ANNUAL REPORT We hope you enjoy these highlights of our Our mission is to provide leadership and encourage © United Nations Environment Programme, 2018 work in 2017. For more details, please visit partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, Publication: UN Environment 2017 Annual Report our combined Annual Report and Programme informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their Performance Report online. quality of life without compromising that of future generations. unenvironment.org/annualreport 2017 The third United Nations Environment World commits Assembly to a - ver 4,000 heads of state, ministers, business leaders, UN officials, civil O society representatives, activists and celebrities came together for the third UN free planet Environment Assembly, which was held in Nairobi from 4-6 December under the overarch- ing theme of pollution.

Ahead of the Assembly, UN Environment’s Executive Director submitted his official report on pollution, Towards a Pollution-Free Planet. The report describes the challenges posed by global pollution, outlines current efforts to tackle the problem, and suggests 50 concrete actions that governments and other actors can take to clean up the planet.

By the time the Assembly closed, delegates had passed 13 resolutions, three decisions and, for the first time, a ministerial declaration. These outcomes included commitments to address marine and , prevent and reduce , eliminate lead from paint and batteries, protect water-based ecosystems from pollution, deal with soil pollution, and manage pollution in areas hit by conflict and terrorism. If every promise made at the summit is met, nearly 1.5 billion more people will breathe clean air, 30 per cent of the world’s coastlines will be cleaned up, and $18.6 billion will be mobilized for research, development and innovative programmes to combat pollution.

The Assembly hosted several events that brought together major players on environmental issues. The Global Major Groups and Stake- holders Forum convened representatives from more than 400 civil society organizations, while the Science, Policy, Business Forum highlighted key opportunities for green investment. The #BeatPollution Sustainable Innovation Expo showcased the UN Environment’s #BeatPollution campaign, which latest developments in environmental problem- ran for several months in the run-up to the meeting, solving, and the Nexus Dialogue on pollution, presented to the Assembly nearly 2.5 million individual cities and health gave participants the chance pledges to clean up the planet, in addition to voluntary to discuss cross-cutting solutions to critical commitments from governments, civil society and urban challenges. businesses. The campaign resonated powerfully on social media, with #BeatPollution trending on Twitter during the Assembly.

Judi Wakhungu, who at the time was Kenya’s Environment Minister, joins Erik Solheim in taking a stand against pollution at the third UN Environment Assembly.

What’s Inside

Global conventions p.3 Partnerships p.10 Champions of the Earth p.3 Campaigns p.11 Our work Senior Managment Team p.4 Budget p.12 across all programmes pp.4-9 Goodwill Ambassadors p.10 Highlights from 2017 p.12

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Environmental sustainability is essential for global equity

Foreword António Guterres UN Secretary-General

he publication of this latest review of the work of UN Environment falls in the T70th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. While the right to a safe and healthy environment is not explicit in that landmark document, environmental sustainability is essential for global equity and many of the rights and freedoms listed in the Declaration, not least the rights to life, liberty and security. When the environment is compromised, lives are often endangered and people’s opportunities for better standards of living are profoundly curtailed.

When the

environment is © Joe Saad / UN Women compromised, lives are often endangered and people’s opportunities It’s time to move from for better standards of living are profoundly commitment to action curtailed.

Throughout the past year, UN Environment Foreword Concrete steps from citizens and governments sustainable and profitable for all. Almost every campaigned on many fronts against the Erik Solheim have to be complemented by business action. week we read of new business strategies to curb The message is clear: the private sector can make the use of single-use plastics, expand electric spiralling pollution of air, water and land around Executive Director, the world. Climate change, wildlife crime, a profit from a healthy planet. In 2017, we signed mobility and use cleaner energy. Through all of micro- and are UN Environment Programme an exciting agreement with BNP Paribas which these developments, it has become abundantly just a few examples of environmental ills that will support smallholder projects, channeling clear that the Paris Agreement and global affect the health and well-being of communities much-needed capital into sustainable environmental consensus on the challenges and economies, global efforts to achieve the development. It will improve agriculture, re- facing our planet, remain stronger than ever. Sustainable Development Goals and even the generate land, and make smallholder farming Thanks to the efforts of the , security of nations. n 2015, two residents of Mumbai, India’s for the first time, scientists have found direct financial hub, started spending their proof that the layer is healing. And now we The consequences of failing to sensibly Iweekends collecting the trash that had Citizens need move to address bigger challenges with the and effectively manage the environment are washed up along the city’s Versova Beach. Two coming into force of the Kigali Amendment to profound and far-reaching. That is why the work years later, their Saturday chore has turned into to be informed phase out substances that have a serious impact of UN Environment is so important. And it is a movement that has inspired thousands to join on our climate. why the 193 countries of the UN Environment their efforts. In 2017, the Versova Beach clean- and inspired Assembly committed to work towards a up marked its 100th week. More than 7 million The coming together of people, governments pollution-free planet. I commend this annual kilograms of plastic have now been collected. to change their and business has shown time and again that we report to all who believe that attaining our behaviour and put can innovate our way out of any environmental fundamental rights entails clean air, healthy This example from India demonstrates two very challenge that we come across. But we have very oceans, resilient ecosystems and a global important realities of our time: that pollution is pressure on their little time left. 2018 must be the year in which we environment managed sustainably for the overwhelming our lives, and that when people act together to ensure the health of our people, benefit of people and planet. are inspired, they act. governments. and our planet.

In 2017 the UN Environment Assembly recognized this reality, and the world’s highest- level gathering on the environment put ending pollution at the top of the global political agenda. If all of the Assembly’s commitments are met, more than a billion people will breathe cleaner air, many of the world’s coastlines will be cleaner, and billions more will be mobilized for research into innovative programmes to combat pollution.

But as with all environmental challenges, no government can go it alone. Citizens need to be informed and inspired to change their behaviour and put pressure on their governments. In 2017, © UN Photo our #BeatPollution campaign galvanized millions of individual pledges to clean up the planet. UN Secretary-General António Guterres © UN Environemnt walks through Codrington town in Barbuda to The year 2018 will be a decisive one, as we see firsthand the devastation left behind challenge ourselves to move from commitment Erik Solheim, Head of UN Environment, joins Afroz Shah in his long-running by Hurricane Irma. to action, from challenge to opportunity. efforts to clean up Mumbai’s Versova Beach.

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Champions of the Earth 7 leaders receive UN’s Young Champions of the Earth sets out to find tomorrow’s highest environmental changemakers accolade 2017 saw the launch of Young Champions of the Earth, an initiative that aims to breathe life into the ambitions of brilliant young environmentalists. In this inau- gural year, six young people – one from each global region – were selected to Pioneering leaders from the worlds of government, business, research and grassroots receive $15,000 in seed funding as well as targeted training and mentorship to activism were presented with the UN’s highest environmental accolade, the Champions of help them put their ideas into action. the Earth Award, at the Gala Dinner of the third UN Environment Assembly in December. The annual award is presented to leaders whose actions have had an exceptional and positive impact on the environment.

Policy leadership Science and innovation Michelle Bachelet, President of Paul A. Newman and NASA’s Chile, for outstanding leadership Goddard Space Flight Center, in creating marine protected for outstanding contributions areas and boosting renewable to the Montreal Protocol energy

Entrepreneurial vision Inspiration and action Mobike, for exploring Jeff Orlowski, filmmaker, for his market-driven solutions work to spread powerful envi- to air pollution and climate ronmental messages to a global change audience Saihanba Afforestation Community, for transforming de- Lifetime achievement graded land into a lush paradise Wang Wenbiao, Chairman of Elion Resources Group, for a lifetime of leadership in green © UN Environemnt industry The first six Young Champions of the Earth were recognized at the Gala Dinner of the third UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi.

The 1st Meeting of the Conference of Convention on International Trade in the Parties to the Convention was held Endangered Species of Wild Fauna Global treaties in Geneva from 24-29 September. and Flora

Convention on the Conservation of The Joint Meeting of the Animals Migratory Species of Wild Animals Committee and Plants Committee to protect people was held in Geneva in July. The At the 12th meeting of the Confer- Committees adopted recommenda- ence of the Parties, which took place tions for animals and plants, as well in Manila, the Philippines in October, as guidance on collaboration with the Parties adopted a record-breaking the Intergovernmental Science-Policy and planet number of commitments, including the Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosys- Manila Declaration on Sustainable De- tem Services. velopment and Migratory Species. The meeting was the Convention’s largest The 69th meeting of the Standing Highlights from the Multilateral gathering in its 38-year history. Committee was held in Geneva, Environmental Agreements that Switzerland from 27 November to Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm 1 December. Over 600 participants UN Environment hosts Conventions attended the Standing Committee meeting. 1,600 participants from 170 countries participated in Conferences of the Par- ties in Geneva from 24 April to 5 May.

Vienna Convention for the Protection and the 29th Meeting of the Parties Over 60 decisions were adopted to of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal to the Montreal Protocol were held in enhance and implement the Basel, Rot- Protocol on Substances that Deplete Montreal in November. The Confer- terdam and Stockholm Conventions’ the Ozone Layer ence of the Parties adopted 4 deci- objectives on chemicals and waste. sions, while the Meeting of the Parties 22 parties have ratified the Kigali adopted 29 decisions to enhance Convention on Biological Diversity Amendment, meaning that the Amend- efforts to protect the ozone layer and ment will enter into force on 1 January mitigate climate change. At the 21st meeting of the Convention’s 2019. Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Techni- Minamata Convention on cal and Technological Advice, which To mark the 30th anniversary of the was held in Montreal in December, 7 Montreal Protocol, the Ozone Secretar- The Minamata Convention on Mercury, recommendations were adopted on the iat launched the Ozone Heroes cam- adopted on 10 October 2013, entered 2050 Vision for biodiversity and the paign in partnership with Marvel, the into force on 16 August 2017 following links between the Aichi Biodiversity company behind some of the world’s ratification by over 50 countries. The Targets and the Sustainable Develop- most beloved superheroes. Convention is the first new global trea- ment Goals. ty on environment and health in nearly The 11th meeting of the Conference of a decade. The Convention prepares to celebrate the Parties to the Vienna Convention its 25th anniversary in 2018.

unenvironment.org 3 UN Environment Annual Report 2017 Senior Management Team

Erik Solheim Ibrahim Thiaw UN Environment Programme UN Environment Programme Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director Under-Secretary-General of and Assistant the United Nations Secretary-General of the United Nations

Anne Le More Chief of Staff Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo Director, Africa Office

Gary Lewis Director a.i., Policy and Programme Division

Sami Dimassi Director, West Asia Office

Jian Liu © REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani Chief Scientist Director a.i., Jan Dusík Science Division Principal Advisor on Strategic Engagement in the Arctic and Antarctic Director a.i., Europe Office Elizabeth Mrema Director, Law Division Director a.i., Corporate Elliott Harris Services Division Director, New York Office and Assistant Secretary-General of United Nations

Ligia Noronha Director, Economy Division Leo Heileman Director, Latin America and the Caribbean Office

Naysán Sahba Director, Communication Division Disasters Barbara and Conflicts Hendrie Director, North America Office

In our work on disasters and Dechen Tsering conflicts, we focus on achieving Director, results in two areas: risk reduction, Asia and the Pacific Office where we help countries use Jorge environmental management to Laguna-Celis prevent and reduce risks, and Director, response and recovery, where we Governance Affairs Office support countries in the aftermath of a disaster or conflict to identify Mette Løyche and address environmental risks. Wilke Director, Ecosystems Division

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A man returns to his village in Qayyarah, after it was liberated from ISIL militants. The smoke in the background is from oil wells that were set ablaze by the militants.

OUR WORK | DISASTERS AND CONFLICTS OUR WORK Cleaning up the environmental hazards left by ISIL Disasters and Conflicts hen UN Environment head Erik out a rapid scoping mission to identify the en- Now UN Environment is working with Mosul Solheim approached Mosul in July vironmental hazards. The organization is also Municipality, UN-Habitat and technical part- Chemicals W2017, shortly after Iraqi forces had providing scientific advice and training to the ners to develop the most cost-effective way and Waste ousted the so-called Islamic State in Iraq Iraqi government on how to clear up the mess. to manage the rubble. Initial modelling results and the Levant (ISIL) from the city after a show that recycling debris to use in recon- Environment three-year occupation, he Aside from the oil and struction could save up to $75 million dollars, under Review encountered extreme levels pollution, - limit harmful quarrying impacts and generate of pollution and environ- based analysis by UN 750,000 days of work for Mosul’s long-suffer- Ecosystem mental destruction. Environment and partners ing residents. In collaboration with partners, Management In collaboration estimated the conflict- UN Environment is seeking to pilot the first “The smoke that billowed with partners, related debris at 11 million debris-recycling project ever carried out in Iraq. Resource from the burning oil fields UN Environment tonnes – equivalent to If it succeeds, the approach could be applied in Efficiency was so thick it blocked out four times the weight of cities across the country that have been dam- is seeking to pilot the sun,” he said. “By the the Eiffel Tower. Factories, aged by the conflict. Climate time I reached Qayyarah, the first debris- workshops, warehouses, Change where ISIL fighters had set recycling project homes and schools Working with leading international laboratories fire to 19 oil wells, a film that ISIL had converted – Spiez of Switzerland and ALS Global of the Resource of black had settled ever carried out into ammunition United Kingdom – UN Environment has also Efficiency over the Iraqi town like toxic in Iraq. manufacturing plants trained over 40 Iraqi government experts to snow.” were littered with map and assess the risks from pollution hot Environmental explosives and potentially spots created by the conflict, and to develop Governance The fires have been toxic chemical products. remedial action plans. extinguished, but the ISIL Damage to Mosul’s occupation has left behind a noxious cocktail electricity network brought a high risk of “Never has it been more important for the world of chemicals, heavy and other harmful contamination with polychlorinated biphenyls, to place the environment at the very heart of waste. To set Mosul and its surroundings on or PCBs. And these were just some of the how we prevent, solve and respond to conflict,” the road to recovery, UN Environment carried issues documented. Solheim said.

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OUR WORK | CLIMATE CHANGE Protecting climate and health from peatland fires in Indonesia

n recent years, peatland fires across Indo- aims to reduce the number of fires and cut warning information, thus enabling better nesia have blanketed towns, cities and for- and greenhouse gas emissions in key fire-prone informed action, reduced fire risks and less I ests with a thick haze, causing enormous areas. The project is a collaboration between the suffering for the people of Indonesia. health and environmental complications across United Nations Office for Project Services, UN En- The problems often begin when farmers and South-East Asia. During their peak in 2015, vironment, the Government of Indonesia, USAID companies use fire to clear the ground for new forest and peatland fires in the Kalimantan and and two of the world’s foremost research centres planting. This ignites the soil itself, burning Sumatra regions, worsened by El Niño, emitted – the Centre for Climate Risk and Opportunity deep into the ground and spreading across an estimated 16 million metric tons of carbon Management in Southeast Asia and Pacific at Bo- wider areas. That’s why GAMBUT also works to dioxide every day. This is equivalent to the daily gor Agricultural University and the Earth Institute educate local communities on the importance emissions of the United States. at Columbia University. of peatland so they farm sustainably – without slashing and burning – and reduce the carbon Air pollution from the GAMBUT runs a Fire Risk footprint of their crops. System, an early warning 2015 fires affected 43 / NOOR Lohuizen © Kadir van million people and hospi- tool that uses socioeconom- Peatlands are the most efficient carbon sink on talized an estimated half Peatlands are the ic and biophysical data cou- the planet. Globally, they store up to 88.6 billion a million for respiratory most efficient pled with climactic data, to metric tonnes of carbon. Indonesian peat, hold- illnesses. Of about 2.6 predict where fires will occur, ing 60 billion metric tonnes, accounts for most million hectares of land carbon sink thus allowing fire officials to of this. Through the Global Peatlands Initiative, that burned between on the planet. strategically target preven- UN Environment and the Government of Indo- Climate change June and October, 33 per tion efforts in those areas nesia are now helping other countries with the cent were carbon-rich Globally, they that need it most. In 2017, sound management and conservation of peat- peatland ecosystems, store up to 88.6 the project retrained 600 lands, which are found in over 180 countries. In our work on climate change, which are home to billion metric community firefighters in a orangutans and other course run by South African “By preventing peatland fires, we can keep this we focus on achieving results in endangered species. tonnes of carbon. firefighters; they were also carbon in the ground where it belongs and three areas: climate resilience, given improved equipment to protect the health and livelihoods of millions low-emission growth and reducing So, there are very good cover five villages. of Indonesians,” said Tim Christophersen, UN greenhouse gas emissions reasons for minimizing Environment’s lead expert on forests and climate from deforestation and forest the burning of peatlands UN Environment and change. degradation (REDD+). – which is one of the goals of the Generating Indonesia’s Peatland Restoration Agency Anticipatory Measures for Better Utilization of developed an action plan for the 2017 fire Tropical Peatlands (GAMBUT) project. GAMBUT season that involved disseminating fire early

Peatlands, such as this one in Kalimantan, Indonesia, are the world’s most efficient carbon sinks. UN Environment and the Government of Indonesia are supporting the sound management and conservation of peatlands, which are found in over 180 countries around the world. © Kadir van Lohuizen / NOOR Lohuizen © Kadir van

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t’s like a scene from a dystopian movie: policy responses. New air quality monitoring smoke belching from squat towers, fad- stations are planned for urban areas. The OUR WORK | ENVIRONMENT UNDER REVIEW Iing the green hills behind the power plant nation is also considering joining Breathe- to grey and settling like a shroud over the city Life, a campaign run by UN Environment and below. partners that urges cities and countries to pledge Bosnia and Yet this is reality for the concrete action to clean residents of Tuzla and up their air.

surrounding villages in Across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Roughly 7 million people Herzegovina looks where the nation’s largest Bosnia and die each year from air pol- -fired power station Herzegovina, lution, and work such as is choking its residents. that being done in Bosnia According to World 44,000 years is crucial to save lives. to clear the air Health Organization data, of life are lost The air quality resolution agreed on at the UN Envi- Tuzla has the second- each year due worst air pollution in ronment Assembly aims Europe. Across Bosnia to particulate to improve data quality and Herzegovina, 44,000 matter, and create the conditions years of life are lost each for clean energy and year due to particulate dioxide and , which will help matter, nitrogen dioxide ozone pollution. address the problem. UN and ozone pollution. Environment stands ready to help countries create But there is hope on the affordable air quality horizon, for Tuzla and the networks, and to sup- rest of Bosnia and Her- port them in identifying, zegovina, as UN Environment and the Global prioritizing and addressing key sources of air Environment Facility team up to improve air pollution. quality in the country.

Working with two institutes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the project has rehabilitated air Environment quality monitoring stations in Ivan Sedlo and under Review Banja Luka, and procured two new stations in Prijedor and Goražde. All available sta- tions are now connected to a unified online In our work to keep the environment platform that monitors air quality data in real under review, we aim to bridge the time. This new system of data collection has gaps between the producers and made it possible for the government to issue users of environmental information air pollution warnings and monitor the effec- so that science can be better linked tiveness of actions to improve the air.

© Dejan Miholjcic / UN Environment with policies. We focus on achieving results in three areas: assessments, Fresh efforts to raise awareness and stimu- early warning and information late solutions will also take place under the management. The Tuzla coal-fired power plant releases tens UN Air Quality Initiative and Response. AirQ of thousands of tonnes of sulphur dioxide and software will provide data linking air pollution other into the air each year. with specific health effects, helping to drive

OUR WORK | RESOURCE EFFICIENCY Empowered by his training and support, Chris UN Environment, the UN Development Pro- started by contacting a South African com- gramme and the UN Office for Project Services. pany to make gelatine from his splits. They In 2015, it provided grants of up to $250,000 Resource efficiency took 120 tonnes of splits per month, setting to each of 34 projects in Burkina Faso, Ghana, the tannery on a path that would transform Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa and Uganda. its business and community. Chinese compa- transforms Ugandan nies were the next to get involved. The initial investment has paid itself back in spades. Each year, the company now saves $380,000 on waste disposal and brings in tannery and town $580,000 from sales of the oxidized splits. The tannery employs 250 people – paid for by what was once waste.

t first glance, it isn’t obvious why Chris cleaner production and resource efficiency Skyfat Tannery is a good example of the sus- Isingoma looks so proud of himself measures. The resulting changes to business tainable consumption and production patterns as he sits behind the SWITCH Africa practices have saved his company hundreds A that the -funded SWITCH Africa Green stall at the UN Environment headquarters of thousands of dollars a year, created green Green is trying to create. The project is run by in Nairobi. He is chatting jobs in the Ugandan town to delegates taking a break of Jinja and cleared up an from negotiations at the environmental hazard all third UN Environment in one stroke. Assembly, occasionally waving around one of the Chris is Process Manager bleached-white objects “Disposing of at the tannery, which once Resource jumbled on the table before the waste was had a huge waste prob- efficiency him. lem. In tanneries, hides expensive. I are swollen using sulfates, Once you listen, the reason had to find a which make the hide UN Environment’s work on resource for Chris’s pride becomes solution.” split into two parts, one efficiency aims to make global clear. These innocuous-look- of which is not useable supply chains more sustainable; ing items, which turn out for leather products. For promote an enabling policy to be dog chews, are the years, the tannery dumped environment to help countries fruits of a resource-efficient the hide splits at a private make the transition to inclusive transformation underway site, costing it money green economies; and empower with the assistance of UN and creating a stink that countries, businesses, civil society Environment’s SWITCH Africa Green programme turned the locals against the plant. and individuals to live and consume and partners, the Uganda Cleaner Production sustainably. Center and the Ugandan government. “We produced 60 tonnes of waste per day, and Jinja is a very small town,” says Chris. Skyfat Tannery, where Chris works, received “Disposing of the waste was expensive. I had training and technical support to implement to find a solution.”

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OUR WORK | CHEMICALS AND WASTE World agrees to end mercury menace

hinobu Sakamoto sat in her wheelchair, Human activities have doubled the amount of brows furrowed and eyes squeezed shut mercury in the top 100 metres of the oceans S with effort as she forced out each word. in the last 100 years. We continue to release an estimated 2,960 tonnes every year. We are “I was exposed to mercury pollution when I was poisoning our planet, and so ourselves. in my mother’s womb,” she said. “I was born Work under the convention is now beginning with fetal in 1956. Many in earnest. The conference adopted guidance people are still suffering to assist in the control and struggling … we must and reduction of mercury protect women and un- emissions from artisanal born children from toxic and small-scale -, pollution.” with support to member states on the table. Another Sakamoto’s body may be The convention is guidance document spec- failing her, but her will is now accelerating ifies ways to reduce atmo- iron strong. She endured spheric mercury emissions

a 24-hour journey from action to from coal-fired power plants, / UN Environment Villafranca © Veejay Minamata to Geneva to control mercury waste plants, deliver her passionate smelters and message to the first emissions. plants. Conference of the Parties of the Minamata Conven- The Global Environment Fa- Chemicals tion on Mercury, which cility is funding eight coun- and Waste takes its name from the tries with a sizeable gold worst mercury poisoning mining sector. The $45.2 incident in history. million in funding will be In our work on chemicals and waste, managed by implementing we focus on supporting countries to The convention, which entered into force in Au- agencies, including UN Environment, to support develop the policies and institutional gust 2017 and is hosted by UN Environment, is policies and market incentives favouring gold capacity to manage chemicals and now accelerating action on controlling mercury that uses less or no mercury in its extraction. waste soundly, helping countries emissions from industry, banning new mercury and other stakeholders manage mining, and reducing mercury use in artis- chemicals and waste and implement anal and small-scale . Concerted related multilateral environmental international action under the convention is an agreements. intensification of previous efforts such as UN Environment’s Global Mercury Partnership. And it comes not a moment too soon. CC TheAnimalDay.org BY Photo: © IWRM AIO SIDS Photo:

OUR WORK | ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT amuel Taylor Coleridge, in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, immortalized the S line, “Water, water, everywhere, nor any New laws and drop to drink”. His poem spoke of a becalmed ship, adrift on salty water that could not tame the thirst of the sailors onboard. But the phrase perhaps practices solve resonates with many Small Island Developing States, which face serious water issues despite the glittering seas that surround them. water challenges These nations struggle with freshwater scarcity and contamination, over-exploitation and poor management of water resources. Providing clean drinking water, sanitation services, and on island states effluent and solid is also a challenge.

However, Comoros, Cabo Verde, Mauritius, Maldives, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Sey- chelles – six such nations – are turning around their fortunes with the support of a UN Environ- ment-United Nations Development Programme project funded by the Global Environment Facility.

The project has demonstrated strategies and practices on Integrated Water Resources Man- agement, benefiting over 300,000 community members on the islands and leading to policies and legislation in all six countries, meaning more impact is to come. The work in São Tomé and Principe gives a clear flavour of the overall successes of the project.

The nation’s Rio Provaz basin is the main source of water for domestic and industrial use in the In São Tomé and Príncipe, UN Environment works with town of Neves. Pollution – discharges from communities and a local organization to fight erosion and floods in the Rio Pravaz basin. agriculture alongside practices such as washing clothes, bathing, defecating and disposing of © IWRM AIO SIDS

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OUR WORK | ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE Backing the environmental defenders who protect human rights

very week, at least three people are work. The organization also backs them by killed defending their right to a clean promoting the environmental rule of law, of E and healthy environment. According to which human rights is a key component. the last count by British newspaper The Guard- ian, 188 environmen- UN Environment tal defenders were works with partners killed in 2017. around the world to strengthen the ability For every defender “I was beaten, arrested, of states and citizens murdered, many more to link human rights risk their livelihoods, and, on a number of and the environment. food security or occasions, jailed when The organization homes when they helps countries to take a stand and I demanded to have the strengthen laws and struggle for a basic lead smelter shut down their implementation human right. and the to protect environ- mental rights and Phyllis Omido, a owners held those defending Kenyan who worked account- them. It also works in a smelting factory with judges to im- in Owino Uhuru, able.” prove access to jus- Mombasa, didn’t tice in environmental even know she was matters. an environmental defender when In March 2018, UN she started asking Environment launch- questions about why es its first global people in her community – including her own campaign on environmental rights to raise son – were getting sick. When Phyllis discov- awareness of the need to protect, promote ered was to blame, she ignored and respect our right to a clean and healthy and other fish that sit at the top of the marine food environment. chain are often heavily contaminated with mercury. death threats to make sure everyone knew that the factory was releasing lead waste into the water supply and air.

“I was beaten, arrested, and, on a number of Environmental occasions, jailed when I demanded to have the Governance waste – and increased competition for water lead smelter shut down and the owners held between communities and industry meant the accountable,” she said. basin could not meet demand. UN Environment works to Omido refused to back down. The factory was strengthen institutions and improve “The biggest challenge is to distribute good “The biggest closed in April 2015 following a prolonged pub- environmental governance by quality water to the population,” said Carlos lic outcry. The Centre for Justice, Governance, challenge is to improving coherence and synergies Vilanova, the nation’s Minister of Infrastruc- and Environmental Action, founded by Omido, within the UN system and between tures, Natural Resources and Environment. “In distribute good has launched litigation against the factory multilateral environmental order to do this, we must manage water in the quality water to owners. agreements; supporting national best way possible. efforts to develop and enforce the population.” UN Environment in December 2017 brought laws and strengthen institutions to With direct support from the project team, the Omido to the third UN Environment Assembly achieve environmental objectives; country has put into practice a new national to relate her experience and connect her with and helping countries integrate plan to manage its water resources. The plan journalists, diplomats and other activists. environmental sustainability into covers water efficiency, watershed protection, their development planning. water demand management, the incorporation Bringing together defenders and raising their of water resources management into land-use profile is just one strand of UN Environment’s planning and development, institutional reforms and a budget to enact the plan.

“With the support of [this] project, we are look- Anti-lead campaigners in ing at concepts like integrated watershed man- Kenya wear t-shirts that agement as a way to secure and declare “we have a voice”. availability for the population,” said Vilanova. “This project is also greatly helping us in raising awareness and changing the population’s attitude and behaviors to keep our freshwater © IWRM AIO SIDS supply clean.”

Ecosystem Management

In our work on ecosystem management, we focus on helping countries incorporate the value and long-term functioning of ecosystems in their planning and accounting frameworks. We also support countries to use an ecosystem approach to managing their terrestrial, aquatic and marine environments. © Centre for Justice, Governance for Justice, Governance © Centre Action and Environmental

unenvironment.org 9 UN Environment Annual Report 2017 Prominent voices support UN Environment’s work

Through their broad influence and sizable UN Environment’s work to combat air pollution UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador Ellie Goulding helps Casper van de Geer from Local networks, UN Environment’s goodwill around the globe. Ocean Trust release a sea turtle back into the ocean during her visit to the Kenyan coast in December. ambassadors help us inspire action, reach The animal had been turned in by a fisherman, who had inadvertently trapped it in his net. new audiences and raise awareness of critical British adventurer and presenter Ben Fogle environmental issues. In 2017, Gisele Bündchen became UN Environment’s new Patron of and Don Cheadle spread our message to more Wilderness. Fogle will use his new role to than 4 million people on World Environment highlight the pressures and impacts on Earth’s Day, while Lewis Pugh, our Patron of the wildest corners. Oceans, successfully lobbied for stronger policies on . We also gained Former Miss Asia Pacific, actor, producer, some new and prominent voices for change. entrepreneur and environmentalist Dia Mirza became UN Environment’s Goodwill Ambassa- British singer- Ellie Goulding became dor for India. In her new role, Mirza co-hosted our latest Global Goodwill Ambassador. Gould- the Environment Assembly Gala Dinner. As an ing took up her new role in Nairobi, shortly Ambassador, she plans to continue her work to before travelling to the Maasai Mara and the promote solutions to environmental issues in Kenyan coast to learn about threats facing wild- India and around the world. life and local communities. She also co-hosted the Environment Assembly Gala Dinner, where Actor Adrian Grenier became UN Environ- she announced the inaugural class of Young ment’s new Goodwill Ambassador for North Champions of the Earth. America. Through his Lonely Whale Foun- dation, Grenier is an important advocate for Former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius reducing single-use plastic and promoting became UN Environment’s new Patron on supply chain innovation. Environmental Governance. Fabius, who also served as president of the successful 2015 Chinese actor and producer Li Chen became Paris climate negotiations, adds unrivalled UN Environment’s Goodwill Ambassador for experience and diplomatic weight to the China. Chen aims to build partnerships and push for international consensus on critical raise awareness on environment and health environmental challenges. issues, including air pollution in China.

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder of India’s larg- Russian adventurer Fyodor Konyukhov be- est mobile-first financial services conglomer- came UN Environment’s Goodwill Ambassador ate Paytm, became UN Environment’s Patron for , with a focus on tackling pollution in for Clean Air. Sharma, who took on his new Russia and beyond. role at the Environment Assembly, will elevate © UN Environment Joining forces with forward-thinking partners

Working hand-in-hand with key partners enables UN Environment to reach new audiences and multiply our efforts to protect the planet and Business ensure sustainable prosperity for all. In 2017, UN Environment signed more than 20 memorandums of understanding with key private sector partners, including Civil society leading businesses in industries such as lighting, telecommunications, global finance, Seventy-one civil society organizations be- social media, materials science and data came accredited to UN Environment in 2017, management. raising the total number of accredited organi- zations to 416 as of the end of the year. The year also saw the announcement of groundbreaking new initiatives with business As accredited organizations, these groups had partners. At the World Economic Forum in the opportunity to actively engage with Mem- January, UN Environment and Ant Financial, ber States and provide their professional ex- one of China’s biggest financial technology pertise in the run-up to the third Environment companies, launched the Green Digital Finance Assembly. Submissions from civil society Alliance. The initiative aims to harness digital helped to inform the Ministerial Declaration, technologies to catalyse finance for global relevant resolutions and in particular the Exec- environmental challenges. utive Director’s Report on Pollution. In October, UN Environment and Rabobank UN Environment’s partnerships with founda- announced the creation of a $1-billion-dollar tions, in particular, increased considerably in facility to finance sustainable agriculture using 2017. Several of these new partners provided a combination of public and private funding. funding that enabled civil society representa- And in December, UN Environment and BNP © UN Environment tives, particularly from developing countries, to Paribas signed a milestone agreement to prepare for and participate in the third Environ- establish a network of Sustainable Finance ment Assembly. Facilities, collaborative partnerships to raise UN Environment partnered with Chinese company Mobike to organize an awareness-raising development capital to drive sustainable bike ride through downtown Nairobi ahead of the third UN Environment Assembly economic growth in emerging economies.

10 unenvironment.org UN Environment Annual Report 2017 Calling the world

UN Environment’s campaigns inform and inspire people to action around the globe to act on behalf of the planet.

Breathe Life Clean Seas www.breathelife2030.org www.cleanseas.org

Air pollution contributes to more than 6 million deaths every year, making With more than 8 million tons of plastic entering the oceans every year, it the single biggest environmental health risk of our time. The Breathe Life our oceans could contain more plastic than fish by 2050. Launched in campaign, which UN Environment runs alongside the World Health Organi- February 2017, the Clean Seas campaign is the UN’s most ambitious zation and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, aims to partner with cities effort yet to tackle marine pollution. More than 30 governments have al- around the world to encourage them to take action to clean up the air we ready joined the campaign and committed to specific measures to tackle breathe by 2030. In 2017, Oslo, London and Washington, DC were among marine plastic pollution. Clean Seas has also secured major partnerships the two dozen cities and regions that signed on and set ambitious goals with key players such as DELL and the World Association of Zoos and for air quality. In total, BreatheLife cities have committed to more than 60 Aquariums, and is working to establish an industry-wide working group to actions to reduce air pollution, improving the environment and health of 20 reduce plastic pollution. million people around the world.

Joining forces with © Galatée films forward-thinking partners

Wild for Life World Environment Day www.wildfor.life www.worldenvironmentday.global

The illegal trade in wildlife is driving species such as elephants, rhinos, “I’m with nature” was the theme of World Environment Day 2017, which tigers, helmeted hornbills and pangolins to the brink of extinction. The saw record-breaking engagement around the globe. More than 1,800 Wild for Life campaign aims to mobilize individuals, businesses and gov- events were registered, from tree-planting in Mumbai to ivory burning ernments around the world to use their sphere of influence to help end in Angola to a running race through Brazil’s Iguaçu National Park. the illegal trade in wildlife products. In 2017, the campaign reached more Canada, the host country, offered free admission to all of the country’s than 1.2 billion people through some 4.5 million interactions on social national parks to encourage everyone to connect with nature. The World media. Several species in the campaign have received greater protection Environment Day festivities also played an important role in Canada’s through international regulations. The campaign was awarded the presti- 150th birthday celebrations. gious 2017 People’s Voice Webby Award for best green website.

unenvironment.org 11 UN Environment Annual Report 2017

Highlights © Jason Cooper from the year

Minamata Convention G7 embraces sustain- Environment Record number of Ozone Convention comes into force able finance Assembly delivers a UN entities become celebrates 30 years win for the planet climate neutral

The Minamata Convention UN Environment was at the Over 4,000 heads of state, According to the 2017 edition The Montreal Protocol on on Mercury – the first new table when environment ministers, business leaders, of the Greening the Blue Substances that Deplete the global environmental health ministers from the world’s UN officials, civil society Report, a record number of Ozone Layer, the first treaty treaty in nearly a decade – seven richest countries met representatives, activists and United Nations entities – 39 to have been ratified by every came into force in August. to discuss their priorities celebrities came together – have now become climate nation on Earth, celebrated The convention commits its for the years ahead. At their for the third UN Environment neutral, thanks to a mix of its 30th anniversary in 2017. signatories to tackling the annual summit in June, the Assembly, which was held in emissions reductions and With the ozone hole already harmful effects of mercury, ministers declared sustainable Nairobi from 4-6 December carbon credit purchases. The on its way to recovery, parties which has been used in mining, financing “fundamental” to under the overarching theme report also noted an uptick to the Protocol are targeting dentistry and lighting, among achieving global climate of pollution. By the time the in recycling across the UN hydrofluorocarbons, a group other industries. Signed by and development goals. Assembly closed, delegates system, with 30 per cent of all of chemicals that are pow- 128 countries, the convention They also acknowledged UN had passed 13 resolutions, waste now being recycled, re- erful catalysts of climate takes its name from Minamata, Environment’s contributions three decisions and, for the used, recovered or compost- change. In 2017, more than , the site of the most on green finance, and pledged first time, a ministerial dec- ed. The progress comes ten 20 Parties ratified the Kigali severe mercury poisoning – in their five-year roadmap laration. UN Environment’s years after the adoption of the Amendment, which tackles disaster in history. on resource efficiency – to #BeatPollution campaign UN’s Climate Neutral Strategy, hydrofluorocarbons, reaching fully participate in the 10-year presented to the Assembly which called on UN Environ- the threshold required for the framework of programmes nearly 2.5 million individual ment’s Executive Director, as Amendment to take effect on on sustainable consumption commitments to clean up the chair of the UN’s Environment 1 January 2019. and production, which UN planet. Management Group, to sup- Environment hosts. port the shift towards more sustainable practices across the UN system.

A snapshot of our top

* 2016 - 2017 financial status in USD millions finances * Data extracted on 15 January 2018 5 CONTRIBUTORS TO CONTRIBUTORS THE ENVIRONMENT TO EARMARKED 22.8 45.4 706.6 45.4 35.8 45.3 FUND FUNDING

271.0 139.9 128.7 1. Germany $8.3 1. Global Environment 2. France $7.6 Facility $138.1 3. Netherlands $6.4 2. European 4. United States $6 Commission $29.9 5. Sweden $4.9 3. Green Climate 343.8 953.7 Fund $24.6

Total budget Total income Total expenditure 4. Germany $23.1 $683.1 million $888.9 million $953.7 million * in USD millions 5. Norway $9.1

Regular Budget Environment Fund Earmarked Contributions Programme Support Cost

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We hope you enjoy these highlights of our * All dollar ($) amounts refer to US dollars. This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part prior permission in writing from UN Environment. The work in 2017. For more details, please visit * The term ‘one billion’ in this report refers and in any form for educational or nonprofit purposes designation of geographical entities in this report, and our combined Annual Report and Programme to one thousand million. without special permission from the copyright holder the presentation of material herein, do not imply the Performance Report online. provided acknowledgement of the source is made. UN expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the ISBN No: 978-92-807-3698-4 unenvironment.org/annualreport Environment would appreciate receiving a copy of any publisher or the participating organizations concerning Job No: DCP/2171/PA publication that uses this publication as a source. No the legal status of any country, territory or area, or of use of this publication may be made for resale or for its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its any other commercial purpose whatsoever without frontiers or boundaries.

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