT A resolution was adopted at the 28th session of the Human Rights OF CHOICES MADE BY HUMAN Council, strengthening the mandate BEINGS AND HAS DEVASTATING of the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment and IMPACTS ON A WIDE RANGE OF encouraging further coordination with UNEP. The UNDG Working Group INTERNATIONALLY GUARANTEED on Human Rights issued a guide on HUMAN RIGHTS – THE RIGHTS supporting human rights at the country level, which includes links between TO FOOD, WATER, SANITATION, human rights and the environment. At the Paris Climate Meeting, UNEP ADEQUATE HOUSING, AND released a report detailing the many HEALTH – FOR MILLIONS negative efects of climate change on human rights, and calling on nations to OF PEOPLE.” recognize this in their climate responses. ZEID RA’AD AL HUSSEIN, UNITED NATIONS Additionally, collaborative arrangements HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS with the secretariats of MEAs resulted in advances in terms of joining forces on common issues, including:

• The consideration of a set of options to enhance synergies on programmatic, institutional and administrative areas of work across six biodiversity-related MEAs.

• The agreement between MEA secretariats and UNEP partner organizations of a common multi- stakeholder thesaurus for the field of environmental law and conventions. This resulted in enhanced integration of knowledge available to users through INFORMEA, an information portal for MEAs, across over 50 global and regional multilateral environmental agreements.

• A Regional Seas Strategic Directions 2017-2020 plan adopted at the 17th regional seas conventions and action plans meeting.

For more information on the work of UNEP-hosted global MEAs, see page 52.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals. © UN PHOTO

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 31 ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE

Law and institutions At the international level, UNEP convened processes to promote Through UNEP’s support, 11 countries efective transboundary freshwater undertook new legal and institutional governance, the concept of measures to improve implementation environmental rule of law and Access of internationally agreed environmental to Information, Public Participation goals over the last two years. Two and Access to Justice in Environmental countries also undertook initiatives Matters (Principle 10) to enhance to monitor and achieve compliance capacities of government stakeholders. and enforcement of international A regional forum was held in Panama environmental obligations. for Latin America and the Caribbean to share practices. Noteworthy is Partnerships with regional and global progress in the negotiation of a organizations, such as the Organization regional agreement on Principle of American States (OAS) and Globe 10, which benefited from UNEP’s International (a global legislators’ support. On environmental rule organization), have helped to scale of law, partnerships were developed, Oyun Sanjaasuren, who presided over the up UNEP’s work on law, leading to the regional colloquia held and a global first UNEA and will stand down in 2016. uptake of the concept of environmental report initiated. © Francis Dejon rule of law in regional contexts and to more systemic approaches to the Mainstreaming engagement of parliamentarians. environmental sustainability Implementing United Nations Environment UNEP also aims to increase the number Fifteen countries finalized, in of initiatives and partnerships of major the past year, UN Development Assembly (UNEA) groups and stakeholders in support of Assistance Frameworks (UNDAFs) resolutions the development and implementation that incorporated the principles of national and international of environmental sustainability. Air Quality (UN Environment environmental law. UNEP’s target Furthermore, the Poverty- Assembly resolution 1/7) was achieved with the conclusion Environment Initiative, which UNEP The World Health Assembly adopted of partnership agreements with the runs in collaboration with the UN a resolution on Health and the Stakeholder Forum and the Konrad Development Programme, resulted Environment: Addressing the health Adenauer Foundation. UNEP’s in the integration of environment impact of air pollution. Air quality data partnership with the Stakeholder objectives into a total of 21 policies, was made accessible via UNEP Live, Forum aims to embed the perspectives plans and processes focusing on and regional plans were adopted. An of major groups and stakeholders poverty reduction over the past air policy quality catalogue was made in the work of UNEP, including two years. available as a step toward a global access to information, justice and air quality report for UNEA 2. See In public participation in environmental Eight sub-regional and regional Focus feature in the Environment Under matters. UNEP’s partnership with the fora incorporated the principles of Review chapter (page 49) for more Konrad Adenauer Foundation aims environmental sustainability in 2014- information on air quality. to enhance the capacities of judges 2015. These intergovernmental and legal stakeholders in the field of sessions, which covered several Illegal Trade in Wildlife environmental rule of law, particularly regions and sub-regions (Africa, Arab in Africa. (UN Environment Assembly States, Asia and the Pacific, Central resolution 1/3) Asia, Europe, Latin America and the 30 projects totaling $2 million were Caribbean and Small Island Developing funded from African Elephant Fund. States), provided a strategic link Analyses of environmental impacts of between global and regional priorities. the illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife The fora promoted the uptake of global products were initiated. See In Focus environmental priorities at the regional feature on page 31 for more on UNEP’s and national levels. They also came work on the illegal wildlife trade. up with messages that feed into global processes, such as the upcoming second United Nations Environment For more information on UNEP’s COUNTRIES15 Assembly (UNEA-2). work on environmental governance, FINALIZED, IN THE PAST YEAR, visit unep.org or follow us on UN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE Facebook or Twitter. FRAMEWORKS (UNDAFS) THAT INCORPORATED THE PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.

32 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME IN FOCUS

Members of the Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit, who won UNEP’s 2015 Champions of SOUTH AFRICAN ANTI-POACHING the Earth Award. © UNEP UNIT INSPIRES GLOBAL ACTION

Collet Ngobeni and Felicia Mogakane where more than 100,000 elephants implications of the illegal trade, are most at home in the wide open were killed in a three-year period alone. helping countries to strengthen legal spaces of Balule Private Game More Black Mambas are clearly needed. frameworks and by increasing the Reserve in South Africa. There, they evidence–base to enable countries form part of the Black Mamba Anti- “ Community-led initiatives are crucial to hone their policies. Poaching Unit, a majority-women to combating the illegal wildlife ranger group facing up to criminal trade,” said UNEP Executive Director UNEP has also been asked by the gangs poaching rhinos for profit. Achim Steiner. “The Black Mambas Secretary-General’s Policy Committee to are an inspiration not only locally, facilitate the coordinated UN response But last September the two women but across the world to all those to the illegal trade. It also facilitates found themselves in New York City working to eliminate the scourge access to the Global Environment to receive the UNEP Champions of of the illegal wildlife trade.” Facility and other resources, including the Earth award on behalf of the Black the African Elephant Fund. Mambas – providing inspiration and The Black Mambas are part of a action in the fight against the illegal growing global movement. Last year, Further momentum will be generated trade in wildlife. 32 countries pledged tougher action this year as the UN’s flagship day for during the Conference on Illegal public environmental outreach, World “ Aims like the Sustainable Wildlife Trade in Kasane, Botswana. Environment Day, hosted by Angola, Development Goals may seem This followed a resolution adopted by will focus on the ITW theme and support beyond the scope of an ordinary 157 countries gathered for the first-ever for Sustainable Development Goal 15. person,” said NoCry Mzimba, UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) in another member of the Black 2014. Then, in July 2015, the UN General NoCry knows that everybody must play Mambas. “But we are all ordinary Assembly adopted a resolution calling their part to put an end to the slaughter. people. UNEP gave us the for wildlife crime to be treated as a Champions of the Earth award serious crime, both nationally and across “ I do not know who you are, but for what we’ve accomplished borders. The international community I am sure that you can help,” she as ordinary people.” has undertaken other steps to address said. “We all have the power to get the crisis on the demand side. For informed, make smart choices and The Black Mambas walk up to 20km a example, nine internet enterprises in influence others.” day, seeking out poachers, their camps China have committed to not ofering and snares. When not on patrol, they publicity or trading services for illegal For more information on the discourage community members from wildlife products on their networks. Champions of the Earth award, joining the poachers’ ranks. Such work including the other 2015 laureates, is vital in South Africa, where 1,215 UNEP is now concentrating on see page 56 or visit web.unep.org/ rhinos were killed in 2014. The rapid the implementation of the UNEA- champions rise in rhino poaching, from under 20 1 Resolution on Illegal Trade in in 2007, has been driven by organized Wildlife through coordinating a One syndicates capitalizing on demand. This UN and Partners Global Campaign is representative of the situation facing to raise awareness on the social, many species across the continent, security, economic and environmental

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 33 ENSURING SOUND MANAGEMENT OF CHEMICALS AND WASTE

34 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Image © Anders Andersson ANNUAL REPORT 2015 35 CHEMICALS AND WASTE

To achieve sound with assistance from UNEP, now has 128 The Secretariat of the Special signatories and 20 Parties, up from 94 Programme is now fully operational with management of chemicals signatory countries and only one Party €11 million from the European Union, and waste, essential to the in 2013. $180,000 from Sweden, €200,000 from attainment of Sustainable Finland and $750,000 from the United Development Goal 3 on The Global Mercury States of America. healthy people, UNEP Partnership – Supporting In addition, 2015 was a key year for focuses on three areas: implementation of the the UNEP-hosted Montreal Protocol Minamata Convention on Substances that Deplete the • The enabling environment – Ozone Layer, under which nations Supporting countries to build the Ratification and early implementation have prompted the healing of the institutional capacity and policies to of the Minamata Convention on ozone layer by almost completely manage chemicals and waste soundly. Mercury is facilitated by UNEP’s phasing out Ozone-Depleting Global Mercury Partnership – an Substances. The 197 parties agreed – Assisting countries, • Chemicals alliance that enables countries to to work on an amendment to the including major groups and address the adverse efects of Protocol to control hydrofluorocarbons stakeholders, to implement sound mercury. By December 2015, 50 (HFCs), a replacement in cooling chemicals management and the countries were carrying out initial systems that does not damage the related Multilateral Environmental assessments for the convention. ozone layer but may eventually act Agreements (MEAs). as a climate warming gas (see page The Global Mercury Partnership and 52 on MEAs for more details). – Assisting countries, including • Waste the Strategic Approach to International major groups and stakeholders, to Chemicals Management (SAICM) are implement sound waste management The Strategic Approach important vehicles to support countries and the related MEAs. to International Chemicals to create the appropriate enabling environment for action. They facilitate Management (SAICM) The enabling environment wide-ranging action to achieve results SAICM, for which UNEP provides the with direct benefits to human health and Secretariat, promotes chemical safety Over the last two years, 17 countries the environment. A voluntary trust fund, around the world. All projects funded adopted policies promoting sound known as the Special Programme on by SAICM’s Quick Start Programme management of chemicals and institutional capacity strengthening – (QSP) Trust Fund contribute to the waste, exceeding UNEP’s target designed to support nations on SAICM achievement of the 2020 goal of sound for December 2015. This increase and the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm chemicals management. A recent stemmed from countries that ratified (BRS) and Minamata conventions – evaluation found the programme had the Minamata Convention on Mercury. was adopted at the first United Nations met, and in many cases exceeded, This convention, which governments Environment Assembly in June 2014. adopted to tackle global emissions its objective of establishing enabling of the toxic element in 2013, environments for sound management of chemicals at the national level.

A girl sufering from hearing and speech disorders waits at a rehabilitation centre in Bhopal, India. The centre only treats families they believe were afected by the 1984 leak from a pesticide factory. © Danish Siddiqui / Reuters

36 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME STRATEGIC APPROACH TO INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT QUICK START PROGRAMME SINCE 2006 US $49.1 MILLION MOBILIZED BY THE TRUST FUND COMPRISING FROM $ $39.4 MILLION $ IN CASH CONTRIBUTIONS DONORS24 ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND $9.7 MILLION LEVERAGED BY PROJECT IMPLEMENTERS IN ADDITION $74.1 MILLION

IN NON-TRUST FUND CONTRIBUTORS CONTRIBUTION FROM 19 108 54 21 DIFFERENT LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES PROJECTS WITH CIVIL COUNTRIES AND/OR SMALL ISLAND SOCIETY PARTNERS DEVELOPING STATES (SIDS) 163 14 184 PROJECTS WITH APPLICATION APPROVED GOVERNMENT PARTNERS ROUNDS PROJECTS

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 37 CHEMICALS AND WASTE

Chemicals A key component of UNEP’s approach The PCB Elimination is the promotion of the use of waste Network (PEN) UNEP aims to increase the number agricultural biomass as a source of energy. Agricultural biomass waste can of governments, businesses Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are replace fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse and industries, and civil society carbon-based chemical substances that organizations addressing priority gas emissions and provide energy to 1.6 billion people in developing persist in the environment, accumulate chemical issues using its risk through the food web in the fatty tissue assessment and management tools. countries. Working with UNEP, of living organisms, including humans, Over the last two years, 14 governments, Cambodia, Costa Rica and India have and cause adverse efects to human 21 businesses and industries and 12 developed strategies to enhance the health and the environment. In the civil society organizations addressed conversion of agricultural biomass waste past PCBs were used as coolants and priority chemical issues with UNEP’s into energy, with businesses putting insulating fluids for transformers and support. Lesotho, Swaziland and Viet in place appropriate technologies to capacitors, such as those used in old Nam conducted national mercury scale-up results. inventories, while Madagascar identified fluorescent light ballasts. Today, up alternatives for mercury-free products. UNEP has also placed a sharper focus to 9.3 million tonnes still need to be Several mining companies in Chile and on ‘waste as a resource’ and the eliminated, with the largest amounts Peru implemented best practices, and ‘circular economy’. A good foundation found in Africa and the Asia-Pacific dental associations in Tanzania and for these approaches was laid by the region. To address this challenge, Uganda promoted the phasing out of Global Waste Management Outlook, UNEP helped to establish the PCB dental mercury amalgam. Furthermore, which found that up to 10 billion Elimination Network (PEN), for which several non-governmental organizations tonnes of urban waste is generated it serves as the secretariat. advocated for the UNEP-supported DDT each year. The report pointed to Road Map, which focuses on phasing ways to eradicate this waste, such as out this harmful persistent organic the inclusion of informal recyclers in pollutant (POP). Another key highlight municipal waste management systems of UNEP’s work on chemicals has been – which, for example, diverts 1,200 progress on lead (see In Focus feature tonnes of waste daily from landfills on page 37). and employs 8,250 people in Bogotá, Colombia. Together with other key elements, such as the development of Waste an academic consortium to create a waste management curriculum and the UNEP works with governments, preparation of guidelines for a legislative businesses and industries, and civil framework on waste management, society organizations to help them this strengthens the basis for UNEP’s address priority waste issues. Over future work on waste management and the last two years, seven national and prevention issues. local governments, nine businesses and industries, and seven civil society For more information on UNEP’s organizations addressed priority waste UNEP’s North America Director Patricia Beneke issues, bringing the total number of work on chemicals and waste, (far right), Goodwill Ambassador Don Cheadle countries doing so to 22. visit unep.org or follow us on (far left) and members of the Global Alliance Facebook or Twitter. to Eliminate Lead Paint announce the goal of eliminating lead paint by 2020 at Earth Day celebrations in Washington, D.C. © Alexander Jones

Agricultural biomass generated per year

GLOBAL CAMBODIA INDIA COSTA RICA 140 8.3 415.5 27 BILLION MILLION MILLION MILLION METRIC TONNES METRIC TONNES METRIC TONNES METRIC TONNES EQUIVALENT TO EQUIVALENT TO EQUIVALENT TO EQUIVALENT TO APPROXIMATELY APPROXIMATELY APPROXIMATELY APPROXIMATELY 50 3.6 103.9 86,487 BILLION MILLION MILLION TERAJOULES TONNES OF OIL TONNES OF OIL TONNES OF OIL OF PRIMARY ENERGY

38 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME IN FOCUS

Children can ingest lead from old paint flakes. AFTER LEAD FUEL PHASE OUT, © Shutterstock / Mike Red UNEP TARGETING LEAD PAINT

Abraham Berhane, who runs a paint In 2002, lead was used in fuels in 82 While paints with very high lead content company of 40 employees in Addis countries. Today, with UNEP and its are still on the market in other countries, Ababa, Ethiopia, had no idea that his partners’ support, only three countries the situation is changing. At the sessions products held the potential to harm still have lead in fuels. This means that in Ethiopia, Mehari Wondimagegn, Ethiopia’s future generations. In 2015, most of the damage comes from paint a senior ofcial in Ethiopia’s Ministry however, he and participants from – which is why UNEP and WHO, leading of Environment, Forest, and Climate government ministries and companies the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Change, announced that his department from across Africa attended a Paint, are working across the globe to is developing regulations to establish workshop organized by UNEP and replicate the success with fuel. UNEP, a 90 ppm standard for decorative the International POPs Elimination WHO and partners such as IPEN are paints. Representatives of other African Network (IPEN) – part of a series of supporting nations to put in place the governments also agreed to work events held across the continent. legal and regulatory frameworks to towards introducing legislation that Abraham was shocked to discover control lead paints and products coated would limit the total lead content in all the potential health efects of his with lead paints. Over the last two years, paints to 90 ppm by 2020. Movement colourful paints, which used pigments 23 countries took action, bringing the is also taking place at a regional level, containing lead. total number of countries with legal including the East African Community and regulatory frameworks on lead and the Economic Community of West Childhood lead poisoning can have in paints to 58. African States. lifelong health impacts, including learning disabilities, anaemia, and In the Philippines, for example, Abraham, however, knows that business disorders in coordination, visual, spatial legislation now prohibits the use, has a responsibility to act, and is not and language skills. According to the manufacture, import, export and sale waiting for legislation to change his World Health Organization (WHO), of paints with total lead content above business practices. childhood lead exposure contributes to 90 ppm, with demonstrable results. about 600,000 new cases of children The testing of five paint brands revealed “ Lead in paint is a silent gun,” with intellectual disabilities every year. that the lead content has dropped from he says. “You cannot hear it harming The economic cost, due to lower IQ 2,330-126,000 ppm to 15-1,280 ppm. your children’s bodies. My company points, translates to over $900 billion Sri Lanka and Nepal recently introduced will stop selling paint containing around the globe ($137 billion in Africa, similar legal limits to lead in paint. lead. I will also talk to other $142 billion in Latin America, and $700 companies in Ethiopia. Business billion in Asia). should be like this.”

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 39 ACCELERATING THE TRANSITION TO SUSTAINABLE SOCIETIES

40 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Image © Mike Theiss / National Geographic Creative ANNUAL REPORT 2015 41 RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

On resource efciency and Enabling environment Green Economy in Europe sustainable consumption UNEP supports countries and UNEP supported six Eastern European and production – which is a regions to integrate green economy countries through the EU-financed standalone goal in the 2030 and sustainable consumption and Greening Economies in the Eastern Agenda for Sustainable production approaches into policies. Neighbourhood (EaP-GREEN) Development, but also Green economies are low carbon, programme. Using scoping studies and resource efcient and inclusive, and impacts on other goals such training, this programme shows how create employment and enhance economic growth can be decoupled as climate change, poverty, human well-being – all essential from environmental degradation and zero hunger, and sustained, to the implementation of the 2030 resource depletion in Armenia, Georgia, Agenda for Sustainable Development Azerbaijan, the Republic of Moldova, inclusive and sustainable and the Paris Agreement. economic growth – UNEP Belarus and Ukraine. focuses on three areas: Over the last two years, with UNEP’s Moldova can expect to earn back support, eight countries and nine investments in renewable energy within • Enabling environment – Supporting cities developed and/or started ten years, for example. Investments countries in creating an enabling policy implementing sustainable consumption in energy efciency in the country can environment that promotes resource and production and green economy ofer savings in energy consumption efciency, sustainable consumption policies, meeting UNEP’s target for the worth over €100 million by 2020. and production and the transition to end of 2015. This brings the total to

green economy pathways. 29 countries and nine cities that have adopted or started the implementation The foundations were also laid for • Sectors and supply – Enhancing of sustainable consumption and Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine to adopt the ability of governments, businesses production and green economy their first sustainable public procurement and other parties to adopt sustainable pathways since 2011 – including those plans thanks to UNEP guidance. consumption and production engaged through the Partnership for This work will boost the domestic practices in key sectors across Action on Green Economy (PAGE). market for sustainable products. global supply chains. The International Resource Panel, • Lifestyles and consumption – which provides policymakers with MOLDOVA CAN Enhancing the ability of countries, scientific assessments and reports businesses, civil society and on how to decouple economic growth individual consumers to make from environmental impact, is another SAVE $100 informed choices for sustainable important way to improve the enabling consumption and lifestyles. policy environment. Over the last two years the UNEP-hosted body has MILLION released influential reports on metal recycling, climate change and city-level resource decoupling approaches. BY 2020 BY INVESTING IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY

29COUNTRIES AND NINE CITIES HAVE ADOPTED OR STARTED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION AND GREEN ECONOMY PATHWAYS SINCE 2011.

A trafc light for cyclists next to a combined heat and power plant in Hanover, Germany. The plant is powered with natural gas and produces 255 MW electrical and 185 MW district heating at an efciency factor of 90%. © Wolfgang Rattay / Reuters

42 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Illustrative policy changes Changes in practices resulting from UNEP support in countries and cities Country Sector/Area of support Result Mongolia adopted a Green Development Strategy with France Tourism 34 professionals and UNEP’s assistance. eight businesses achieved environmental certification Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar, labels and standards. Certified Ethiopia, mainstreamed sustainable businesses decreased their consumption and production energy and water consumption. and green economy approaches The city of Nantes became into urban policy instruments. the first European city to have co-certified hotel rooms. Rwanda and Brazil began implementing sustainable India Buildings and A social housing developer consumption and production plans. Construction involved in slum re-development adopted sustainable design standards, increasing energy defined Da Nang, Viet Nam, efciency. its resource footprint and established targets to become more resource efcient.

Sectors and supply Global Eco-Innovation and 175 stakeholders exposed to Supply Chains UNEP’s operational approach to At the core of UNEP’s work is eco-innovation to boost profitability enhancing the capacity of governments, and sustainability in three supply businesses and other parties to chains (agri-food, metals and adopt sustainable production and chemicals). 11 countries selected consumption practices in global supply for implementation. chains in building and construction, food and agriculture (see the In Focus feature on page 43), finance and tourism Sweden Buildings and A construction company changed sectors. Over the last two years, with Construction its sourcing and selection of UNEP support, 140 countries, institutions construction materials of its and businesses improved management 50,000 suppliers. As a result practices or strategies in these sectors, overall sustainability of its bringing the total number reporting products has increased. improved practices and the use of more resource-efcient tools to 222.

The financial sector is an increasingly vital target for UNEP engagement, which the organization carries out through both the UNEP Finance Initiative (see Climate Change chapter for more details) and the UNEP Inquiry, which in 2015 launched its report: The Financial System We Need: Aligning the Financial System with Sustainable Development. “ THE UNEP INQUIRY REPORT DELIVERS The report, which shows how to harness A VISION OF EMBEDDING SUSTAINABLE the assets of the world’s financial system for sustainability, found that financial DEVELOPMENT INTO THE CORE OF policymakers and regulators were increasingly taking steps to integrate FINANCIAL AND CAPITAL MARKETS.” sustainable development considerations into financial systems to make them YI GANG, DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF THE PEOPLE’S BANK OF CHINA fit for the 21st century. In Peru, for example, new due diligence requirements have been introduced for banks to help reduce social and environmental externalities.

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 43 RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

Lifestyles and consumption

UNEP aims to provide enabling conditions for promoting more sustainable consumption choices and lifestyles. Progress here is demonstrated by the number of public and private sector institutions that put in place policies and measures conducive to sustainable consumption patterns. Supporting sustainable public procurement is one way to stimulate demand for, and supply of, sustainable products. Over the last two years, UNEP supported 20 countries on sustainable public procurement. Six of these countries are developing or implementing action plans in close coordination with the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10YFP), which is running programmes on Consumer Information, Sustainable Lifestyles and Education, Sustainable Public Procurement, Sustainable Buildings and Construction, Sustainable Food Systems, and Sustainable Tourism. Additionally, with UNEP’s support, 27 companies –based in Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, India, Peru and Uganda – have increasingly used life cycle-based approaches and tools.

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner and Goodwill Ambassador Yaya Touré arrive at World Environment Day 2015 celebrations in Italy in an electric car. The event ran under the theme ‘Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume With Care.’ The world’s premier day for environmental action engaged the global community to encourage sustainable consumption practices. © UNEP

Bogotá, Colombia

In Bogotá, Colombia, 22 companies organized in a Life Cycle Management network and completed training in compliance. They are now implementing environmental management systems using life-cycle approaches.

Kashipur, India

In Kashipur, India, a company in the chemicals sector integrated life-cycle approaches into management practices.

Education and awareness-raising are For more information on UNEP’s also important enabling conditions for work on Resource Efciency, more sustainable lifestyles. Over the last visit unep.org or follow us on two years, UNEP supported activities Facebook or Twitter. that catalyzed the engagement of 18 stakeholders into the promotion of sustainable lifestyles – including through the joint UNEP/Food and Agriculture Organization initiative on reducing food waste, Think.Eat.Save. – bringing the total to 28 stakeholders. This brings the cumulative total to 82. Kaveh Zahedi, UNEP’s Director for Asia and the Pacific, explains UNEP’s work on food waste to Channel News Asia during a Think.Eat.Save event in Bangkok. © UNEP

44 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME IN FOCUS

Rice farmers across Asia, such as the Cambodian woman pictured, are set NEW RICE STANDARD BRINGS to benefit from a new sustainability standard. HOPE TO SMALLHOLDER FARMERS © AFP Photo / Tang Chhin Sothy

Like most small farmers in Global agribusiness giant Mars Food, The SRP Standard comes with tools Cambodia, Rong Hom, a 44-year- one of several food industry leaders and trainings for farmers. For instance, old from the village of Skol in the to have joined the SRP, has already farmers such as Rong will be trained southwest, faces growing threats promised to sustainably source 100% on how to minimize their use of from drought and rising fertilizer of its rice by 2020 through the standard. inorganic fertilizers, saving them money prices. She doesn’t know how long and reducing their greenhouse gas her 1.5 hectare rice paddy can “ The benefit for us is that is that emissions, thus contributing to the insulate her family from poverty. we are ensuring premium quality global fight against climate change. rice, whilst also ensuring benefits Farmers will also be taught how to keep However, the world’s first sustainability for farmers, and a better their paddies free from invasive species, standard for rice, launched in October environment for current and and how to introduce fallow periods to 2015, gives her hope. Rong, like many future generations,” said Fiona help maintain their land’s fertility. of her smallholder peers in Cambodia’s Dawson, president of Mars. Takeo and Pursat provinces, believes Rice Partners Ltd, a venture-backed that implementing a globally accepted Rice, the daily staple for 3.5 billion business in Pakistan that works with standard, as she is set to do, can lead people, sustains the livelihoods of more rural smallholder rice farmers, is already to higher prices, stronger markets and than 140 million smallholder farmers using the standard and has high hopes ultimately better food security for her and is grown on over 160 million for significant impact. and her family. hectares globally, an area larger than Mongolia. It plays a critical role in food “ The standard indicators are The 46 criteria of the Standard for security; therefore, finding a way to incredibly helpful in designing Sustainable Rice Cultivation aim produce smarter is of major importance and implementing sustainable to ensure that rice meets quality to the implementation of the 2030 rice supply chains worldwide. requirements and its cultivation benefits Agenda for Sustainable Development. They have the potential to directly the environment, the economy and Currently, the crop uses more than impact the world’s poorest farming society at large. The standard can also 30% of the world’s irrigation water communities,” said Aamer A. be used to measure the sustainability and is responsible for 5-10% of Sarfraz, the company’s founder. of rice production systems and as a emissions of methane, a greenhouse “We now have a framework against policy tool to promote wide adoption gas. Intensive and inefcient use of which we can measure our goals of sustainable rice farming. agrochemicals adds to farmer costs of increasing farmer livelihoods, and undermines the long-term protecting the environment, The standard was developed by sustainability of rice farming. improving water efciency and the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP), strengthening women workers.” a global alliance convened by UNEP and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) that comprises 32 rice research institutions, supply chain actors, and public sector and civil society organizations.

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 45 PROMOTING EVIDENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING THROUGH INTEGRATED KNOWLEDGE

46 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Image © Peter Ginter / Corbis Images ANNUAL REPORT 2015 47 ENVIRONMENT UNDER REVIEW

To keep the environment Assessment, early The UN’s Chief Executives Board (CEB) in its session of 29 April 2015 under review, UNEP focuses warning and information recognized the innovative contribution on bridging the gap between management that UNEP Live is making to harness the producers and users of the data revolution. UNEP’s work builds a strong foundation environmental information, for the next generation of integrated Through UNEP Live, UNEP is ofering better linking science environmental assessments and enables countries an online reporting tool to to policy. To do so, the access to near real-time environmental facilitate and strengthen data sharing, organization focuses data for analysis and decision-making – collection, analysis and reporting. This allowing policy makers working on the on three areas: national reporting tool, the Indicator implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Reporting Information System (IRIS), Sustainable Development and the Paris – Facilitating global, was developed with support from the • Assessment Agreement to make decisions based on regional and national policy-making Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data the latest information. from environmental information made Initiative (AGEDI). UNEP also supports available on open platforms. initiatives to make credible nationally The innovative online UNEP Live generated data with country-specific platform is designed to support – Enabling better policy environmental information accessible • Early warning assessments by making available planning that incorporates information in comparable formats on public global, regional and national data on emerging environmental issues. platforms. In the context of the GeoSUR and knowledge. UNEP Live includes programme, the geographic services national data flows from 192 countries, – of Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico • Information management lists global environmental reporting Enhancing the capacity of countries and Uruguay are now sharing spatial obligations for each country, and hosts to generate, access, analyze, use environmental data and information a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and communicate environmental using web-mapping services. portal and nine Communities of Practice information and knowledge. with over 1,500 members. Near real-time data and maps available in UNEP Live cover a range of themes from air quality and sea-level rise to resource efciency indicators, the Antarctic ozone hole, marine plastics and threatened species.

UNEP LIVE INCLUDES NATIONAL DATA FLOWS FROM 192 COUNTRIES, LISTS GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING OBLIGATIONS FOR EACH COUNTRY, AND HOSTS A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL (SDG) PORTAL AND NINE COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE WITH OVER 1,500 MEMBERS.

A large lightning strike seen from the International Space Station. © NASA / Reuters

48 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME National Reporting System Key priorities identified By strengthening the science-policy interface, UNEP aims to increase the for the six regional GEO-6 Demonstrated in 20 countries number of UN agencies and Multilateral assessments to be launched Environmental Agreements (MEAs), as Piloted in the United Arab Emirates in May 2016 well as national, regional and global fora by AGEDI that use data on environmental trends. Africa: Protecting and valuing UNEP exceeded its target for December Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kazakhstan Africa’s natural capital 2015 for UN agencies and MEAs and and Kyrgyzstan exploring the tool met the target set for use by fora and and open platforms for national use Asia and the Pacific: A healthy institutions. For example, the first environment for sustainable volume of the Uganda Wetlands Atlas – Samoa leading the charge among development of economies which used satellite observation to track Small Island Developing States (SIDS) wetland changes in the urban areas of Europe: Well-being as the ultimate Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso – led to goal for development the initiation of an agreement on The sixth Global Environment Outlook a wetlands restoration programme. (GEO-6), currently in progress, is now Latin American and the Caribbean: able to benefit from the data flows Governing natural wealth UNEP also aims to increase the available in UNEP Live. Six Regional number of stakeholders that are Environmental Information Network North America: Using data leadership, taking up scenarios and early warning conferences were convened to identify cities as living laboratories, and on emerging environmental issues key priorities and emerging issues to governance partnerships for the in their assessment and policy inform regional GEO-6 assessments and environment development processes. UNEP’s to discuss open access and data sharing early warning work, such as the UNEP in the context of UNEP Live and open West Asia: Peace and good Year Book 2014, creates attention data platforms. environmental governance for and fosters timely action on emerging sustainable development environmental issues that threaten sustainable development.

“ FACILITATING THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN SCIENCE, CIVIL SOCIETY AND POLICY MAKERS IS WHAT MAKES UNEP TICK. THERE IS NO POINT HAVING THE BEST SCIENTIFIC DATA AND THE MOST BRILLIANT MINDS IF THEIR OUTPUT CANNOT SERVE THE NEEDS OF PLANET AND PEOPLE.”

ACHIM STEINER, UNEP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Shoebill is facing extinction as a result of human encroachment on wetlands. The Uganda Wetlands Atlas has played a part in a new wetlands restoration programme. © STR New / Reuters

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 49 ENVIRONMENT UNDER REVIEW

To track progress towards the implementation of the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, countries need to be empowered to monitor trends and manage data. A new SDG portal hosted on UNEP Live visualizes the linkages from the proposed indicators to targets and goals. Earth observation ofers new opportunities to keep the environment under review. At the 2015 Eye on Earth summit, major players in environmental data committed to implementing a set of practical mechanisms to close the data gap that hampers decision- and policy- making for sustainable development. UNEP is committed to working with partners in the framework of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems, including on SDG indicators based on remote-sensing data, to ensure that countries have access to the relevant data flows that allow them to undertake regular indicator-based assessments and to report on progress towards relevant SDG targets.

For more information on UNEP’s work on keeping the environment under review, visit unep.org or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Progress towards sustainability can only be achieved if women and men are equally involved in development. UNEP is working with others on the first Global Gender and Environment Outlook. © Olivia Harris / Reuters

Eye on Earth is part of a movement to harness big data for policy-making. © Kim Kyung Hoon / Reuters

50 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME IN FOCUS

Children ride their bicycles while wearing face masks to protect them from pollution in Indonesia. LOW-COST DEVICE HELPS PREVENT UNEP’s air quality monitor can help track pollution DEATHS FROM AIR POLLUTION hotspots to inform policy-making. © AFP / Subex

A ground-breaking air quality “88% of deaths related to outdoor governments to assemble or fabricate measuring device prototyped pollution occur in low and middle- the units themselves, creating by UNEP, expected to cost up income countries. Yet it is these same opportunities for innovation, enterprise to 100 times less than high-end developing countries that typically development and green job creation. solutions, can revolutionize air lack access to data on their air quality. Since the launch in September, many quality measurement in UNEP’s device can spark a data boom requests have been received from developing countries and help to help countries reduce the negative companies, researchers, institutions prevent deaths from air pollution. efects of air pollution.” and agencies.

The device will cost around $1,500 Many African cities sufer the The prototype is being tested in Nairobi, per unit, allowing governments and consequences of poor air quality, Kenya – home to UNEP’s headquarters. local authorities to establish low-cost mainly due to high levels of particulate The testing is being conducted in networks of stationary and mobile air matter, containing hazardous airborne cooperation with the Kenyan Ministry monitoring stations. chemicals. Most fine particulate matter of Environment and Natural Resources comes from fuel combustion, both from and the Nairobi County. Currently, the UNEP Live platform vehicles and stationary sources such as enables viewing of near real-time power plants, industry and households. “ We would like to establish as many monitoring data of air quality from 2000 as 50 more units with the assistance stations across the world. However, UNEP’s device can measure the of UNEP,” said Prof. Judi Wakhungu, only a few of those stations are located concentration of fine particulate Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for in developing countries and their setup matter, considered by the World Health Environment, Natural Resources and and calibration varies. Large-scale Organization to have the greatest efect Regional Development Authorities. deployment of the new device can on human health. It also records the “With more such units, Kenya will bridge this data gap and contribute concentration of sulphur and nitrogen easily map air pollution hotspots to standardization of data collection. oxides and can be extended to measure in the urban and rural areas.” other gases such as ozone. “ Each year, air pollution causes 7 million premature deaths around The unit was designed for afordability, the world, with outdoor pollution with less frequent calibration required responsible for more than half of and a durability of up to a couple of that total. Tragically, these deaths years before replacing the device are wholly preventable,” said UNEP sensors. A built-in GPS system means Executive Director Achim Steiner. that the device can also be used as a mobile unit. UNEP is making the blueprints publically available to

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 51 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Protect, restore and Ensure availability UNEP’s role in 15 LIFE ON LAND promote sustainable use 6 CLEAN and sustainable of terrestrial ecosystems, WATER AND management of water environmental SANITATION HEALTHY sustainably manage and sanitation for all sustainability for forests, combat ECOSYSTEMS desertification, and 1 12 15 IMPROVE the 2030 Agenda halt and reverse land degradation and halt SOIL & WATER In September, the 2030 Agenda biodiversity loss for Sustainable Development COMBAT was adopted. The 17 Sustainable 1 3 6 8 CLIMATE End hunger, achieve Development Goals (SDGs) aim to 9 11 12 ZERO HUNGER food security and CHANGE end poverty, protect the planet, and 2 PARTNERSHIPS CAPACITY improved nutrition BUILDING ensure peace and prosperity for all. and promote sustainable agriculture About half of the SDGs are directly Take urgent action to CLIMATE combat climate change 1 5 10 FINANCE SAFEGUARD environmental in focus or address 13 ACTION and its impacts the sustainability of natural 11 12 14 THE OCEANS resources: poverty, health, 1 7 8 11 12 LIVE & food and agriculture, water and PROSPER ENVIRONMENTAL sanitation, human settlements, NATIONAL DIMENSION OF PLANNING energy, climate change, sustainable SUSTAINABLY POLICY consumption and production, SUSTAINABLE COHERENCE oceans, and terrestrial ecosystems. TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

UNEP promotes environmental Promote sustained, sustainability as a crucial enabling 8 DECENT WORK inclusiveand sustainable MONITORING AND ECONOMIC economic growth, GROWTH GOVERN THE factor in ensuring the health of our full and productive planet, and is committed to working employment and TRADE SYSTEMATIC ENVIRONMENT with all parties to ensure the decent work for all INCREASE ISSUES success of the ambitious agenda. 1 10 12 RESOURCE EFFICIENCY

End poverty in all its Ensure sustainable REDUCE NO POVERTY forms everywhere RESPONSIBLE consumption and 1 12 CONSUMPTION production patterns POLLUTION AND BOOST 5 10 12 16 PRODUCTION & WASTE 1 2 8 RENEWABLE

11 14 15 ENERGY

Make cities and human SUSTAINABLE settlements inclusive, 11 CITIES AND safe, resilient and COMMUNITIES sustainable

1 2 3 8

9 12 13 Ensure access to Reduce inequality within Ensure inclusive Conserve and AFFORDABLE afordable, reliable, REDUCED and among countries QUALITY and equitable LIFE BELOW sustainably use 7 10 INEQUALITIES 4 EDUCATION 14 AND CLEAN sustainable and quality education WATER the oceans, seas ENERGY modern energy for all 1 12 14 15 and promote and marine resources lifelong learning for sustainable 1 2 3 4 6 opportunities development for all 10 12 14 15 1 2 8 15 1 8 12

Build resilient Promote peaceful and Achieve gender Ensure healthy lives INDUSTRY, infrastructure, promote PEACE, inclusive societies for GENDER equality and GOOD and promote well- 9 INNOVATION AND 16 5 3 HEALTH AND inclusive and sustainable JUSTICE AND sustainable develop- EQUALITY empower all being for all at all ages INFRASTRUCTURE WELL-BEING industrialization and STRONG ment, provide access to women and girls INSTITUTIONS foster innovation justice for all and build 1 8 10 efective, accountable 1 2 3 4 1 2 4 8 and inclusive institutions 11 14 15 at all levels 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 1 10 12 10 11 12 13 X = Related goal 14 15 16

52 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Protect, restore and Ensure availability 15 LIFE ON LAND promote sustainable use 6 CLEAN and sustainable of terrestrial ecosystems, WATER AND management of water SANITATION HEALTHY sustainably manage and sanitation for all forests, combat ECOSYSTEMS desertification, and 1 12 15 IMPROVE halt and reverse land degradation and halt SOIL & WATER biodiversity loss COMBAT 1 3 6 8 CLIMATE End hunger, achieve 9 11 12 ZERO HUNGER food security and CHANGE 2 PARTNERSHIPS CAPACITY improved nutrition BUILDING and promote sustainable agriculture Take urgent action to CLIMATE combat climate change 1 5 10 FINANCE SAFEGUARD 13 ACTION and its impacts 11 12 14 THE OCEANS 1 7 8 11 12 LIVE & PROSPER ENVIRONMENTAL

NATIONAL SUSTAINABLY DIMENSION OF PLANNING POLICY SUSTAINABLE COHERENCE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Promote sustained, 8 DECENT WORK inclusiveand sustainable MONITORING AND ECONOMIC economic growth, GROWTH GOVERN THE full and productive employment and TRADE SYSTEMATIC ENVIRONMENT decent work for all INCREASE ISSUES

1 10 12 RESOURCE EFFICIENCY

End poverty in all its Ensure sustainable REDUCE NO POVERTY forms everywhere RESPONSIBLE consumption and 1 12 CONSUMPTION production patterns POLLUTION AND BOOST 5 10 12 16 PRODUCTION & WASTE 1 2 8 RENEWABLE

11 14 15 ENERGY

Make cities and human SUSTAINABLE settlements inclusive, 11 CITIES AND safe, resilient and COMMUNITIES sustainable

1 2 3 8

9 12 13 Ensure access to Reduce inequality within Ensure inclusive Conserve and AFFORDABLE afordable, reliable, REDUCED and among countries QUALITY and equitable LIFE BELOW sustainably use 7 10 INEQUALITIES 4 EDUCATION 14 AND CLEAN sustainable and quality education WATER the oceans, seas ENERGY modern energy for all 1 12 14 15 and promote and marine resources lifelong learning for sustainable 1 2 3 4 6 opportunities development for all 10 12 14 15 1 2 8 15 1 8 12

Build resilient Promote peaceful and Achieve gender Ensure healthy lives INDUSTRY, infrastructure, promote PEACE, inclusive societies for GENDER equality and GOOD and promote well- 9 INNOVATION AND 16 5 3 HEALTH AND inclusive and sustainable JUSTICE AND sustainable develop- EQUALITY empower all being for all at all ages INFRASTRUCTURE WELL-BEING industrialization and STRONG ment, provide access to women and girls INSTITUTIONS foster innovation justice for all and build 1 8 10 efective, accountable 1 2 3 4 1 2 4 8 and inclusive institutions 11 14 15 at all levels 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 1 10 12 10 11 12 13 X = Related goal 14 15 16

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 53 MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS UNEP-HOSTED GLOBAL CONVENTIONS IN 2015

The Vienna Convention for Synthesis Report Basel, Rotterdam and of 2014 Assessments the Protection of the Ozone The Montreal Protocol has led to the Stockholm Conventions (BRS) Layer and the Montreal phase-out of nearly 100% of production Protocol on Substances that and consumption of ozone-depleting Triple Conference of the Parties substances globally. The Synthesis and associated scientific and technical Deplete the Ozone Layer assistance activities: of the 2014 Reports of the Scientific, Environmental Efects, and Technology Dubai Pathway of the & Economic Assessment Panels of the 3 carbon-neutral meetings Following six years of negotiations, conferences of the parties to the Basel, Montreal Protocol confirmed that the the 197 parties agreed on the “Dubai Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions; Pathway on Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)”, ozone layer is healing. from 171 countries a plan to work within the Montreal Up to 2 million cases of skin cancer 1,188 participants and 84 non-governmental organizations; Protocol to an amendment in 2016 may be prevented each year by 2030. to control climate-change-inducing In the USA alone, 283 million cases of 74 Science Fair and Side Events; HFCs. An HFC phase-down would skin cancer may be avoided for those avoid estimated emissions of up to 105 born between 1890 and 2100; 1.6 million 73 decisions taken; gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent deaths from skin cancer prevented; and 135 press articles published by 2050, and up to 0.4°C of warming 46 million cases of cataract prevented. from 35 countries; by the end of the century. The Montreal Protocol, through halting 3 Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) ozone layer depletion, could save an added to the Stockholm Convention; estimated $1.8 trillion in health care added to the costs and almost $460 billion in avoided 1 pesticide Rotterdam Convention; damages to agriculture, fisheries, and materials. 9 Technical Guidelines adopted on hazardous waste streams and 30th Anniversary of 3 Guidelines on Implementation ON AVERAGE, THE the Vienna Convention under the Basel Convention. In 2015, the world marked the 30th MOST-COMMON HFCS on POPs’ levels anniversary of the Vienna Convention 5 Monitoring reports in the environment and humans from HAVE 2,500 TIMES for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. 5 UN regions; THE GLOBAL WARMING A digital campaign organized by UNEP’s Ozone Secretariat to commemorate the 1 Global Monitoring Plan Data POTENTIAL OF CO2 milestone reached 1,346,012 people. Warehouse providing public access to global POPs data; 1,525 participants benefitted from BRS Webinars, of which 52% were female.

Photo credits, from left to right: © Biosphoto / Tobias Bernhard Raf, © Robert Harding / Thorsten Milse, © Robert Harding / Adam Woolfitt, © Robert Harding / Jochen Tack, © Robert Harding / Ann & Steve Toon

54 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Convention on Biological Convention on Migratory Convention on International Diversity (CBD) Species (CMS) Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Andorra and the State of Palestine Afghanistan and Brazil ratified ratified the Convention in 2015, the CMS in 2015, bringing the total 1 new Party to CITES – bringing the total number number of Parties to 122. the European Union; of Parties to 196. Comoros, Iran, Israel, Croatia, CITES-led International Consortium 168 Fifth National Reports, an important Lebanon, Spain and the Syrian Arab on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) source of information for review of Republic signed the Memorandum celebrated 5th anniversary; progress towards the implementation of Understanding Concerning the of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011- Conservation of Migratory Birds of 19 Parties to CITES developed and 2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, Prey in Africa and Eurasia, bringing the continued to implement National have been completed. total number to 55. Of 20 raptor species Ivory Action Plans (NIAPs); added to the Annex on this MoU, 17 184 Parties have completed National 62 countries in Africa, America, Asia were vultures, which are facing a crisis and Europe worked together in ICCWC- Biodiversity Strategies and Action in Africa. Plans (NBSAPs), while 9 Parties are backed cross-continent initiative; developing their first plans. New Zealand signed the 64 Notifications to the Parties sent to Memorandum on the Conservation 181 Contracting Parties to CITES; Connecting Global Priorities of Migratory Sharks, bringing the total Biodiversity and Human Health, launched number of signatories to 39. Operation COBRA III resulted in 139 in June 2015 at Green Week with the arrests and more than 247 seizures, World Health Organization, drew on the The 3rd Meeting of the Signatories including elephant ivory, rhino horns, expertise of over 100 scientists to detail to the Saiga MOU adopted new pangolins, rosewood, tortoises and including mitigating or the latest biodiversity loss. measures, many other plant and animal specimens; removing obstacles to saiga antelope migration, undertaking anti-poaching 290 participants at 28th meeting of The Nagoya Protocol on Access to action and strengthening wildlife the CITES Animals Committee and 22nd Genetic Resources and the Fair and health management. The CMS sent an meeting of the CITES Plants Committee; Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising emergency mission to investigate the from their Utilization to the CITES Facebook reached over deaths of over 211,000 saiga, which 400,000 followers; Convention on Biological Diversity occurred in Kazakhstan in May 2015. 13 new Parties, including Croatia and CITES Trade Database passed Cuba, ratified the Nagoya Protocol in On the 25th Anniversary of the 15 million records; 2015, bringing the total to 70. Agreement on the Conservation of Seals in the Wadden Sea, a 190 million people reached in CITES- Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to record number of harbour seal led social media campaign to celebrate the Convention on Biological Diversity pups were counted. World Wildlife Day 2015 on Facebook Côte d’Ivoire and the State of Palestine and Twitter alone. ratified the Cartagena Protocol in 2015, bringing the total number of parties to 170.

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 55 KEY FINANCIALS 2014 – 2015

TOTAL PLANNED 245 23 BUDGET 114 $MILLION 202 619 35

TOTAL INCOME 39 238 $MILLION 154 777 346

TOTAL 32 EXPENDITURES 239 $MILLION 31 146 796 348

Earmarked Environment Regular *Expenditures were able to exceed income as a result of balances brought Contributions Fund Budget forward from the past biennium that were to be spent in the 2014-2015 biennium. ** Income inclusive of programme support.

Programme GEF These figures are indicative and could change when the final accounts Support are completed in April 2016.

56 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME RECOGNITION OF DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS

9% UNEP extends its heartfelt Graph 1: 2014-20155% Sources20% of Funding thanks to the donors and partners for their continued 9% generosity to UNEP. 5% 9% 20% With their support, UNEP 31%5% 20% Environment Fund received $777 million in 9% Earmarked Contributions total income for 2014- 5% 9% 20%35% 20% GEF 2015 – a new record in 5% 31% 9% EnvironmentUN Regular Budget Fund & UNDA UNEP’s 43-year history. 5% 20% 31% EarmarkedEuropean Commission Contributions 35% Environment Fund Several important trends could GEF 31% Earmarked Contributions be observed during the biennium. 35% Environment Fund 31% GEFUN Regular Budget & UNDA Environment Fund income did not EarmarkedEnvironment Contributions Fund 35% EuropeanNetherlands Commission rise in line with the approved budget. EarmarkedUN Regular Contributions Budget & UNDA 35% GEF 31% EnvironmentGermany Fund Some of the impact was mitigated by GEFEuropean Commission 1% UN Regular Budget & UNDA the availability of extra-budgetary EarmarkedFrance Contributions 35% funding from a number of partners, 3% EuropeanUN Regular Commission Budget & UNDA GEFNetherlandsFinland which could be allocated across the Graph4% 2: Top 15 Contributors to the EnvironmentEuropean Fund in Commission 2015 UNNetherlandsGermanyUSA Regular Budget & UNDA seven sub-programmes. 4% 1% 13% EuropeanGermanyFranceUnited Kingdom Commission 4% Netherlands Regular Budget funding increased 3%1% FranceFinlandSweden GermanyNetherlands by 134% (to $39 million). Following 4% Belgium 3% 5% 12% FinlandUSA the General Assembly adoption of 4%1% FranceGermany 4% 13% USANetherlandsUnitedDenmark Kingdom the 2016/2017 budget, this will rise 3%4%1% 6% FinlandFrance 4% Switzerland to $47 million for the next biennium. 3% 13% UnitedGermanySweden Kingdom 4% USAFinland Earmarked contributions exceeded 1% 11% FranceBelgiumItaly 4% 5%6% 12% USASweden planned targets by 71%, reflecting a 13% United Kingdom 3%4% BelgiumFinlandDenmarkJapan 5%6% 13% 12% United Kingdom strong upward trend in the demand 4% 6% Sweden 4% 9% DenmarkUSASwitzerlandCanada for UNEP’s services. 7% BelgiumSweden 4% 6%5% 9% 12% Norway 6% 13% 11% SwitzerlandUnitedItaly Kingdom 4% DenmarkBelgium For 2014-2015, 5% of the total 5% 12% Russian Federation 6%6% 11% ItalySwedenJapan income was received from the UN 6% SwitzerlandDenmark 6% 9% JapanBelgiumCanada Regular Budget including the UN 5% 7% 12% ItalySwitzerland 6%6% 9% 11% Development Account, 20% was from 9% CanadaDenmarkNorway 6%6% 7% 11% JapanItaly the Environment Fund, which facilitates 6% 9% NorwaySwitzerlandRussianNetherlands Federation CanadaJapan the implementation of activities in all 6% 9% Germany 6% 7% 11% RussianItaly Federation areas of the Programme of Work, and 9% 9% NorwayCanada 2% 7% JapanFinland 9% Norway 75% was from earmarked contributions, 3% 6% Russian Federation CanadaNetherlandsFrance including the Global Environment Facility 7% 9% Russian Federation (GEF) and the European Commission, 4% 9% NorwayNetherlandsGermanyUSA which deliver projects aligned with the 2%4% 14% RussianGermanyFinlandBelgium Federation Programme of Work. Netherlands Graph2%3%4% 3: Top 15 Contributors to the EnvironmentFinlandFranceUnited Fund Kingdom in 2014 GermanyNetherlands 3%4% FranceUSADenmark In 2015, only 39% of the 193 member 2% 5% 12% FinlandGermany states made contributions to UNEP 4% 14% USANetherlandsBelgiumSweden 2%3% FranceFinland to support its programmes. Switzerland 3%4% 6% 14% BelgiumGermanyUnited Kingdom 4% USAFrance 2%4% 9% UnitedFinlandDenmarkItaly Kingdom 4% USA Ensuring the stability and security 4% 5%6% 14% 12% Belgium 3% DenmarkFranceSwedenNorway of UNEP’s funding is necessary to 4% 14% Belgium 4% 5% 12% United Kingdom achieve the aspirations set by the 4% 6% 7% 8% SwedenUSASwitzerlandCanada 4% DenmarkUnited Kingdom global community in the 2030 Agenda 7% 8% Japan 4% 5%6% 14% 9%12% SwitzerlandBelgiumItaly and the Paris Agreement on Climate 6% SwedenDenmark 12% Russian Federation 4% 5% 9% ItalyUnitedNorway Kingdom Change in 2015. 6%6% SwitzerlandSweden DenmarkCanada 7% 8% SwitzerlandNorway 5%6% 9%12% Italy 6% 7% 7% 8% CanadaSwedenJapan 8% 9% NorwayItaly 6% 7% 8% SwitzerlandRussian Federation 6% NorwayJapan 7% 8% Canada 9% RussianItaly Federation 6% 7% 7% 8% 8% JapanCanada Norway 7% 8% RussianJapan Federation Canada 7% 8% Russian Federation 7% 8% Japan Russian Federation

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 57 CHAMPIONS OF THE EARTH

Five inspirational environmental leaders from the worlds of government, business, research and grassroots activism received the UN’s highest environmental accolade, the Champions of the Earth Award, at a ceremony marking the close of the Sustainable Development Goals summit in September 2015.

The annual prize is awarded to “ At the summit, we witnessed outstanding leaders from government, a historic moment. 193 nations civil society and the private sector committed to a sustainable path whose actions have had a positive forward for the entire planet and impact on the environment. its peoples through the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals. H.E. Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of This is a major achievement, but the Bangladesh, the National Geographic hard work now begins in earnest,” Society, Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, said UNEP Executive Director the Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit Achim Steiner. and Brazilian cosmetics firm Natura were all recognized for their achievements. “ With 17 goals that integrate all aspects of our economies, The 2015 awards, presided over by societies and the environment, UNEP Goodwill Ambassadors, actor the challenge is formidable. Ian Somerhalder and model Gisele Each of these five Champions of Bündchen, as well as actress Nikki the Earth demonstrates that this Reed, were focused on supporting the challenge can, and I believe will be Sustainable Development Goals. met to help usher in an equitable and sustainable future for all.” Natura, for unparalleled commitment to trailblazing The awards do so by illustrating – sustainable business models. © Marlos Bakker Fotografia LTDA through the examples of the laureates For more information on the award, – that the transition to low-carbon, visit www.unep.org/champions resource-efcient, inclusive and sustainable economic models is not just possible, but already in progress.

Clockwise from bottom left: Nikki Reed, Ian Somerhalder, UNEP Deputy Executive Director Ibrahim Thiaw, Gisele H.E. Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Bundchen, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. for leadership on the frontline of climate change. © Brashler / Fischer © UNEP

58 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME National Geographic Society, for over a century of life-changing science, exploration and storytelling. © Michael Nichols

Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, for challenging business norms to show that sustainable, The Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit (South Africa), for outstanding courage in fighting equitable and environmentally-conscious the illegal wildlife trade at community level. © UNEP business is smart business. © UNEP

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 59 GOODWILL AMBASSADORS

BERTRAND PICCARD JACK JOHNSON at the Paris Climate Meeting, where he became during a World Environment Day UNEP’s newest Goodwill Ambassador beach cleanup in the Bahamas.

Switzerland’s Bertrand Piccard, the “ This designation is an encouragement to continue showing how many incredible things can be done with visionary behind the only airplane renewable energies, but also to implement more energy capable of flying day and night, efcient technologies in our world,” said Mr. Piccard as without a drop of fuel, and acclaimed he took up his role during the Paris Climate Meeting in musician Jack Johnson became UNEP’s December 2015. newest Goodwill Ambassadors in 2015. As a UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, he will use his popularity to convince the world’s policy-makers, entrepreneurs and To bring the world’s attention to the potential of solar energy, communities that a carbon-neutral world is no less possible Mr. Piccard and his colleague André Borschberg are flying than flying around the world without fuel. He will also use the around the world in an exclusively sun-powered airplane, remaining stages of his solar journey to engage with children Solar Impulse. They have already covered 19,957 kilometres and youth, raising their awareness of efcient between Abu Dhabi and Hawaii. energy consumption.

60 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Mr. Johnson, the multi-platinum recording artist, widely acclaimed for his environmental work, took up his mantle on World Environment Day (WED) – the United Nations’ principal vehicle for raising worldwide awareness and encouraging action for the environment, celebrated in more than 100 countries.

“ Becoming a UNEP Goodwill Ambassador is an honour RAGHEB ALAMA YANN ARTHUS-BERTRAND for me,” said Mr. Johnson. “In Hawai`i, when we work Goodwill Ambassador, Arab Region Goodwill Ambassador together we say Laulima, which means ‘many hands’. It is always impressive to see what can be accomplished when you build the right team and get all those hands working together. I see this relationship with UNEP as a way to inspire more people to be active in their local communities.”

WED 2015 – held under the slogan ‘Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care’ – focused on the theme of sustainable consumption as a means to achieve equitable and LI BINGBING GISELE BÜNDCHEN inclusive development while minimizing the overexploitation Goodwill Ambassador Goodwill Ambassador of natural resources and adverse environmental impacts.

Since 2001, Mr. Johnson’s albums have sold over 20 million copies worldwide. His Brushfire Records label and touring crew have been leaders in the greening of the music industry and his All At Once social action network has mobilized millions of young people to become active in environmental protection. Mr. Johnson will help to generate interest and mobilize positive action for environmental causes in support of UNEP’s work. He will focus particularly on issues such as DON CHEADLE PATRICK MAKAU marine litter and promoting sustainable food systems and Goodwill Ambassador Patron for Clean Air plastic-free initiatives.

UNEP’s existing 12 Goodwill Ambassadors and Patrons in 2015 continued to use their fame to raise awareness of, and prompt action on climate change, the illegal wildlife trade and marine protection – engaging in events such as WED and the UNEP Champions of the Earth awards. UNEP would like to express its appreciation for the commitment of all its Ambassadors and Patrons to changing public attitudes to the environment.

SUZANNA OWIYO LEWIS PUGH For more information, visit www.unep.org/gwa Goodwill Ambassador, Kenya Patron for Oceans

IAN SOMERHALDER PAVAN SUKHDEV Goodwill Ambassador Goodwill Ambassador

YAYA TOURÉ ERIC WAINAINA Goodwill Ambassador Goodwill Ambassador, Kenya

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 61 MAURICE STRONG (1929 – 2015)

Maurice Strong was a truly At the 2014 UN General Assembly, LATE LAST YEAR, exceptional human being and a leader Maurice Strong called on world leaders THE WORLD LOST ONE in the global family. Few individuals to “rise to their historic responsibility can claim to have shaped the course as custodians of the planet, to take OF ITS GREATS WHEN of history over the past 50 years in decisions that will unite rich and poor, MAURICE STRONG, the way Maurice Strong did, and he North, South, East and West, in a continued to exert huge influence new global partnership to ensure THE FOUNDING until the last days of his life. our common future”. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR His courageous leadership allowed This call to action – building on OF UNEP, PASSED the Stockholm Conference of 1972 to the sustainability road-map which AT THE AGE OF make history by launching a new era of started in Stockholm and continued international environmental diplomacy, in Rio, Johannesburg and Rio+20 – 86 – JUST DAYS which saw the birth of UNEP, the first became reality last year with the 2030 BEFORE THE PARIS UN agency to be headquartered in Sustainable Development Agenda a developing country. He accepted and the Paris Agreement. There can AGREEMENT THAT the appointment to become UNEP’s be no more fitting tribute to Maurice IS, IN MANY WAYS, first Executive Director and moved to Strong’s legacy. Kenya to establish UNEP’s iconic global A LEGACY OF HIS LIFE headquarters on what was then a UNEP mourns his loss, and is grateful OF ENVIRONMENTAL cofee farm on the outskirts of Nairobi. to this day for the vision and leadership he brought to the environmental LEADERSHIP. Maurice Strong will forever be challenges of our generation and remembered for placing the his role in forging a new vision environment on the international for sustainable development. agenda and at the heart of development. He shepherded global environmental governance processes – from the original Rio Earth Summit, Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration to the launch of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

62 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME UNEP LEADERSHIP

SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM

ACHIM STEINER IBRAHIM THIAW ELLIOT HARRIS MICHELE CANDOTTI UNEP Executive Director and Under- UNEP Deputy Executive Director and Assistant Director, New York Ofce and Assistant Chief, Executive Ofce and Principal Secretary-General of the United Nations Secretary-General of the United Nations Secretary-General of the United Nations Advisor to the Executive Director

JACQUELINE MCGLADE ELIZABETH MREMA LIGIA NORONHA THERESA PANUCCIO Director, Division of Early Warning Director, Division of Environmental Director, Division of Technology, Director, Ofce of Operations and Assessment (DEWA) Law and Conventions (DELC) Industry and Economics (DTIE) and Corporate Services

NAYSÁN SAHBA METTE LØYCHE WILKIE Director, Division of Communications Director, Division of Environmental and Public Information (DCPI) Policy Implementation (DEPI)

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS OF SENIOR REGIONAL DIRECTORS MANAGEMENT TEAM

IYAD ABUMOGHLI PATRICIA J. BENEKE JAN DUSÍK MUNYARADZI CHENJE Regional Ofce for West Asia Regional Ofce for North America Regional Ofce for Europe Director, Regional Support Ofce

LEO HEILEMAN JULIETTE BIAO KOUDENOUKPO KAVEH ZAHEDI JORGE LAGUNA-CELIS Regional Ofce for Latin America Regional Ofce for Africa Regional Ofce for Asia and the Pacific Secretary, ai, Secretariat of Governing and the Caribbean (as of 1 February 2016) Bodies and Stakeholders

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 63 www.unep.org 64 UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME