UNITED NATIONS EP UNEP/EA.5/3/Rev.1 Distr.: General 17 February 2021 Original: English United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme Fifth session Nairobi (online), 22–26 February 2021* Item 6 of the provisional agenda** Programme of work and budget and other administrative and budgetary issues For people and planet: the United Nations Environment Programme strategy for 2022–2025 to tackle climate change, loss of nature and pollution Summary 1. In its decision 4/1, the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) requested the Executive Director of UNEP to submit for consideration and approval by the Environment Assembly at its fifth session, in consultation with the Committee of Permanent Representatives, and building on lessons learned from previous bienniums, a results-oriented and streamlined medium-term strategy and programme of work in line with General Assembly resolution 72/266. 2. The medium-term strategy for 2022–2025 and the programme of work and budget for 2022–2023, developed in response to the request in decision 4/1, rest on the recognition of the existence of three planetary crises – climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution – which put us at risk of irreversibly changing our relationship with the natural world. Tackling these challenges to achieve climate stability, living in harmony with nature and moving towards a pollution-free planet will require a recalibration of our economies and societies towards more sustainable and equitable models. The medium-term strategy outlines a set of transformative shifts that target the drivers of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, and looks at their impact. It maps out the actions needed to reshape our consumption and production patterns towards sustainability, framing the contribution of UNEP in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the decade of action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals and beyond. It does so while respecting synergies with the multilateral environmental agreements and in line with their relevant objectives, goals and principles, without prejudice to the outcome of future negotiations. The medium-term strategy will also guide the support provided by UNEP in a manner consistent with other internationally agreed frameworks. It will leverage the United Nations development system reform to engage the wider United Nations system in stronger, more coordinated and mutually supportive environmental action. The programme of work (UNEP/EA.5/3/Add.1) sets out the UNEP results * In accordance with the decisions taken at the meeting of the Bureau of the United Nations Environment Assembly held on 8 October 2020 and at the joint meeting of the Bureaux of the United Nations Environment Assembly and the Committee of Permanent Representatives held on 1 December 2020, the fifth session of the Assembly is expected to adjourn on 23 February 2021 and resume as an in-person meeting in February 2022. ** UNEP/EA.5/1/Rev.1. K2100501 210221 UNEP/EA.5/3/Rev.1 framework for the biennium 2022–2023, focused on the three strategic objectives outlined in the medium-term strategy. 3. Member States reviewed the road map for the preparation of the medium-term strategy and programme of work at the sixth meeting of the annual subcommittee of the Committee of Permanent Representatives, held in October 2019. The streams of consultation for the preparation of the medium-term strategy and programme of work and budget for 2022–2023 were: (a) Sessions with the Committee of Permanent Representatives; (b) “Discovery sessions” with Member States; (c) UNEP internal “discovery” processes, including as part of the transformation process; (d) Consultations on priorities with strategic partners, including other United Nations entities; (e) “Discovery sessions” with multilateral environmental agreement secretariats; (f) “Discovery sessions” with major groups and stakeholders, including children and youth and faith-based organizations, and with the private sector. 4. The medium-term strategy for 2022–2025 and the programme of work and budget for 2022–2023 build on consultations held with the Committee of Permanent Representatives on 10 December 2019 (on lessons learned), and on 4 June (on the outcome of the Committee’s “discovery sessions”), 14 July, 14 September, 12–16 October (during the seventh meeting of the annual subcommittee of the Committee of Permanent Representatives), 19 November and 10 December 2020. 2 UNEP/EA.5/3Rev.1 Contents Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 1 Abbreviations ......................................................................................................................................... 4 I. Background ................................................................................................................................ 5 II. Situation analysis: unsustainable patterns of consumption and production are overburdening the Earth’s resources ....................................................................................... 6 A. A rapidly deteriorating environment threatens not only our social and economic well-being but also the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals ................... 6 B. Negative impacts on human development, increasing inequality and challenges to the multilateral order risk diverting attention from the environmental dimensions of sustainable development ................................................................................................... 7 C. Seizing the opportunity to strengthen the United Nations development system reform through increased access and use of environmental data and ensuring that the digital revolution helps deliver, not hinder, the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda ..................................................................................................................... 8 D. Lessons learned: building on the past for higher performance in the future ..................... 9 E. Investing in staff for sustainable organizational change ................................................... 9 F. Getting gender right: increased responsiveness to gender equality and human rights .... 10 G. Securing a stronger organizational design for collective accountability ......................... 10 H. Increasing focus on management for results ................................................................... 10 I. Mobilizing resources and leveraging partnerships to enhance efficiency ....................... 11 III. A medium-term strategy for the decade of action ................................................................. 11 A. UNEP vision for the 2030 Agenda – a 2025 strategy with a 2050 outlook .................... 11 B. Strategic approaches central to the vision of UNEP for the 2030 Agenda and its contribution to the decade of action ................................................................................ 12 IV. UNEP focus: thematic, foundational and enabling programmes for increased ambition .................................................................................................................................... 14 A. Thematic subprogrammes ............................................................................................... 16 1. Climate action ...................................................................................................... 16 2 Nature action ....................................................................................................... 19 3. Chemicals and pollution action ........................................................................... 23 B. Foundational subprogrammes ......................................................................................... 27 1. Science-policy ..................................................................................................... 27 2. Environmental governance .................................................................................. 29 C. Enabling subprogrammes ............................................................................................... 32 1. Finance and economic transformations ............................................................... 32 2. Digital transformations ........................................................................................ 34 V. Four levers of change for better delivery ............................................................................... 36 A. Multilateral environmental agreements and their “multiplier effect” ............................. 37 B. Raising environmental ambition within the United Nations system through United Nations reform .................................................................................................... 37 C. Inclusive multilateralism for stronger global environmental governance ....................... 38 D. Innovative communication as a driving force for empowered environmental advocacy ......................................................................................................................... 39 VI. Looking forward: driving change towards the future we want ........................................... 40 References ...........................................................................................................................................