UNEP 2010 Annual Report (English)

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These icons appear throughout the report to indicate the six cross-cutting thematic priority areas identified

for UNEP in its Medium-Term Strategy 2010-2013:

INTRODUCTION
04 Message from the UN Secretary-General
06 Introduction by the Executive Director
5 64
65
66
ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT
Results targeted
A snapshot of 2010 results
09 Performance highlights 68 Highlights in 2010

1 10
16
18
GREENING ECONOMIES
Milestones in 2010
What makes a Green Economy?
6 76

77
HARMFUL SUBSTANCES
AND HAZARDOUS WASTE
Results targeted
21 Examples of the Green Economy 78 A snapshot of 2010 results
in practice 80 Highlights in 2010

2 26
27
28
CLIMATE CHANGE
Results targeted
A snapshot of 2010 results
7 88
89
90
RESOURCE EFFICIENCY
Results targeted
A snapshot of 2010 results
30 Highlights in 2010 93 Highlights in 2010

0 4 1 0 4 0 5 0 6 0 80 100

3 40
41
DISASTERS AND CONFLICTS
Results targeted
8 98 THE GREEN MESSAGE
106 A snapshot of publications 2010

42 A snapshot of 2010 results


44 Highlights in 2010
9 108 THE UN Leading By Example

4 52
53
54
ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE
Results targeted
A snapshot of 2010 results
10 114 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
AND FINANCE
116 UNEP funding in 2010
56 Highlights in 2010 120 A snapshot of UNEP
122 UNEP senior staff 2010
• UN Secretary-General, BAN Ki-Moon ©UN

Message from
4
United Nations Secretary-General
unep annual report 2010 : message from UN Secretary-General

The global environment claimed headlines throughout 2010. Greenhouse gas


emissions and global temperatures continued to rise. Pakistan suffered its
worst floods in more than a century; Russia fought unprecedented wildfires
and China faced drought, flooding and mudslides of an intensity not seen in
decades — a pattern of increasingly extreme weather events consistent with
the assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
On a more positive note, at the climate change conference in Cancun, Mexico, governments took
an important step towards building a low-emissions, climate-resilient future by agreeing on a
balanced package of measures that formalizes mitigation pledges and includes progress on forest
protection, climate finance, adaptation and technology.

Throughout the year, UNEP worked to expand understanding of how environmental sustainability
and green growth are mutually supporting elements for achieving the Millennium Development
Goals and speeding recovery from the global economic crisis. Tackling climate change, water
scarcity, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, and addressing shifting demographic
and consumption patterns, will require bold new approaches. Green economics can weave
together these multiple strands and will be an important focus for my High-level Panel on Global
Sustainability, whose work will feed into preparations for the Rio+20 United Nations Conference
on Sustainable Development in 2012 and other international deliberations.

UNEP is also central to promoting environmental sustainability throughout the United Nations
system, so we can truly claim to practise what we preach. That effort encompasses coordinating
emission-reduction planning for UN entities and spearheading the UN-wide Greening the Blue
campaign that highlights how we can all do more, from sustainable procurement to more
resource-efficient peacekeeping. Green principles also underpin the ongoing renovations of the
UN Headquarters complex in New York.

Better managing our finite natural resources is a job for all — from governments to individuals. 5

unep annual report 2010 : message from UN Secretary-General


I look to UNEP to continue to provide leadership and ideas as we work together for a more
sustainable, equitable and secure future.
• UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner © UNEP

Introduction by the Executive Director


6
2010 was a year of many signals and mixed feelings. As While the UN’s International Year of Biodiversity began
unep annual report 2010 : introduction by the Executive Director

UNEP’s scientific assessments and reports showed, global on a sobering note when the Global Biodiversity Outlook
indicators demonstrate that the world is still heading in the 3 Report indicated that not a single country had met the
wrong direction for sustainable development. target to substantially reverse the rate of biodiversity loss,
it ended on a far higher one.
However, UNEP documented through its work including
on the ‘transition towards a green economy’ a remarkable In October, in Nagoya, Japan, governments re-engaged on
momentum at local and national levels to ‘change course’. the biodiversity and ecosystem challenge, setting new and
in some cases, more ambitious targets by 2020.
Global environmental action and governance have come
under increasing scrutiny. Perhaps it is time to consider Importantly, they also agreed — and after almost two
the implications of these developments and remind decades of stalemate — an international regime on the
ourselves that multilateralism must combine a top-down access and benefit sharing of genetic resources (ABS).
with a bottom-up approach to succeed. Nowhere has this
become more visible than in the fields of climate change Through ‘The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity’
and biodiversity. study (TEEB), a global and pioneering partnership, hosted
by UNEP and bringing together economists and researchers, UNEP, working with climate modelling centres worldwide,
the economic valuation of biodiversity and ecosystem provided a key reference document for countries in Cancun
services broke new ground. and beyond through its Emissions Gap Report. Even the
most optimistic scenario shows an emission gap of some five
Such efforts were further strengthened by the UNEP Gigatonnes between what countries have pledged so far and
coordinated process to establish an Intergovernmental where they need to be in 2020 to have a running chance of
Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) — an keeping a global 21st century temperature rise under 2° C.
‘IPCC for nature’ if you will, which the General Assembly
endorsed in December 2010. Yet, what was also clear in 2010 was that despite the
struggles of the formal negotiations, many countries, regional
In May, in New York, during the opening of the Commission and national governments, companies and civil society, are
of Sustainable Development (CSD) UNEP’s work on already moving towards a low carbon path.
Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) was
spotlighted. The 10-Year Framework of programmes on 2010 has not been an easy year for many Member States as
SCP, which we hope to be agreed at this year’s CSD, and the on-going financial and economic crisis, which emerged
the Green Economy will be key themes for the Rio+20 in 2008, continues to challenge national budgets and
conference in 2012. development options in the North and South.

UNEP emphasised that a Green Economy echoes to the Despite a financially challenging year, UNEP embarked upon
challenges and opportunities of all economies — be the implementation of its new results-based Medium Term
they more state-led or more market oriented in their Strategy and Programme of Work for 2010-2011.
policy outlook.
Its Programme Performance Report for 2010 indicates that
In a world of nearly seven billion, rising to nine billion progress has been good and that the reform process has put
people by 2050, it is in the interests of all nations to forge UNEP on a new trajectory towards a more results-focused
a development path that decouples growth from the and effective organization.
unsustainable use of natural resources.
7
In this respect, I wish to acknowledge the important

unep annual report 2010 : introduction by the Executive Director


UNEP’s contribution in the context of Sustainable and continued role of UNEP’s Committee of Permanent
Consumption and Production speaks to this objective, as Representatives in this process as well as the commitment
did the decision of the UN’s Environment Management and leadership of UNEP’s Deputy Executive Director, Angela
Group to address the transition towards a Green Economy Cropper and our staff in ‘delivering on the promise’.
through a Joint Issues Management Group involving
over twenty UN entities as well as the IMF and the I would like to end by expressing our deep appreciation to
World Bank. Member States and hundreds of partners for your continued
support of UNEP’s work across its range of activities, which
The same imperative is at the centre of the climate I hope is providing new, fresh and inspiring direction to the
change challenge. Like biodiversity, nations meeting sustainable development community and the work of the
in Cancun, Mexico re-engaged rather than retreated United Nations.
from the issue and agreed on steps to move forward
in areas such as forests, the Green Fund and to
anchoring the pledges made twelve months earlier
in Copenhagen.
The United Nations Environment Programme
2010 was important for many reasons, a year of on-going financial instability set against an increase in the
frequency and intensity of natural disasters and shifting weather patterns. UNEP’s broad response through 2010
is catalogued in this report – from global assessments to rapid mechanisms in Haiti in response to the January
earthquake and advisory services to countries interested in transitioning to greener economies. This report
attempts to set UNEP’s work over the last year in context and show its future relevance in meeting the emerging
challenges of the coming years.

The core objective of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is to serve as an authoritative advocate
for the global environment, to help governments set the global environmental agenda, and to promote the coherent
implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system.

2010 marked the beginning of a period of new, strategic and transformational direction for UNEP as it began
implementing its Medium Term Strategy (MTS) for 2010-2013 across six areas: Climate change; Disasters and
conflicts; Ecosystem management; Environmental governance; Harmful substances and hazardous waste;
Resource efficiency, Sustainable consumption and production.

A key feature of UNEP’s transition was making the organization’s work more strategic and coherent, while
addressing country needs more effectively and demonstrating results.

Core objectives Strategy Priority areas

To serve as an To catalyse action on findings from solution-oriented Climate change


authoritative advocate environmental assessments, analyses and early warning
for the global information Disasters and conflicts
environment
To promote the development and implementation of Ecosystem management
To help governments international law
set the global Environmental
environmental agenda To pilot innovate approaches and test tools, norms and governance
8
methods in countries and catalyse their uptake by others
unep annual report 2010 : introduction

To promote the coherent through strategic partnerships and demonstrations Harmful substances and
implementation of hazardous waste
the environmental To foster transboundary collaboration for the
dimension of sustainable management of shared resources Resource efficiency,
development within the sustainable consumption
United Nations system To bring about coherence in actions in the and production
United Nations on common environmental priorities

The reform process

Emphasising results planning and management


Performance Highlights earthquake, which led to 220,000 deaths and affected
A snapshot of the year 3 million people.
• Six UN agencies and the European Commission
Serving as an authoritative advocate for the global established a partnership to jointly address conflict risks
environment from natural resources and environmental factors in
• The fifth Global Environment Outlook is being re-tooled to fragile states.
become more solution-oriented and of greater relevance • The Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam
for countries’ decision making. and Stockholm Conventions, at their simultaneous
• An assessment of what the commitments and intentions extraordinary meetings in February, agreed on
of nations mean in terms of keeping a temperature arrangements for joint activities, management and
rise below 2° C by 2050 was released for the inter- administrative services.
governmental climate change negotiations in December.
• Negotiations concluded to establish an intergovernmental Measurable results in countries
platform to improve relevance of scientific findings on • 43 UN Country Teams began integrating environmental
biodiversity and ecosystem services for human well-being sustainability in UN country programming processes.
and development. • With UNDP, 22 countries are integrating environment into
development planning.
Significant progress to help countries set the global • With UNIDO, a network of over 40 National Cleaner
environmental agenda Production Centres are supported to promote resource
• Countries embarked on first steps to green their efficiency in small enterprises with two additional
economies to achieve sustainable development. countries introducing national ‘Resource Efficient and
• Negotiations began on a legally binding treaty on mercury Cleaner Production Programmes.’
• With United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) • The Strategic Approach to International Chemical
and through GEF funding, countries with ‘Economies in Management (SAICM) supports 117 projects undertaken
Transition’ successfully phased out methyl bromide — by 97 governments and 12 civil society organizations
an ozone depleting substance. involving activities in 95 countries, with donations of over
• Intergovernmental process on reforms for better 30 million dollars.
international environmental governance gained • Three countries joined 74 others in successfully phasing
momentum. out leaded gasoline.

Improved coherence in the environmental dimension of Completion of the UNEP reform process
United Nations work • UNEP’s new Science Strategy was approved by the Senior
• The UN system moved to become climate neutral: Management Team.
targeting 1.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum. • Revamped programme and project review processes are
9
• Countries' readiness for Reducing Emissions from achieving more synergy in UNEP’s operations.

unep annual report 2010 : introduction


Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) improved • Projects are increasingly integrating gender concerns into
through coordinated efforts between UNEP, FAO their design and implementation.
and UNDP. Pilot testing of new approaches for ‘REDD • UNEP’s new Monitoring Policy, Programme Accountability
readiness’ began. Framework and Programme Information Management
• UNEP’s guidance and support to the aid community in System (PIMS) are enhancing monitoring and achieving
Sudan resulted in nearly half of all aid projects measurable results.
integrating environmental activities within their • UNEP’s new Evaluation Policy has enhanced the
programmes in 2010. independent nature of evaluation.
• Significant investments in environmental sustainability • Overall strategy for integration of UNEP's GEF portfolio
were catalysed in the aftermath of the January Haiti was approved, with integration expected in January 2011.
Eco-tourism is the fastest-growing area Bio carbon/forest offsets
Ecosystem services
of the tourism industry with an estimated are expected to rise from
and other non-
increase of global spending of $21m in 2006 to over
marketed natural
goods account for 20% annually $10 billion in 2020
47% to 89% The global market
In Venezuela, investment in the national
of individual incomes for eco-labeled
protected area system is preventing
in some large fish products sedimentation, that otherwise could reduce farm
developing countries grew by over earnings by around $3.5 million a year
50% between
Although covering 2008 and 2009
Planting and
Conserving forests
less than 2% of the protecting nearly
world’s continental
At least 18 violent avoids greenhouse
12,000 hectares
conflicts have been fuelled gas emissions worth of mangroves in
shelves, coral reefs
are home to an
by the exploitation of $3.7 trillion Vietnam costs
natural resources since 1990 just over
1 to 3
estimated $1 million
million species By 2020, the agricultural products market is
but saved annual
expenditures on
expected to bring in $210 billion annually; dyke maintenance
Investing $45 billion
payments for water related ecosystem services of well over
in protected areas
$6 billion; and voluntary biodiversity $7 million
could secure vital
offsets $100 million a year
nature-based services
worth some Investment in
At the Convention on Biological Diversity the protection of
$5 trillion a year (CBD) meeting in Nagoya in October, Guatemala's Maya
governments agreed to increase terrestial Biosphere Reserve is
The certified protected areas and national parks to 17% generating an annual
income of close to
agricultural products
market was valued at $50 million
over $40bn in Between $2 to $4.5 trillion a year, has generated
2008 and may reach worth of natural capital is lost from 7,000 jobs
up to $210bn by deforestation every year – a  trend that poses and boosted local
2020 significant business and social risks family incomes
OUR WORLD IN NUMBERS
Source: All facts and figures from TEEB  (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) reports — www.teebweb.org

In the last In Bolivia, protected-area


Since 1900, the world has lost about 50%
300 years, tourism generates over of its wetlands

the global forest 20,000 jobs,


indirectly supporting over
area has shrunk
100,000 people Soil-living bacteria and fungi can be
by approximately used to boost crop yields by more than
40% 50% without the use of fertilizers
Some 20% Deforestation
In the past two decades, of the world’s
coral reefs have
destroys around
2 million
1 in 40
35% been destroyed
hectares of
jobs in Europe are
linked with the
of mangroves forest annually environment and
have disappeared ecosystem services

In Uganda, an assessment of a threatened


wetland revealed that the alternative, a Ecosystems deliver
Approximately 60% of replacement wastewater treatment plant, essential services
the Earth’s ecosystem worth $21 to
services have been degraded
would cost approximately $2 million
in the last 50 years
annually to treat the city’s effluents $72 trillion
a year – the global
Gross National
Investing $8 billion each year in Income in 2008 was
Biodiversity offsets, such rebuilding the world's fisheries could trigger $58 trillion
as wetland mitigation benefits to the global economy totaling
banking in the United
States or 'bio-banking' in
$1.7 trillion over the next 40 years Close to 20%
Australia, are predicted to of current global
rise from$3 billion in More than 50 % greenhouse gas
of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in Latin
2008 to $10 billion America see declines in biodiversity as a
emissions are linked
in 2020 challenge to business growth with deforestation
GREEN ECONOMY MILESTONES IN 2010

February, 2010
UNEP Green Economy advisory services
Ministers at the Global Ministerial Environment Forum in Bali consist of policy advice that is provided to
adopted the Nusa Dua Declaration in which the Green Economy governments in support of their national
was noted as a concept to operationalise sustainable development
and regional initiatives on Green Economy.
and eradicate poverty

MAy, 2010

Launch of the Green Economy Report Preview at the UN Conference We have partnered with the
on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) Prepcom1 in New York United Nations Environment
South Africa's Green Economy Summit in Johannesburg Programme (UNEP) to

June, 2010
promote a transition to a
Green Economy, building
African Ministers of Environment agree to take advantage of
opportunities provided by a growth and development trajectory on Barbados' existing
that embraces the Green Economy model as cited in the initiatives in the area
Bamako Declaration
of resource efficiency
September, 2010 and the promotion of
Green Economy – A Brief for Policymakers launched at the MDG sustainable consumption
Summit in New York
and production. We believe
The 64th General Assembly decided that ‘Green Economy’ in the that our experience in
context of poverty eradication and sustainable development’ would
be one of two themes at the Rio+20 conference transitioning to a Green
Economy will serve as a
October, 2010
useful model for other Small
The 7th African Development Forum called for the Island Developing States
operationalisation of a regional initiative on the Green Economy
in Africa. The EU provides funding for Green Economy advisory (SIDS) and small economies
services in Africa.
and we intend to share our
The World Bank, in partnership with organizations including unique perspective with the
UNEP, starts assisting an initial 10 developing countries to develop
national green accounts international community in
the preparatory process for
November, 2010
the Rio+20 summit in 2012.
UNEP co-hosts a Governors' Global Climate Summit with a focus on
Senator Maxine McClean,
the Green Economy Minister Of Foreign Affairs And Foreign
Trade of Barbados at the General
G20 Leaders agreed to support Green Growth in the closing Debate Of The 65th Session Of The UN
declaration of the G20 in Seoul, Republic of Korea, confirming their General Assembly at United Nations
commitment to carry out a ‘framework for strong, sustainable and Headquarters in New York.
balanced growth’
ECONOMIES
GREENING ECONOMIES
TO ACHIEVE
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
“We see the
Green Economy as an
opportunity to respond to the
notion that there is a trade-off
to be made between faster
economic growth and sustainable
greening
development, and the preservation
of our environment.”
President Jacob Zuma, South Africa,
© iStockphoto

at the South African Green Economy


Summit, May 2010
Global environmental and
economic crises that have
beset nations over the last few
years have common origins. A
meaningful solution must tackle
both crises simultaneously. UNEP’s
Green Economy Initiative offers
solutions to enhance human well-
being, reduce inequities and help
rebuild economies on a sustainable basis.
The aim is to help requesting countries
achieve green economies as a pathway
towards sustainable development.
© iStockphoto
2010 was partly a time of transition where the
effects of unsustainable consumption and
growth triggered differing responses. The year
saw convergent and multiple crises from extreme is equally relevant to both state-led and free market
weather events, food shortages to ongoing economies. Its guiding principles and objectives
financial uncertainty, whilst signs of economic remain consistent.
recession remained present.
The Nusa Dua Declaration adopted by Ministers
In parallel, increasing numbers of countries shifted of Environment and Heads of Delegations at
towards local and national policies that reflect a the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial
more balanced way of interacting with the natural Environment Forum in 2010 agreed that
capital to rebuild their economies. advancement of the concept of a Green Economy
can operationalise sustainable development and 17
Increasing support

unep annual report 2010 : greening economies


eradicate poverty. They acknowledged that greener
to countries to green their economies economies can significantly deliver economic and
development opportunities and bring multiple
UNEP is responding to requests from some benefits for nations.
20 countries for Green Economy advisory services,
of which almost half emerged as new clients since This declaration was again echoed and enforced
the beginning of 2010. through UNEP’s Green Economy work on linkages
with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),
Initial assessments confirmed that a Green as ministers gathered in New York in September
Economy has equal relevance to all economies at to review progress to date — five years before the
different points in their development trajectories. It MDG deadline of 2015.
What makes a green economy?
Organic agriculture used to boost
productivity and profits

UNEP has continued to address more sustainable


approaches in both mainstream and organic
agriculture. With respect to the latter, UNEP released
an assessment of the potential for organic agriculture
in Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine following a request
by the respective governments interested in being more
involved in the rapidly expanding multibillion dollar market
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A survey by the UN Conference on Trade and Development and UNEP of small-scale farmers in Africa who have
switched from intensive to organic or near-organic agriculture, indicates that yields have climbed by 100 per cent
— in part because of longer growing periods linked with more fertile soils and improvements in water availability.

Uganda, a country where 85 per cent of the working population is employed in agriculture, has turned to
organic production to boost exports and incomes. Prices for organic vanilla, ginger and pineapples are higher
than conventional produce. Since 2004, the number of certified organic farmers has grown from 45,000 to over
200,000 and the area of land under organic cultivation from 185,000 hectares to close to 300,000 hectares.

Subsidies transformed to alleviate poverty and


increase development

Fossil fuels attract over $700 billion a year in government subsidies —


and there is abundant evidence that these subsidies rarely reach the
18
poor, despite the best intentions of governments.
unep annual report 2010 : greening economies

Mongolian yurt with satellite dish


and solar panel © Corbis Countries are now reviewing their subsidy structures to alleviate poverty and
increase development. In 2003, Argentina’s gas subsidies went to the far south
of the country — home to just three per cent of Argentina’s poor. In Mongolia,
some 85 per cent of a recent ‘life-line’ heating tariff went to the ‘non-poor’. Indonesia has also reviewed its energy
subsidies making them more targeted to the poor.

Investing all or part of these subsidies in renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind, could trigger new
kinds of employment, faster access to electricity and greater social equity — a better overall standard of living.
There would be benefits for the environment including improvements in air pollution alongside an estimated six
per cent cut in annual greenhouse gas emissions.
Clean energy used to fuel development

China’s energy strategy has now made it the world’s


second largest wind power country and the number one
producer of photo-voltaic panels. Ten per cent of Chinese
Curitiba Brazil public transport stations © Corbis
households now use solar water heaters for hot water.
1.5m people are employed in China’s renewables sector with
300,000 jobs generated in 2009 alone.

Creative and forward-looking urban planning, allied to sustainable transport policies, have allowed
the Brazilian city of Curitiba to grow more than six fold, while simultaneously improving mobility and
quality of life. The average area of green space per person has risen from one square metre to around
50 square metres; 45 per cent of journeys are made by public transport; excessive fuel use due to
congestion is 13 times less per person than in Saõ Paulõ and the lower levels of air pollution result in
health benefits for local citizens.

Forests managed to create employment

In Nepal, 14,000 Community Forest User Groups have


reversed the deforestation rates of the 1990s through 19
smart, community-based policies which include setting

unep annual report 2010 : greening economies


harvesting rules, product prices and the sharing of profits.
Nepalese woman harvesting ginger, Nepal © thebiggerpicture
Between 2000 and 2005, the annual forested area of Nepal
actually rose by over 1.3 per cent; soil quality and water supplies
are better managed and local employment has risen.

Some 26 per cent of Costa Rica’s land area is now covered in legally protected forests. There has been
a boom in eco-tourism creating employment and over $5 million worth of park fees from visitors.
Poverty and unemployment have fallen and wages have risen among those living in or near the
country’s national parks.
Fisheries management
improved to increase
stability in income

Fish is a staple source of protein


for over 1 billion people — many of
whom are in the developing world.
Those fisheries directly and indirectly
Fishing net © iStockphoto support 170 million jobs and bring in
$35 billion to fishing households annually.

However, the global fishing industry is suffering from a ‘failure of management’ that is likely to lead
to the collapse of several fisheries unless unsustainable subsidies are scaled down or phased out,
according to UNEP’s Green Economy work.

An $8 billion annual investment in rebuilding and greening the world’s fisheries could have a positive
and lasting impact on the fishing industry worldwide. The funding would come from scaling down or
phasing out the nearly $30 billion worth of subsidies currently in place worldwide. Researchers say
this investment has the potential to both increase fish catches and generate $1.7 trillion in long-term
economic returns over the next four decades.

Some possible methods for greening fisheries highlighted in the report include providing job training
in alternative industries, reducing the size of fishing fleets to limit excess harvesting capacity, and
providing additional funding for fishery management to expand marine protected areas.

140 Annual value added and gross revenue of marine fisheries today
versus in a Green Economy scenario ($bn)
120 Source: UNEP, Green Economy Report, due in February 2011
20
unep annual report 2010 : greening economies

100 Current total annual value added


of fisheries

80
Prospective total annual value
added of fisheries in a Green
60 Economy scenario

40 Current annual gross revenue of


marine fisheries

20 Prospective annual gross revenue


of marine fisheries in a Green
0 Economy scenario
Examples of the Green Economy in Practice

GREEN GOLD IN
COLOMBIA

Gold miners pan for gold in Chocó, Colombia © Corbis

The process is slow and painstaking — sifting the earth,


cleaning sand in a pan and then, finally perhaps, a glint
in the light — tiny specs of precious gold. Deep in the
Colombian jungle, a new way of mining is unearthing
the world’s first eco-gold. The SEED Award, supported by UNEP and
its partners, is provided to individuals or
Life for traditional miners in the Chocó region was a institutions that exemplify a strong spirit
struggle due to uncontrolled mining and aggressive of entrepreneurship in the developing
and dangerous excavation techniques, including the world on ways to create a Green Economy.
use of mercury which led to widespread sickness and
environmental destruction. The Oro Verde scheme to date has attracted
almost two hundred rural Colombian families and
Enter Oro Verde, the first certification scheme for catalysed wider change promoting responsible and
environmentally and socially responsible practices for small-scale mining and it has laid the foundations
traditional mining of gold and platinum. In 2000, life for for the world’s first local certification scheme for
some of the communities took a turn for the better. precious metals. 21

unep annual report 2010 : greening economies


Oro Verde uses traditional panning techniques to Oro Verde has been working with Fairtrade jewellers
separate alluvia from the gold by using a plant mixture. across the world and is now looking to scale-up and
It is socially responsible and careful to comply with extend its benefits to more rural mining communities,
social, economic, environmental and labour standards. as well as guaranteeing a sustainable supply of gold,
Profits made from the ‘green gold’ are used to fund platinum and other precious metals. Oro Verde is
community development. going from strength to strength and aims to capture
five per cent of the ‘fair gold’ jewellery market over
It was this combination of environmentally friendly and the next 15 years.
socially conscious attitudes that won Oro Verde a SEED
Award in 2009 for promoting sustainable development.
JORDAN’S GREEN
AMBITION

Construction, Amman, Jordan © Corbis

Jordan is facing the consequences of climate change, for adhering to environmental standards and turn
increased pressure on natural resources, widening Jordan into a regional centre for green services
income disparities and a burgeoning population. and industries’.
Scarcity of freshwater is the most serious challenge
— both in quantity and quality—followed by A Green Economy is characterised by
desertification, soil degradation and deforestation. substantially increased investment in
With about 10 per cent of total land under green sectors, supported by enabling
cultivation, but only 6 per cent of GDP generated policy reforms. These investments,
from agricultural production, there is an urgent need both public and private, provide the
to redesign agricultural practices and investment.
mechanism for the reconfiguration
of businesses, infrastructure and
Jordan is also reliant on fossil fuel imports, but could
gain energy independence through the deployment institutions, and the adoption
of large and small-scale renewable energy of sustainable consumption and
technologies and improved energy efficiency in production processes. Therefore, the
buildings and industrial processes. signing of the Green Economy Strategy
22
MOU with UNEP early this year came
unep annual report 2010 : greening economies

The two critical issues identified by Jordan as needing at a very important time.
a ‘Green Economy lens’ are land-use management
Mr. Raouf Dabbas, Senior Advisor, Ministry of
and sustainable urbanisation. Green investment Environment, Jordan.
and reforms will lead to the creation of green jobs,
ensuring economic growth whilst preventing further
resource depletion and environmental degradation. The Green Economy assistance by UNEP for Jordan
will be delivered as a ‘One UN’ initiative and
In its 2010 Executive Programme, Jordan stated processed through inter-ministerial cooperation
there was a need to ‘launch a programme for green while partnering with national stakeholders, namely
services and industries to meet the requirements NGOs and business entities.
THE POWER OF A
CUP OF TEA

Plucking tea in Uganda © Corbis


Tea in East Africa provides jobs and
livelihoods, but also uses a lot of energy.
The tea sector employs around one million people and indirectly supports approximately four million.
Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe together produce 28 per cent of the
world’s tea. But tea is energy-intensive: it takes 8 kWh of energy to process one kilogramme of finished tea,
compared with only 6.3 kWh for the same amount of processed steel. In parts of East Africa, power is not
only expensive, but also unreliable, and power fluctuations can have severe consequences, so many tea
factories have been forced to install standby diesel generators to meet their needs.

The tea estates’ location in the hills — in areas with high annual rainfall and all-season river flows — make
them ideal sites for hydropower projects. With the support of the Greening the Tea Industry project supported
with Global Environment Facility (GEF) financing, feasibility studies for eight sites have been completed, and
up to six small hydropower stations will be built as demonstration projects. Any surplus hydropower will be
used to provide electricity for nearby villages that have no grid connection.

Over a period of 20 years, this project is expected to invest in 82 MW of small hydropower plants, as well as
benefit more than a million tea farmers, their households, communities and associated enterprises.
23

unep annual report 2010 : greening economies


Pre-feasibility studies for 19 projects in Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda identified a need for
additional investment of close to $22 million to implement six demonstration projects. Micro-hydro plants
are being developed in key tea areas of Kenya and Rwanda. Plans are being finalized for more plants in
Tanzania and Malawi.

UNEP also supported preparation of feed-in tariff (a policy mechanism designed to encourage the adoption
of renewable energy sources) policies for renewable energies
Is 2010 and the Green Economy a
in Kenya and Tanzania. Under these policies, national grid turning point for future practices that
utilities are obliged to buy renewable energy from all eligible couple the pursuit of economic growth
and the generation of green jobs
participants, and to promote investment in hydropower. with the benefits of energy efficiency,
renewable energy investment and the
efficient use of natural resources?
FINANCING A Green Economy

FROM
LITTLE ACORNS,
MIGHTY OAKS GROW

Mobilizing early stage investment in clean energy projects


and assisting entrepreneurs © iStockphoto

The environment for entrepreneurship, particularly Corporation set up the first of a number of
in the clean energy sector, is poor in many new clean energy ‘incubators’ that will provide
developing countries. entrepreneurs with business development,
technology commercialisation support and seed
For new business ventures there is often a lack financing. In India, work is underway with Yes Bank
of enterprise development support services to create a syndicate of financial institutions that
and financing is hard to secure, with most will invest seed and follow-on capital in socially
investors reluctant to engage too early in new and environmentally oriented small and medium-
business ventures. This can mean that even the sized enterprises. In Africa, SCAF is engaged with
most promising new technologies are deployed the Evolution One Fund to provide seed financing
relatively slowly. to wind farm developments along South Africa’s
Eastern Cape.
The two largest challenges that investors have in
financing early stage projects are the transaction Funds engaged so far are intended to realize over
costs and insufficient returns offered by these $2 billion dollars of clean energy infrastructure in
24 small, less mature and more risky ventures. the developing world, of which $55 million will be
Working with the Asian Development Bank and the invested at the seed funding stage.
unep annual report 2010 : greening economies

African Development Bank, UNEP is now running


a Seed Capital Assistance Facility (SCAF) which is With the support of the GEF and the UN Foundation,
helping leading actors in the investment community the SCAF is investing $10 million in helping
overcome these issues. entrepreneurs access the support they need to
prepare and move forward in realizing low carbon
Six commercial investment funds have been infrastructure in the developing world.
engaged to date in Asia and Africa. In China, the
SCAF is helping fund manager Conduit Ventures and
the Shanghai Science and Technology Investment For more information: www.scaf-energy.org
Insuring
against the worst
for the best

UNEP (FI) Finance Initiative members,


Swiss Re. and HSBC Insurance working together

Drought is a major risk in Ethiopia where 85 per cent


of the population is dependent on smallholder, rain-fed
agriculture. Less than 0.5 per cent has insurance. Climate Rural agriculture, Ethiopia. © Corbis

change is threatening agricultural output as rainfall


becomes less predictable, and many run the risk of falling
into debt or having to sell assets. The use of index-based footprint of an automobile or residence during that
weather insurance can significantly improve lives. period. HSBC has already invested nearly R$6 million
(approximately $3.5 million) preserving 2,100 hectares
Through the Horn of Africa Risk Transfer for Adaptation of Atlantic Seaboard Rainforest, equivalent to roughly
project, Swiss Re. has been working with Oxfam 3,400 soccer fields and about 1 per cent of remaining
America and Columbia University to protect the rural pristine Araucaria forest.
poor against drought risk.
The work is carried out with the NGO, ‘Sociedade de
The project engages farmers in community-led, Pesquisa em Vida Selvagem’. Funds are disbursed to
locally designed climate adaptation initiatives such as landowners, each receiving a monthly sum for areas to
reforestation and crop irrigation projects, where they be preserved and a forestry management plan.
earn premiums by making and using compost,
constructing water-harvesting structures, planting These solutions are in line with UNEP FI industry-
nitrogen-rich trees and vertiver grasses. This unique risk wide initiatives. In 2010, a first-ever ‘global insurance
management approach has allowed rural households, industry statement on adapting to climate change 25
many led by women, to benefit from insurance. in developing countries’ was produced by UNEP FI,

unep annual report 2010 : greening economies


Since its launch in 2008, uptake has increased from ClimateWise, The Geneva Association and Munich
200 households in the first year to 1,300 in 2010. The Climate Insurance Initiative, calling on governments to
project now covers five villages, two climatic zones and harness risk management and insurance expertise.
four crop varieties.
UNEP FI is undertaking the Principles for Sustainable
HSBC Insurance’s Green Insurance products in Brazil Insurance Initiative, which will establish a global best
are linked to investment to preserve forests. For motor practice sustainability framework for the insurance
insurance, HSBC commits to preserving 88m2 of forest for business, and a global initiative of insurers tackling
five years; and for home insurance, 44m2 for the same sustainability risks and opportunities. These principles
period. The calculations are based on the environmental will be launched in 2012 at the Rio+20 conference.
© iStockphoto

CLIMATE
CH
AN
GE
RESULTS TARGETED

Adapting to climate change


UNEP helps countries reduce their
vulnerability and use ecosystem services to
build natural resilience against the impacts
of climate change.

Mitigating climate change


UNEP supports countries in making sound
policy, technology and investment choices
that lead to greenhouse gas emission
reductions, with a focus on scaling-up
clean and renewable energy sources,
energy efficiency and energy conservation.

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation


and Forest Degradation (REDD)
Working in partnership with United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
and Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO), UNEP supports developing countries
to reduce emissions from deforestation
and degradation through the development
of REDD strategies, the piloting of
innovative REDD initiatives including the
Addressing the climate change challenge consideration for co-benefits such as 27
biodiversity and livelihoods and promoting

unep annual report 2010 : climate change


The Climate Change subprogramme focuses on sustainable forest management.
strengthening the ability of countries, particularly
developing countries, to integrate climate change Enhancing scientific knowledge and
responses into national development processes. communication
UNEP works to improve understanding
of climate change science and raise
awareness of climate change impacts
among decision makers and other
key stakeholders.
Mitigating Climate Change
CLIMATE CHANGE: Leveraging private and public investment for clean
A SNAPSHOT OF 2010 RESULTS energy under the Carbon Finance for Agriculture,
Silviculture, Conservation and Action against Deforestation
(CASCADe) project bringing to 4, the number of Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM) validations undertaken
in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Adapting to Climate Change


Restoration work maintaining
functioning of ecosystems
to support livelihoods in Mali
and Togo.

Mitigating Climate Change


Working with Mexico to prepare
a comprehensive low emission
development strategy (to
complement similar efforts in
adaptation and REDD) and
establish a strategy to promote
solar water heaters.

Mitigating Climate Change


Public sector finance network
aiming to facilitate clean
technology investment is
28 extended to Chile and Mexico.
unep annual report 2010 : climate change

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Enhancing Knowledge and Communication
Degradation (REDD) 12 participating countries in the FIFA World
Maps and assessments on forest carbon overlaps with Cup 2010 engaged in a carbon offset initiative
important centres of biodiversity, ecosystem services to make the trips of their national teams to
and livelihoods undertaken to inform investments in South Africa climate neutral.
Bolivia, China, Ecuador, Honduras and Nigeria. Similar
work was carried out in Cambodia and Tanzania.
Adapting to Climate Change
Comprehensive assessments initiated to map climate
change hotspots in the Nile River Basin, including
Burundi, Central African Republic, the Democratic KEY FACTS
Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
. The globally averaged mixing ratios of
carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and
Enhancing Knowledge
and Communication
nitrous oxide (N2O) reached new heights
Action-oriented recommendations in 2009. These values are greater than
for enhancing climate change
those in pre-industrial times (before
communication and awareness
result from Science Policy 1750) by 38 per cent, 158 per cent and
Dialogues in Bangladesh, Bhutan 19 per cent, respectively.
and Nepal. Similar results observed
in Burundi, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda,
Senegal and Tanzania.

In 2009, as other economic sectors


Adapting to Climate Change
declined around the world, existing
In Bangladesh, DPR Korea, Papua renewable capacity continued to grow
New Guinea and the Philippines, at rates close to previous years, including
Vulnerability and Impact
Assessments (VIA) have informed grid-connected solar PV (53 per cent),
national development processes. wind power (32 per cent), solar hot
Similarly VIAs have informed
national processes in Mauritius, water/heating (21 per cent), geothermal
Mozambique and Yemen. power (4 per cent), and hydropower
(3 per cent).

Reducing Emissions from


Deforestation and Forest
By early 2009, energy policy targets
Degradation (REDD) and programmes existed in at least
The Democratic Republic of 73 countries, and at least 64 countries
Congo, Indonesia and Vietnam
supported to integrate multiple had policies to promote renewable 29
benefits into REDD+ strategies power generation, including 45 countries

unep annual report 2010 : climate change


and development plans.
and 18 states, provinces, territories with
feed-in tariffs. The number of countries,
states, provinces with renewable
portfolio standards increased to 49.
Mitigating Climate Change
The Africa Carbon Asset Development (ACAD) facility
supported development of clean energy initiatives
with replication potential in sub-saharan Africa.
Initiatives include the International Ferro-Metals Perhaps the most important
Co-generation Project in South Africa, as well as wind determinant in making the transition
farming in Kenya and integrated solid waste to a Green Economy is clean energy
management in Nigeria. and lessening dependence on
fossil fuels.
Highlights in 2010

THE CANCUN
ACCORD
The combustor 'Twence' in The Netherlands is able to process 550, 000 tonnes of waste and 150,000
tonnes of biomass annually. The majority of waste is being burned in the industrial waste incineration
plant AVI in order to generate electricty. Through turbines, the heath is converted into electricity and used
for public energy needs of almost 150,000 households © the biggerpicture

The latest round of climate negotiations in Cancun has put the world back on track to renew
international efforts to combat climate change. The decisions taken in Cancun will help the world
achieve gains in a range of important areas including forestry (REDD), adaptation, technology as
well as a new Green Fund to assist developing nations and the anchoring of the emission reduction
pledges made last year in Copenhagen.

However, as UNEP and climate modellers made clear in the run-up to Cancun, a significant
emissions gap exists between what is being promised by countries and what is needed to keep a
global temperature rise below 2° C, and that gap remains firmly in place post-Cancun.

At the same time, Cancun also showcased how many countries and companies are forging ahead
toward climate resilient and low emission development, signaling a determination to move to a
Green Economy.
Likely avoided temperature increase of integrated assessment models (IAM) scenarios.
Bar superimposed in 2020 shows expected emissions from the pledges.
30
100
unep annual report 2010 : climate change

Legend:
global total emissions [GtCO₂ eq/year]

80 Emission levels consistent with a


likely temperature increase (T) in
the 21st century of:
60
T > 5°C

4°C < T < 5°C


40
3°C < T < 4°C

2.5°C < T < 3°C


20
2°C < T < 2.5°C

T < 2°C
0
range of pledge cases

-20 median range of pledge cases


1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070 2080 2090 2100
year
ADAPTING TO
CLIMATE CHANGE

Tools to help countries adapt


to climate change
Planting a seed for climate protection © UNEP

UNEP’s approach in supporting adaptation planning


throughout 2010 focused on: • Increased resilience of key ecosystems
vulnerable to climate change in at least
1. Building the knowledge and capacities of four countries: Mozambique, Peru, Tanzania
countries to undertake vulnerability and and Togo.
adaptation assessments.
• National knowledge and capacity for
undertaking integrated vulnerability and
2. Providing countries with policy and legal
adaptation assessments strengthened in
support to use these findings in their policy
17 countries: Bangladesh, Bahrain, Bhutan,
and decision making.
Burundi, Democratic People’s Republic
of Korea, Ecuador, Ghana, Mauritius,
3. Carrying out pilot demonstrations so that
Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, Papua
countries can see how vulnerability to
New Guinea, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uruguay
climate change can be reduced, including
and Yemen; and three sub-regions: West
through ecosystem based solutions.
Africa, Gulf Countries and the Pacific.

2010 Results • Regulatory frameworks for compliance with


climate change vulnerability and adaptation 31
• Vulnerabilities to climate change assessed
provisions of international treaties reviewed

unep annual report 2010 : climate change


and integrated into decision making,
and amendments drafted in three countries:
planning and adaptation practices in several
Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam.
countries, including China, Mozambique,
Senegal and Turkey. • A multi-sector study on the economics
of adaptation completed in Africa to
• Outcomes of UNEP assessments has
support countries in articulating their
helped enhance capability in Panama,
finance requirements and assist financing
Ecuador and Nicaragua to engage in the
mechanisms in targeting investment.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC). Early warning systems have been • In June, UNEP was accredited as a
established for two priority watersheds Multilateral Implementing Entity (MIE) of
in Panama. the Adaptation Fund.
DEMONSTRATING
ADAPTATION TO
CLIMATE CHANGE IN
ECOSYSTEMS

Bolstering defences in Mozambique © UNEP

Community efforts to bolster defences against a changing climate in Mozambique

The force of a tropical rainstorm on cities can be devastating. Houses and schools are washed
away, enormous gullies appear on slopes, and roads sometimes simply disappear. This shattering
impact is worsened by increased run-off caused by deforestation and consequently soil
erosion inland. For coastal cities such as Xai Xai in Mozambique, which sits on the banks of the
Limpopo as it meets the Indian Ocean, facing the grim aftermath of storms may become a more
frequent event.

UNEP and UNDP implemented a programme to demonstrate concrete adaptation action at the
32 community level. In the case of Xai Xai, this meant partnering with the city council, the Centre for
the Sustainable Development of Coastal Zones, and with city communities to provide technical
unep annual report 2010 : climate change

assistance. The establishment of communal committees to mitigate and prevent erosion and soil
degradation was also supported.

At a cost of less than $50,000, there has been a transformation in community and local authority
understanding of the relationship between the chronic erosion problems that plague the city
and climate change. The Xai Xai project has also provided socio-economic data that will help
model the impacts of climate change on coastal cities elsewhere in Mozambique and across the
developing world.
CLEAN
TECHNOLOGY
Tools to help countries adopt
clean energy technologies

Since 2008, UNEP’s mitigation


programme has focused on facilitating
the transition to low carbon societies
and green economies and promoting
access to climate change finance for
clean technology.

UNEP’s approach has been to support Solar loans for rural homes in India © UNEP

countries in carrying out technical and


economic assessments of renewable energy; • Roadmaps for solar and wind energy prepared
using the findings in technology planning; providing policy for Brazil and South Africa.
analysis support, and assistance to both governments and
• Guidelines prepared by experts to support
financial institutions to create an enabling environment for
developing country efforts to develop climate
investment in clean energy.
plans at the macro, sectoral or project level.
Success can be measured by the increased number of • UNEP and the Risoe Centre brought over 1,000
public and private sector institutions implementing carbon market stakeholders to the Second
energy policies and programmes to reduce the Africa Carbon Forum with UNDP, United Nations
environmental impacts of the energy sector, as well Framework Convention on Climate Change
as increased volume of financial support for cleaner (UNFCCC), the International Emissions Trading
energy investments. Association (IETA) and the World Bank.
• A global interactive, web-based toolkit
2010 Results developed under the Global Fuel Economy
33
• Fifteen countries: Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Initiative (GFEI) to help governments develop

unep annual report 2010 : climate change


Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Georgia, Guatemala, automotive fuel economy policies. With support
Indonesia, Kenya, Mali, Morocco, Peru, Senegal, from the European Union and the GEF, among
Thailand and Vietnam were supported with GEF others, the GFEI has started implementation of
funding to conduct Technology Needs Assessments four national pilot projects: Ethiopia, Indonesia,
(TNA) that will ultimately lead to preparation of Chile and Colombia.
Technology Action Plans (TAPs), introducing new
• Eleven projects supported in six countries: Kenya,
technology for mitigation and adaptation.
Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa
• Two networks established to inform and support under African Carbon Asset Development (ACAD)
stakeholders in the reform of policies and programmes Facility. Training was provided to 150 profession-
for renewable energy, energy efficiency and to reduce als from the finance sector how to identify and
GHG emissions. appraise carbon finance opportunities.
CLEAN
TECHNOLOGY

Bioenergy - Decision Support Tool publication © UNEP

Bioenergy

Bioenergy is renewable energy made available from materials derived from biological sources.
In 2010, UNEP issued a series of Issue Papers flagging emerging issues on water and bioenergy,
invasive species and stakeholder engagement. With the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO), under the framework of UN Energy, UNEP issued a ‘decision making’ support tool providing
guidance to developing countries on bioenergy policy development, as well as bioenergy
project appraisal.

UNEP continued to advance the development of sustainability indicators and criteria under
34 the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB).
UNEP, through its Bioenergy Policy Support Facility, and in cooperation with local partners and
unep annual report 2010 : climate change

collaborating centres, supported mapping processes in three countries — Kenya, Uganda and
Senegal — indicating areas that are suitable and available for sustainable bioenergy development.

Mapping has been identified as a prime tool to help reduce the risk of environmental and social
consequences related to land use change.

Scientific assessments are also being developed with GEF funding on issues relating to bioenergy
and sustainable approaches to bioenergy production and use.
OZONE

The two-way link between Ozone and Climate Change

After achieving universal ratification in 2009, the Montreal Protocol continued its successful
implementation record in 2010. Between 1986 and 2010, global consumption of ozone depleting
substances was reduced by 98 per cent.

Virtually all developing countries met a major compliance obligation by phasing out CFCs by the
1 January 2010 deadline. In addition, from 1990 to 2010, the Protocol’s control measures reduced
GHG emissions by the equivalent of 135 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent to 4 to 5 times the reductions
targeted in the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

Montreal Protocol Parties are now examining ways to use the treaty’s vigorous compliance regime
to promote even greater climate change benefits through the phase out of HCFCs, widely used
in air conditioning, refrigeration and foams. Through hands on support, an information clearing
house and 10 Regional Networks, OzonAction is assisting 147 developing countries to meet this
dual ozone-climate protection challenge. For example, OzonAction is assisting the Republic of 35

unep annual report 2010 : climate change


Maldives to phase out HCFCs 10 years ahead of schedule. Compared to a business as usual scenario,
the Maldives’ project could prevent emissions of up to 5.7 million tonnes of C02 equivalent
between 2013 and 2030 if low to zero global warming potential replacements are adopted.

Because ozone-depleting chemicals are also greenhouse


gases, the Montreal Protocol has already averted greenhouse
gas emissions equivalent to more than 135 billion tonnes of
carbon dioxide, and will continue to play an important role.
BAN Ki-Moon, UN Secretary-General, message on the International Day for the
Preservation of the Ozone Layer, 16 September 2010.
CLEAN
TECHNOLOGY

Replacing conventional energy with solar energy © UNEP

Sometimes the best rate of interest is also in the best interest of the planet:
clean technology

Despite solar powered water heaters being an obvious energy saving solution in hot and sunny
countries, the cost of buying them is frequently prohibitive for many people. Banks are often
unfamiliar with the costs and benefits of clean energy, so loans are often not widely available.
Yet, solar hot water systems can earn the initial investment in as little as four years, offering years
of ‘free’ hot water after that.

An average four-person household with an electric water heater is responsible for about eight
tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, almost double that generated by a typical modern car.

Enter Prosol — a joint initiative between UNEP, the Italian Ministry for Environment, Land and
Sea and the National Agency for Energy Conservation — which has helped 105,000 Tunisian
families get their hot water from the sun based on loans of over $60 million — a substantial
36 leverage on Prosol’s initial $2.5 million initial cost. The solar water heater market in Tunisia
showed a dramatic increase when low-interest loans were made available to householders, with
unep annual report 2010 : climate change

repayments collected through regular utility bills.

This reduced the risk for local banks while simultaneously showing borrowers the impact of solar
heating on their electricity bills. Its success has led the Tunisian government to set an ambitious
target of 750,000m2 of solar water heaters for 2010-2014, making the country comparable to
Spain or Italy with populations several times higher. Jobs have been created, creating a ‘green
jobs’ workforce of over 1,000 installers. The tourism and industry sectors are also now involved,
with 47 hotels engaged by late 2009, and there are plans to encourage industry to make greater
use of the sun’s energy.
FORESTS FOR
THE FUTURE

Deforestation and forest degradation


in developing countries, as a result of
agricultural expansion, conversion to
pastureland, infrastructure development,
unsustainable logging and fires account
for around 17 per cent of global greenhouse
gas emissions.

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Using spatial analysis for REDD+ benefits beyond carbon © UNEP

Forest Degradation (REDD) attempts to create


financial value for the carbon stored in forests. Ensuring the integrity of the forested homeland
REDD+ goes further to include the role of of the Ayoreo and all other Indigenous and non-
conservation, sustainable management of forests Indigenous communities is one of the main
and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. challenges in developing the national strategy in
Paraguay. Large swaths of native forest have been
The UN-REDD Programme, a partnership between turned into pasture land in the northern part of
FAO, UNDP and UNEP assists developing countries Paraguay’s semi-arid Chaco region, as cattle ranchers,
prepare and implement national strategies for including from Brazil, expand their property in
reducing emissions from deforestation and this country. The Ayoreo-Totobiegosode Indians
forest degradation. say ranchers and landowning companies are
encroaching on the forest.
UNEP is the lead in the UN-REDD partnership to
ensure that countries understand the environmental The UN-REDD Programme focuses on a variety of
benefits of forests and have the tools to assess, issues including: 37
monitor and safeguard these assets. • Stakeholder engagement

unep annual report 2010 : climate change


• Measurement, Reporting and Verification
• The UN-REDD partnership was launched in (MRV)
2008 with nine developing countries as pilots. • The multiple environmental benefits of forests
• By November 2010, this had increased to
29, demonstrating more than a 300 per cent The UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre
increase. and UN-REDD, are mapping developing countries
Argentina, Cambodia, China (Jiangxi Province)
This strategy is not always easy, as the example of Ecuador, Honduras, Nigeria and Tanzania to assess
Paraguay, a UN-REDD partner country, illustrates. where forest carbon stores overlap with important
This example was developed jointly with civil centres of biodiversity, ecosystem services
society groups and indigenous groups. and livelihoods.
5
21
SCIENCE AND
KNOWLEDGE IN THE
CLIMATE ARENA

The Emission Gap report released November 2010 © UNEP

The ‘emission gap’ Organization (UNESCO) and other partners is


establishing a new Joint Programme, as part of
UNEP, working with 30 leading scientists and research the Global Framework for Climate Services called
centres, launched a report in advance of the UN climate the Programme of Research on Climate Change
convention meeting in Cancun, Mexico to spotlight Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation (PRO-VIA)
the size of the ‘emissions gap’ between where nations aiming to prioritise, accelerate, harmonise, mobilize
might be in 2020, versus where the science indicates and communicate VIA research.
they need to be.
As part of a larger effort, UNEP has been involved in
The report shows that emission levels of approximately convening a series of national Science-Policy Dialogues
44 Gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) to address the need for better communication for
in 2020 would be consistent with a ‘likely’ chance of decision making.
limiting global warming to 2° C (compared with pre-
industrial levels). Under business-as-usual projections, UNEP also supported the development of a UN
global emissions could reach 56 GtCO2e in 2020. The Development Group guidance note for country teams
report also concludes that it is possible to deliver almost on integrating climate change in the UN country
60 per cent of the necessary emissions reductions if analysis and United Nations Development Assistance
38 pledges made in Copenhagen last year are fully met. Frameworks (UNDAFs).
unep annual report 2010 : climate change

In turn, parallel measures are needed to spur private The climate change debate continued unabated
enterprise, encourage thriving carbon markets, local throughout 2010 on a variety of issues regarding
community and entrepreneurial solutions, investment the nature, causes and consequences of climate
in the carbon capture of ecosystems and ways to deal change. UNEP supported an independent review of
with non-C02 gases. the IPCC by the Inter Academy Council to strengthen
its processes. UNEP will continue to support the IPCC
The knowledge gap to institute transparent and stringent quality control
procedures in the issuance of future climate change
To assist the research community, UNEP in partnership assessment reports. This review followed guidance
with World Meteorological Organization (WMO), provided by the UNEP Governing Council/GMEF in
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural February 2010.
FROM FOOTBALL
TO THE FTSE
South Africa World Cup © thebiggerpicture

• In perhaps the most televised event of 2010, UNEP supported FIFA to reduce the carbon
footprint of the 2010 World Cup with GEF funds. Twelve participating countries were
engaged in a carbon offset initiative to make the trips of national teams to South Africa
climate neutral.

• The Climate Neutral Network (CN Net) is a UNEP web-based initiative to showcase
strategies and initiatives to promote the global transition to low-carbon economies
and societies. CN Net participants have set some of the most ambitious climate neutral
strategies in the world. Membership grew during the year, from 190 in December 2009
to 240 by October 2010, including 10 countries, six regions, 18 cities, 150 companies and
51 organizations or institutions.

39
• UNEP’s ‘30 Ways in 30 Days’ communications initiative in the run up to the Cancun

unep annual report 2010 : climate change


UNFCCC meeting in December showcased 30 UNEP climate stories, illustrating that across
the world, in a myriad of ways, from community-based programmes to entrepreneurial
endeavours, solutions are available to help confront the challenges of climate change
and to help countries, communities and businesses move towards low-emission climate-
resilient growth.

www.unep.org/unite/30ways
© Corbis

A
FLIC
CON ND
TS
DIS
AST
ERS
Minimizing the threats and impacts
of crises

UNEP’s objective is to minimize


threats to human well-being from
the environmental causes and
consequences of disasters and conflicts.

UNEP is internationally recognized for


helping states address environmental
degradation and the mismanagement
of natural resources as underlying
risk factors for conflicts and disasters.
It focuses particularly on integrating
environmental considerations into risk
reduction policies and practices.

In the aftermath of a crisis, critical


RESULTS TARGETED natural resources entire communities
depend on are often degraded,
damaged or destroyed. Assessments
Capacity of Member States for environmental to gauge the risks posed by these
management that contributes to natural and environmental impacts on human 41
man-made disaster risk reduction is enhanced. health, livelihoods and security form

unep annual report 2010 : disasters and conflicts


the foundation of UNEP’s response.
Rapid and reliable environmental assessments
following conflicts and disasters are performed UNEP also uses the outcomes of
as requested. environmental assessments to
develop recovery programmes that
The post-crisis assessment and recovery address environmental needs and
process contributes to improved environmental priorities and support peacebuilding
management and the sustainable use of strategies, as well as long-term
natural resources. sustainable development.
DISASTERS AND CONFLICTS:
A SNAPSHOT OF 2010 RESULTS

Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding


UNEP provided technical support and best practice
to 7 UN entities (DESA, DFS, DPA, DPKO, HABITAT,
PBSO, and UNDP) as well as the EC to improve the
integration of environmental considerations within
their conflict prevention and peacebuilding policies
and practices in vulnerable countries.

Emergency Response
Through its Joint Environment Unit with
OCHA, UNEP coordinated and mobilised
environmental expertise to identify and
mitigate acute environmental risks in
five emergency situations in Albania,
Haiti, Nigeria (Zamfara State), Pakistan
and Ukraine.
.

Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding


42 In Sierra Leone, UNEP, together with UNDP and FAO,
established a programme of support to the national
unep annual report 2010 : disasters and conflicts

Government and the UN Country Team to help


address risks of conflict from natural resources and
promote sound environmental management as a
tool for peacebuilding.
Post-Crisis Environmental Recovery
ensured catalyzed initiatives using the shared Post-crisis environmental recovery programmes
management of natural resources as a platform for implemented in Afghanistan, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic
dialogue, cooperation and confidence-building. Republic of Congo, Haiti, Sierra Leone and Sudan, with
additional environmental support provided to Nepal and
the occupied Palestinian territory (Gaza). Six of these
programmes were based on post-crisis assessments
previously conducted by UNEP.
Environment and Security (ENVSEC) Initiative
Through the ENVSEC Initiative, early warning and risk
assessments, as well as policy support to address
interrelated environment and security risks were provided
to Armenia, Belarus, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.
Countries where similar work was conducted include:
Albania, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
.

KEY FACTS

From Kosovo to Afghanistan,


Sudan and Haiti, UNEP
has responded to
Post-Crisis Environmental Assessments
UNEP conducted field-based environmental crisis situations in over
assessments in the Democratic Republic of 40 countries since 1999.
Congo, Haiti, Nigeria (Ogoniland) and Pakistan
to identify environmental risks to human
health, livelihoods and security and ensure the
integration of environmental needs into relief
The earthquake that struck
and recovery planning.
Haiti in January 2010 resulted
in 220,000 deaths, destroyed
over 250,000 buildings and
affected three million people.

40 per cent of all internal


conflicts over the last
60 years have had a link
to natural resources. 43

unep annual report 2010 : disasters and conflicts


Disaster Risk Reduction
Policy support and pilot projects to reduce disaster
risk by integrating environmental concerns into DRR
strategies and development planning were
delivered in Jamaica and Sri Lanka.

An environment-based approach to
disaster risk reduction offers multiple
benefits to help prevent catastrophic
situations contributing to sustainable
livelihoods development, poverty
reduction and climate change adaptation.
Highlights in 2010

RISK REDUCTION

Peacekeeping in Juba, Sudan © UNEP

Supporting improved environmental management – UN peacekeeping missions

2010 was a year of ‘firsts’ for UNEP’s programme of environmental support to UN peacekeeping
missions around the world. UNEP assisted the UN Departments of Peacekeeping Operations
(DPKO) and Field Support (DFS) to conduct the first-ever environmental impact assessments and
baseline studies for new base camps in Mogadishu, Somalia, and Mombasa, Kenya. The pilot
study, which examined issues such as where camps are sited and resource efficiency in relation to
energy, water and waste, will be used as a model for replication by other UN field missions.

UNEP also joined with the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the International
Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to develop and launch the first-ever capacity-building
programme for peacekeepers on natural resource management in post-conflict countries.

Some 30 peacekeeping professionals were trained during the first rendition of


44 the course in Nairobi, and it will now be integrated into the standard UNITAR
peacekeeping training programme for pre-deployed peacekeepers.
unep annual report 2010 : disasters and conflicts

UNEP’s work with UN field missions ultimately aims at helping them implement the DPKO/
DFS Environmental Policy, improving health and safety conditions for UN personnel and local
communities, promoting more sustainable practices by UN field mission staff and their partners,
and ensuring more autonomous, secure and cost-effective camps.

Host countries of UN peacekeeping operations will also benefit from sustainable practices,
technology transfer and support for the development of their ‘Green Economy’ markets.
RISK REDUCTION

Beach erosion, Jamaica © UNEP

New approaches to reducing disaster risk in Small Island Developing States

In 2010, UNEP successfully developed and pilot-tested a new methodology for taking environmental
factors — specifically ecosystems and climate change — into account in the analysis of disaster
risk and vulnerability. The initiative aimed to support national and local government decision-
makers in evaluating their development and growth options more effectively.

The methodology specifically targets Small Island Development States (SIDS) and other coastal
areas that are at the frontline of experiencing the decline of ecosystems, extreme weather events,
and climate change impacts such as accelerated sea-level rise.

Jamaica was selected as a pilot country on the basis of its high level of vulnerability to climate 45
change and natural hazards, as well as the importance of nature-based tourism, agriculture and

unep annual report 2010 : disasters and conflicts


fisheries for the local economy. The methodology will be further tested in other SIDS before it is
adapted to other locations, such as mountainous regions.

For the first time, we have a tool that enables government agencies
to make more informed decisions about land use and development
that accounts for the role of ecosystems, such as sea grasses, in
reducing risk.
Dr Ronald Robinson, Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica.
BEFORE AFTER

RISK REDUCTION

Reshaping of the dam front and installation of a water drainage system to avoid
destabilization of the dam structure © UNEP

Enhancing transboundary cooperation in the Western Balkans

Mining and mineral processing have played a vital part in the history and economy of the Western
Balkans. Richly endowed with mineral resources such as copper, chromite, lead and zinc, the region
boasts some of the largest deposits in Europe. Capitalising on such mineral assets is important for
local economies, as well as to attract foreign investment.

However, mining sites can have significant negative environmental impacts and represent a
heightened risk for industrial accidents, as evidenced by UNEP’s assessment of some 150 mining
sites across the region.

In 2010, UNEP — together with its partners in the Environment and Security Initiative — organized
and supported the remediation of two mining sites in Albania, which suffered from problems
linked to instability, leakage and failure. Construction work also improved the structural integrity
of the sites to avoid catastrophic failures caused by extreme weather events or continuous erosion
of waste material.
46
In addition to the intervention in Albania, over 40 experts from all six countries in the Western
unep annual report 2010 : disasters and conflicts

Balkans were trained on environmental risk reduction measures, thereby strengthening regional
capacity and cooperation.

BEFORE AFTER

Stabilization and removal of a sinkhole on the waste surface created by damaged


pipes underneath the mining waste © UNEP
POST CRISIS
ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT

Destroyed buildings after the massive earthquake in Port-au-Prince,


Haiti, January 12, 2010. © Getty Images

Catalysing improved environmental management in post-earthquake Haiti

UNEP had been operating on the ground in Haiti for nearly two years, working towards long-
term, large-scale environmental restoration in the country, when the earthquake struck on
12 January, 2010. The UNEP office in Port-au-Prince was destroyed in the disaster, but our six-
person team was fortunate to suffer only minor injuries. They regrouped and were back in action
within days, focusing on assessing immediate environmental risks and assisting humanitarian
relief operations.

Already prior to the devastating earthquake, Haiti was known as the poorest, least stable and most
environmentally degraded country in the Western Hemisphere. Severe poverty, food insecurity
and disaster vulnerability — which are strongly interlinked with environmental issues such as
deforestation and soil erosion — have had profound impacts on the population’s well-being for
decades. Compounding these challenges, the earthquake led to an explosion of waste, severe
water and sanitation issues, and a wide range of environmental problems related to camps for
the displaced.
47

unep annual report 2010 : disasters and conflicts


Thanks to a sustained and active UNEP presence on the ground, the aftermath of the disaster has
witnessed significant investments in environmental sustainability. The most intensive investments
are proposed for the southwest of Haiti, where UNEP, together with a wide range of partners,
has designed an integrated 20-year sustainable development programme including reforestation,
erosion control, fisheries management and small business development, as well as improved
access to water and sanitation, health and education.

Some 15 per cent of the �4.6 billion government recovery plan for Haiti should be allocated
to investments in environmental improvements such as reforestation, improved sanitation,
sustainable agriculture and urban planning.
Disasters leading to losses of more than $10 billion,
January 1975 — June 2008 (Highlighting denotes
Year Countries Hazards Total loss
disasters within the five-year period, 2003-2008.) ($billion)
Source: EMDAT; Analysis by ISDR, 2008 (data as of September 2008) United States of
2004 America Hurricane Rita 16

Total loss 1995 Korea Dem P Rep Korea floods 15


Year Countries Hazards ($billion) United States of
2005 America Hurricane Wilma 14.3
2005 United States of Hurricane Katrina 125
America 1999 Taiwan (China) Chichi earthquake 14.1
1995 Japan Kobe earthquake 100 1988 Soviet Union Spitak earthquake 14
2008 China P Rep Sichuan 30 1994 China P Rep China drought 13.755
earthquake Eastern China
1998 China P Rep Yangtze flood 30 1991 China P Rep floods 13.6

2004 Japan Chuetsu 28 1996 China P Rep Yellow River flood 12.6
earthquake Nigataken Chuetsu-
1992 United States Hurricane Andrew 26.5 2007 Japan oki earthquake 12.5
1980 Italy Irpinia earthquake 20 1993 United States Great Midwest 12
United States of flood
2004 America Hurricane Ivan 18 2002 Germany River Elbe floods 11.7
1997 Indonesia Wild Fires 17 2004 United States of Hurricane Frances 11
Northridge America
1994 United States earthquake 16.5 1991 Japan Typhoon Mireille 10
2005 United States of Hurricane Charley 16 1995 United States of Major west coast 10
America America wind storm

20°W 0° 20°E 40°E 60°E 80°E 100°E 120°E 140°E 160°E 180° 160°W 140°W Weather-related hazards
80°N 80°N
N Droughts index
(frequency and intensity)
Very high

High
60°N 60°N
Moderate high

Moderate low

Low
48
40°N 40°N Tropical Cyclones
unep annual report 2010 : disasters and conflicts

(sum of winds in km / year)


100 000 to 426 510

30 000 to 100 000

10 000 to 30 000
20°N 20°N
3 000 to 10 000

Less than 3 000

Floods
(average annual frequency)
0° 0° 50 and more
0 500 1 000 2 000
20 to 50 years
Kilometres
Less than 20 years
40°E 60°E 80°E 100°E 120°E 140°E 160°E
Data sources: Lakes and oceans
Tropical cyclones: UNEP/GRID-Europe
Floods: UNEP/GRID-Europe + observed from Dartmouth Flood Observatory and frequency from Flood PREVIEW UNEP/GRID-Europe Regional extent
Droughts: International Research Institute for Climate and Society of Columbia University.
Cartography: P.Peduzzi, UNEP, UN/ISDR, 2009 Other regions
POST CRISIS
ENVIRONMENTAL
RECOVERY

Sierra Leone © UNEP

Influencing environmental recovery and community-based campaigns — ‘Keep Juba Green’


development in Sudan and ‘Keep Juba Clean’ — were launched to support
reforestation and improve waste management.
In 2010, UNEP was instrumental in establishing
environment ministries in 16 states across Sudan, Working as ‘one’ for peace in Sierra Leone
directly influencing improved environmental
practices in the country. At the request of the national government, UNEP
completed a comprehensive assessment of the role
In addition, UNEP’s guidance and technical support of the environment in conflict and peacebuilding in
to the aid community in Sudan on mainstreaming Sierra Leone. The assessment found that many of
environmental considerations into its operations in the risk factors for conflict that existed in the 1980s
the country resulted in nearly half of all aid projects and 1990s had not been adequately addressed
integrating environmental activities as part of today, most prominently in the environment and
their programmes. natural resources sector.

In Darfur, the environment became one of Based on the assessment, UNEP,


four main priorities in the UN recovery plan. A together with UNDP and FAO,
knowledge exchange between Sudanese and South established a programme to build the
African decision-makers and engineers, arranged by institutional capacity of the Sierra 49
Leone Environmental Protection Agency

unep annual report 2010 : disasters and conflicts


UNEP, contributed to government support for an
integrated approach to managing water resources. and other government units responsible
UNEP also promoted alternative energy solutions for water management, land use and
to counter unsustainable timber demand, including natural resource allocation.
brokering greater cooperation to expand the use of
liquefied petroleum gas. Strengthened capacity for environmental
governance will contribute to the sound and
In Southern Sudan, a legislative framework for effective management of natural resources and the
environmental management, embodied in the environment in Sierra Leone, and thereby make
South Sudan Environmental Policy 2010 and the a vital contribution to the county’s recovery and
2010 South Sudan Environment Act was established development while building the foundations for
with active UNEP support. In addition, two major equitable and sustainable economic growth.
POST CRISIS
ENVIRONMENTAL
RECOVERY

UNEP’s conservation and community-based natural resource management work is


focused on the Hindu Kush mountains of Central Afghanistan © UNEP

Laying the foundations for sustainable development in Afghanistan

UNEP has been working in Afghanistan since 2002, and has surprised many observers by its record of
success and lasting commitment in the most difficult of circumstances. With project offices in Kabul
and Bamiyan, UNEP aims to create a lasting foundation for sustainable development in the country,
through a comprehensive programme of support addressing institutional, legal and capacity needs.

The year 2010 was marked by the establishment of community-based natural resource management
as the de facto development strategy for rural Afghanistan. Having introduced the concept to the
country, UNEP now has 26 community-based projects across three provinces. These small-scale
economic development initiatives at village level aim to demonstrate to communities the benefits
50
they can garner from improved natural resource management. UNEP’s aim is to develop the capacity,
unep annual report 2010 : disasters and conflicts

commitment, capital and coordination that will catalyse environmentally sustainable development
in the post-conflict context. In addition, GEF funding was secured to assist communities to build
resilience against climate change.

UNEP was also instrumental in the development of a national system for parks and conservation
of nature and biodiversity in key reserves and conservation areas, and became directly
involved in the management of three protected areas projects: Band-e Amir National Park,
the Kole-Hashmat Khan wetlands, and the Shah Foladi Protected Area. UNEP plans to expand this
to 30 other proposed areas in 2011.
Linda Norgrove © UNEP
Tribute to Linda Norgrove

The tragic death in October of Linda Norgrove shocked and deeply saddened her former
colleagues at UNEP, and brought home the unpredictable dangers faced by aid and development
actors on the ground.

Between 2005 and 2008, Ms Norgrove was a valued member of UNEP’s Afghanistan programme
team. She left to serve in Lao PDR as Head of the Environment Unit, a joint UNEP and UN
Development Programme post, before returning to Afghanistan in January 2010 to work for a
non-governmental organization, ‘Development Alternatives.’

Ms Norgrove, 36, died in Afghanistan’s Kunar province during a rescue attempt, following her
kidnapping some two weeks earlier.
51
Linda will be remembered for making a pivotal contribution to laying the foundations for

unep annual report 2010 : disasters and conflicts


sustainable development in Afghanistan and for helping to develop a strong Poverty and
Environment Initiative programme in Lao PDR. Among her achievements, she is credited with
developing UNEP’s community-based natural resource management and protected areas
programmes in Afghanistan and leading the development of the country’s first action plan for
climate change adaptation. Linda was part of the UNEP Kabul team that received a UNEP Baobab
Award for outstanding achievement in the team category in 2008.

Linda’s premature death is also a tragedy and loss to the people of Afghanistan and Lao PDR,
whom she served with selflessness and dedication.
© Corbis

GOVERNANCE
ENVIRONMENTAL
Strengthening governance
UNEP supports coherent international
decision-making processes for
environmental governance.

UNEP catalyses international efforts


to implement internationally
agreed objectives.

UNEP helps governments further


develop and strengthen their national,
sub-regional and regional policies,
laws and institutions underpinning
environmental governance, and
develop tools and methods for
environmental management.
RESULTS TARGETED
UNEP helps governments and regional
The United Nations system, respecting the mandates of other institutions place environmental
entities, progressively achieves synergies and demonstrates sustainability at the heart of their
increasing coherence in international decision-making processes development policies, making
related to the environment, including those under multilateral full use of the UN Development
environmental agreements. Group platform. UNEP also helps 53
governments to understand and

unep annual report 2010 : environmental governance


The capacity of States to implement their environmental manage environmental data and
obligations and achieve their environmental priority goals, information, providing a sound basis
targets and objectives through strengthened laws and for environmental governance.
institutions is enhanced.

National development processes and United Nations common


country programming processes increasingly mainstream
environmental sustainability in the implementation of their
programmes of work.

Access by national and international stakeholders to sound


science and policy advice for decision-making is improved.
ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE: International Cooperation Strengthening Law
A SNAPSHOT OF 2010 RESULTS Revised comprehensive framework Support provided to the Russian
of African climate change Federation in developing a low
programmes during the 13th carbon version of national
session of AMCEN in Mali. Energy Efficiency Plan.

International Cooperation
Policy dialogue through Regional
Ministerial forums held in Africa,
Asia, Latin America and the
Caribbean and The Pacific.

Sound Science for


Decision Making
Technical support to the
Ministry of Environment in
moving towards online
environmental data and
indicators database provided
to the Dominican Republic.

Sound Science for


Decision Making
GEO Haiti and State of the
Environment Report 2010
launched and used in making
environmental decisions during
Haiti reconstruction phase.

National Development Planning


Technical assistance for
implementation of UN
54 Development Assistance
Frameworks provided to Brazil,
unep annual report 2010 : environmental governance

Ecuador and Panama. Technical


backstopping provided to 9 other
countries: Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil,
Cape Verde, Guatemala, Panama,
Rwanda, Tanzania and Vietnam.

National Development Planning


In Burkina Faso, Malawi and
Mozambique UN Country Teams
trained on integrating Strengthening Law
environmental sustainability into International In Lao PDR, laws reviewed towards
UN Development Assistance Cooperation reducing vulnerability to the impacts
Frameworks. Similar work carried World Environment Day of climate change. Similar work
out in Montenegro and Syria. held in Rwanda, June 5th. undertaken in Cambodia and Vietnam.
Fostering Coherence in Governance
The Conferences of the Parties to the Basel,
Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, at their
simultaneous extraordinary meetings, in Bali, agreed
on arrangements for joint activities, management
and administrative services.
KEY FACTS

International Policy Setting


The global environmental
Nusa Dua Declaration adopted during the 11th governance architecture includes
special session of the UNEP Governing
Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum, in more than 500 Multilateral
Bali – a first by world environment ministers since Environmental Agreements (MEAs).
the Malmö Ministerial Declaration in 2000.
A recent study shows that between
the years 1992-2007 the parties of
Fostering Coherence in Governance
The International Environmental Governance agenda
eighteen major MEAs were called
advanced through: (i) implementation of for 540 meetings at which 5,084
incremental reforms and (ii) further consultations on
broader reforms in Nairobi and Helsinki. decisions were taken.

International Policy Setting


Parties reached agreement on the Nagoya Protocol With policy action to improve
on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and
Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their
freshwater supplies for drinking,
Utilization, as well as a new Strategic Plan and post- sanitation, and hygiene purposes,
2010 biodiversity targets.
as many as 135 million deaths
could be prevented by 2020.
International Policy Setting
Two protocols finalised to the ‘Framework
Convention for the Protection of the Marine
Environment of the Caspian Sea’ on oil spill
prevention and response; the other on environmental
Improving the global environmental
impact assessment in a transboundary context. governance structure of the Earth's
natural resources is a practical
International Policy Setting imperative, as almost half the jobs 55
In partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, worldwide depend on fisheries,

unep annual report 2010 : environmental governance


organized capacity building activities on MEA
negotiations for approximately 250 diplomats from forests or agriculture.
the South-East Asia region.

Fostering Coherence in Governance


Twelve MEAs and five organizations are participating
in MEA knowledge management initiative –
Switzerland.
The Green Economy holds great promise for
developed and developing countries alike
to promote sustainable development. A
Strengthening Law holistic and integrated approach towards the
In the Philippines UNEP has partnered with the Asian environment as part of a nation’s development
Development Bank (ADB) in developing capacity of and governance pathway will assist with
judges on environmental issues. resource stabilisation and promote economic
and environmental security.
Highlights in 2010
35
Number of new agreements, protocols, and amendments

Number of new multilateral


30
environmental agreements,
25
protocols, and amendments
1998-2009
20
Source: Mitchell, R.B. 2009.
INTERNATIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
International Environmental
15 Agreements Database Project
(Version 2009.1).
10
In: UNEP Year Book 2010
GOVERNANCE
5

0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

At the 11th special session of the UNEP Governing Council Alongside the development of options for reforming
/ Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF), the the International Environmental Governance
world's environment ministers adopted the Nusa Dua architecture, synergies among the chemical related
Declaration recognizing that the international environ- MEAs also reached a significant milestone. For the
mental architecture has become complex and fragmented first time, the Conferences of the Parties to the
and consequently not as efficient or as effective as it Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions held
could be. simultaneous extraordinary meetings in February
2010. The Parties agreed on the arrangements for
In the Declaration, Environment Ministers recognized joint activities, joint management, including the
the opportunity presented by the 2012 Conference establishment of the position of Joint Executive
on Sustainable Development to make headway in Secretary and joint administrative services.
addressing the shortcomings of the current environmental
governance system. In this regard, the Global Environment Acknowledging the advances made in improving
Ministers Forum established a consultative group of coherence in the governance of the international
ministers or high-level representatives to develop options chemicals agenda, the Nusa Dua Declaration called
56
for the reform of the current architecture and called for upon the Conferences of the Parties to the biodiversity-
unep annual report 2010 : environmental governance

increased synergy among the Multilateral Environmental related MEAs to strengthen their efforts in achieving
Agreements (MEAs). synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions.
2010, being the International Year of Biodiversity, the
Since its establishment, the Consultative Group held two 65th session of the General Assembly held a high-level
meetings in Nairobi and Helsinki and developed nine meeting on biodiversity, which noted the substantial
options for strengthening a broad range of governance benefits to be gained from the coherent implementa-
issues from enhancing the interface between environmental tion of the biodiversity-related conventions.
science and policy, to the development of financial and
technical assistance architecture to support the national The inclusion of civil society in the global environmental
implementation of MEAs. The Consultative Group has also governance discourse was strengthened through the
developed options for the institutional framework that will establishment of a Civil Society Advisory Group in
be required to implement the proposed reforms. October 2010.
STRENGTHENING
LAW

Young Nepali schoolgirl drinking from city fountain on Durbar Square, Nepal © iStockphoto

Promoting development and implementation of international law

The UNEP GC/GMEF adopted guidelines for national legislation on access


to information, public participation and justice in environmental matters. It
also adopted guidelines on liability, response action and compensation for
damage caused by activities dangerous to the environment.

UNEP’s Greening Water Law report warned that in the face of declining fresh
water resources, governments and law-makers urgently need to integrate
environmental concerns into water-use legislation. Without action to improve
freshwater supplies for drinking, sanitation, and hygiene purposes, as many as 57
135 million preventable deaths could occur by 2020.

unep annual report 2010 : environmental governance


UNEP has prepared a number of tools for policymakers to better understand
the issues involved in integrating environmental concerns into national
legislation. For example, the Russian Federation was supported in developing
a low carbon version of their national Energy Efficiency Plan.

With UNEP’s assistance, this year 10 countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, India,


Indonesia, Lao PDR, Maldives, Mongolia, Timor Leste, Uganda and Vietnam,
have taken initiatives to develop and strengthen their environmental laws,
and integrate environmental considerations into national sectoral laws.
MAINSTREAMING ENVIRONMENT IN DEVELOPMENT
Mainstreaming environment in development: the joint UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative

The Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI) is a joint effort led by UNDP and UNEP to assist countries to improve the
livelihoods of the poor dependent on natural resources and reduce their vulnerability to climate change by integrating
pro-poor environment and climate change concerns into national and sub-national economic decision making and
planning processes.
MALAWI — PEI supported the government
The PEI consists of 21 country programmes and also provides to produce a study on the contribution of
targeted technical support to another five countries in Africa, Asia- natural resources to poverty reduction and
Pacific, Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and economic growth. It is influencing the next
Latin America and the Caribbean. Malawi Growth and Development Strategy.

ASIA PACIFIC — PEI Asia AFRICA — PEI capacity building MALI — Support from PEI was key to a
Pacific in partnership with GTZ on environmental fiscal reform decision by the Government of Mali to green
introduced the Environmental in collaboration with German its upcoming Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.
Fiscal Reform measures to the Technical Cooperation (GTZ)
Ministries of Finance, Planning in Mali, Burkina Faso and NEPAL — PEI supported the Ministry of
and Agriculture and Forestry Mauritania increased their ability Local Development to produce economic
of Bhutan, Lao PDR, Nepal to integrate sustainability into evidence for promoting pro-poor
and Thailand and identified development planning processes. environment friendly rural infrastructure
the potential for possible development and for sustainable natural
Environmental Fiscal Reform resource use and extraction practices by
LAO PDR — Results from
measures in these countries. local governments.
PEI national and provincial
consultations, an economic
BURKINA FASO — A PEI valuation of ecosystem services SOUTH EAST AND EAST ASIA — UNEP and
supported study on the role and baseline assessments the World Health Organization facilitated
of the environment within of social and environmental the establishment of a Regional Forum on
the economy helped integrate impacts of private investment Environment and Health in South East and
58
poverty-environment in the new are feeding into National and East Asian Countries.
unep annual report 2010 : environmental governance

Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. Provincial Investment Strategies.


TANZANIA — PEI tracked environment
BHUTAN — Poverty Environment Mainstreaming Guidelines were expenditure at local government level in
effectively embedded in planning processes in Bhutan. PEI Bhutan Tanzania to influence budget allocation and
assisted the Gross National Happiness Commission of Bhutan in evaluated the economic value of the Ihefu
applying the Poverty-Environment Mainstreaming Guideline (PEMG) Wetlands, a key national resource for growth
in sectoral development plans of 10 central ministries as well as and improved livelihoods of the rural poor.
local government bodies and selected civil society organizations.
As a result, policy gaps and capacity needs in integrating pro-poor URUGUAY — There has been a three-fold and
environment issues in the current five year plan were identified with six-fold budget increase, for 2011 and 2012
a set of poverty-environment indicators proposed for the monitoring respectively, in allocations to PEI work on
and evaluation system. waste management, poverty and environment.
MAINSTREAMING
ENVIRONMENT IN
DEVELOPMENT

1. Soil degradation in Rwanda 2. Monitoring of water quality in the


water basin of the Catari River, Bolivia © UNEP

Promoting sustainable national


development: soil and toil in Rwanda In 2009, Rwanda also produced its first State of the
Environment report. The Government of Rwanda has now
In 2010, Rwanda allocated increased financial resources set aside resources to address some of the key issues
towards soil erosion control programmes. An earlier PEI identified such as strengthening the National Forest
analysis which made the economic case for poverty and Authority to improve governance of forest resources and
environment mainstreaming played a key role in this the restoration of the Gishwati forest.
decision by the Government of Rwanda.
Catalysing transboundary cooperation:
The study demonstrated that soil erosion is a primary cause Lake Titicaca – strangled by pollution
of decline of agricultural productivity and poverty had
increased as rural incomes and livelihood opportunities The uncontrolled dumping of sewage waste and debris
declined. It also demonstrated that the combined impact produced by some 30,000 small-scale miners is causing
of wetland conversion and siltation cause significant widespread environmental damage in Lake Titicaca,
declines in hydro-electricity production. An additional the largest lake in South America and the highest
$65,000 per day was being spent on generators and fuel, commercially navigable lake in the world.
due to aggravated environmental degradation.
UNEP is helping to assess and recover this critical lake
59
This economic evidence convinced senior decision- straddling Bolivia and Peru. Contaminated water, pollution

unep annual report 2010 : environmental governance


makers in Rwanda that environmental sustainability and alien invasive species are choking the lake and
made economic sense. The Rwandan Poverty Reduction causing widespread sickness and low work productivity
Strategy Paper included an objective to substantively within local communities. UNEP is working with partners
reduce soil erosion which will work through the to assess and improve the lake’s water quality by
agriculture sector plan and associated budget. In practical identifying and rehabilitating water treatment facilities
terms, this means that small holder farmers will be able and considering the best ways to recycle wastewater.
to grow more food and increase income.
Part of this work entails running national training
A UNEP pilot project that demonstrated the concrete workshops and renovating and funding new laboratories.
benefits of soil erosion control programmes, rainwater Eleven local water quality laboratories in Bolivia and
harvesting and crop diversification also helped to convince Peru have been assisted through modernisation of
decision-makers. existing equipment.
MAINSTREAMING
ENVIRONMENT IN
DEVELOPMENT

Market in Thailand © thebiggerpicture

Promoting sustainable national development: Thailand’s green shoots in a hungry world

Thailand’s Ministry of Interior and local government plays a key role in managing public and private
investments that directly affect how rural people live. In the northern, mountainous province of Nan
in Thailand, 87 per cent of the total land (11,472 square kilometres) is heavily forested. Nan is of
national importance in part because the Nan River forms the catchment for over 40 per cent of the
Chao Praya River which runs down to Bangkok.

National and local policies and investments have had a dramatic impact on this landscape
— with the rapid spread of maize farming replacing much of the dense forest. In the past four
years, due to strong market incentives together with the government’s price guarantee scheme,
maize farming has been responsible for clearing about 400,000 rai (about 153,846 acres) of
60
forestland. Farmers are attracted to growing maize as it is an annual crop, and provides flexibility
in terms of how and where to use land.
unep annual report 2010 : environmental governance

At a local level, PEI is supporting communities to engage with the planning and budgeting process
through ecosystem assessments within Nan Province. This ecosystem assessment is being used as
evidence to support the government to create a watershed management fund for conservation
farming investments and reduce perverse incentives that promote maize growing.

These lessons from Nan in linking local people into the planning and investment decisions that
affect their lives will be shared with other provinces.

In addition, the Thai National Environmental Health Strategic Plan has been integrated into the
Tenth National Economic and Social Development Plan 2007-2011.
MAINSTREAMING
ENVIRONMENT IN
DEVELOPMENT
During 2010, UNEP increased its engagement
in the UN common country programming
Local traders in Sudan © UNEP
processes. UNEP has worked to mainstream
environmental sustainability and climate
change in ‘One UN’ programmes.
• UNEP has supported the UN Country Teams
2010 also saw increased capacity in Regional Offices (UNCTs) in mainstreaming environmental
to improve UNEP’s ability to deliver at the regional sustainability in 43 UN common country
and country level. The United Nations Development programming processes. Through the support
Assistance Framework (UNDAF) is the strategic UNEP has responded to national capacity gaps to
programme framework that describes the collective achieve MDG 7 (Environmental Sustainability).
response of the UN system to national development • UNEP is also participating in 14 joint programmes
priorities. out of 17 under the environment and climate
change aspect of the Millennium Development
It addresses the national capacity gaps in achieving Goals Achievement Fund (MDG-F).
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other
• In partnership with UNDP and the International
internationally agreed development goals and treaty
Strategy for Disaster Reduction, UNEP delivered
obligations, including the multilateral environmental
training on mainstreaming Climate Change and
agreements.
Disaster Risk Reduction to 15 African UNCTs.
Results 2010 • Mongolia established a Coordinating Committee 61
on Toxic Chemicals and Hazardous Substances and
• Preparation of national environmental summaries to

unep annual report 2010 : environmental governance


developed a National Strategy on Healthcare and
support the UN country analysis which constitutes
Waste Management.
the basis of the UNDAF preparation for eight
countries: Barbados, El Salvador Ghana, Guyana, • In Indonesia, the Ministry of Environment and
Mali, Mozambique, Peru and Yemen. Ministry of Health signed an agreement on
Environmental Management for Health in June
• Support to UNDAF preparation or implementa-
2010 to enhance cooperation and coordination on
tion in Barbados, Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Cape
work on environment and health.
Verde, Egypt, El Salvador, Haiti, Indonesia, Lao PDR,
Malawi, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Peru, Phil- • In Thailand, the National Environmental Health
ippines, Rwanda, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Strategic Plan was integrated into the Tenth
Uruguay, Vietnam, and Yemen, leading to stronger National Economic and Social Development Plan.
environmental components.
SCIENCE FOR
DECISION-MAKING

© Corbis

Bringing the latest science to the governance process

The role of UNEP to broker knowledge and provide a platform for scientists and policymakers
to review the science of emerging global environmental threats and solutions was further
strengthened in 2010.

The evolution of UNEP’s scientific assessments, and their role in keeping the global environment
under review, is perhaps best captured in the Global Environment Outlook (GEO) and Year Book
Series, both of which inform environmental governance and responsible decision-making.

GEO is a complex and comprehensive global undertaking, involving a multi-disciplinary


62 partnership of hundreds of policy experts, researchers, UN agencies and regional and global
collaborating centres.
unep annual report 2010 : environmental governance

The GEO-5 assessment process began in earnest in April and has been re-tooled with two advisory
bodies (a High-Level Intergovernmental Advisory Panel and a Science and Policy Advisory Board).

The assessment report aims to focus on providing solutions to environmental challenges so


that it can be of greater relevance for decision-making by governments and other relevant
stakeholders. GEO-5 will provide policy options that could help regions speed up the realization of
internationally agreed goals such as the Millennium Development Goals, or those agreed through
Multilateral Environmental Agreements. (www.unep.org/geo).
The UNEP Year Book 2010 highlighted the latest science and developments in our changing
environment. The seventh edition in this series looked at progress in environmental governance;
the effects of continuing degradation of the world’s ecosystems; impacts of climate change and
the nexus with biodiversity; effects of harmful substances and hazardous waste on human health
and the environment; disasters and conflicts related to the environment; and the unsustainable
use of resources. It brought to the fore the latest science surrounding UNEP’s six priority areas.
In preparing of the UNEP Year Book (UYB) Series, UNEP leverages significant support from the
science community by providing a platform for experts to review emerging environmental issues
and select topics. The 2011 edition will highlight emerging environmental issues of plastic debris
in the ocean, phosphorus use and food production and pressures on forest biodiversity. 63

unep annual report 2010 : environmental governance


UNEP conducts regional integrated assessments such as the GEO Latin America and the Caribbean,
the Environment Outlook for the Arab Region and has analysed Africa’s water issues in the
Africa Water Atlas. It also published a national assessment — the GEO Haiti 2010 State of the
Environment Report. The third series of the Africa Environment Outlook is underway and includes
a supplementary manual and training for authors.

UNEP was a force in setting up the first worldwide umbrella organization for climate impact and
adaptation research and it strengthened its reporting of emerging issues by launching a Global
Environmental Alert Service.
© Corbis, iStockphoto

ecosystem
management
Maintaining ecosystem services
for development

UNEP’s objective is to ensure that


countries utilize the ecosystem approach
to enhance human well-being.
UNEP provides three core services
to governments:

• Builds capacity of governments


on the critical role of sustainably
managed ecosystems in supporting
social and economic development.

• Assists national governments


RESULTS TARGETED and regions to determine which
ecosystem services to prioritise
The capacity of countries and regions based on their economic and
to increasingly integrate an ecosystem development needs — and how
management approach into development to maintain these services.
65
and planning processes, is enhanced.
• Enables governments to

unep annual report 2010 : ecosystem management


incorporate the ecosystem
Countries and regions have capacity to
approach into their national
utilize ecosystem management tools.
development planning and
investment strategies.
The capacity of countries and regions to
realign their environmental programmes
and financing to address degradation of
selected priority ecosystem services, is
strengthened.
ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT:
A SNAPSHOT OF 2010 RESULTS
Restoring and Managing Ecosystems
and Biodiversity
Integrated Water Resource Management
promoted in Western Africa countries:
Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Ivory
Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Incorporating Ecosystem Services


into Development Planning and
Investment Decisions
In Senegal, economic valuation of
ecosystem services provided by forests is
being conducted to inform investment and
resource allocation decisions. This work is
similarly being done in Brazil and Kenya. In
addition, ecosystem assessments are being
conducted in Guatemala, Lao PDR, Sudan,
and Thailand.

Incorporating Ecosystem Services


into Development Planning and
Investment Decisions
Work is underway on development of
Payments for Ecosystem services (carbon
credit and ecotourism) in Cameroon,
Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Liberia, and with GEF
funding in Chile, Lesotho, South Africa,
Trinidad and Tobago and Vietnam.

Incorporating Ecosystem Services


into Development Planning and
Investment Decisions
66 Marine spatial planning tools developed,
tested and applied in Papua New Guinea
unep annual report 2010 : ecosystem management

and Trinidad and Tobago.

Incorporating Ecosystem Services into Development


Planning and Investment Decisions — ‘Busan Outcome’
The culmination of a two year negotiation supported by UNEP
to establish the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) to strengthen the
interface between science and policy.
Restoring and Managing Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Tools for ecosystem assessment and management for
forest management, land rehabilitation and sustainability
of water regulation and purification being tested in KEY FACTS
Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon and Mali.

More than half of the


Restoring and Managing Ecosystems world's hospital beds are
and Biodiversity
During the CBD COP10 in Nagoya, an
filled by people suffering
agreement was reached by parties to from water-related
establish the Protocol on Access and Benefit
illnesses affecting human
Sharing of Genetic Resources and their Fair
and Equitable Sharing of Benefits (ABS). well-being and countries’
further development and
economic growth.
Restoring and Managing Ecosystems
and Biodiversity
Transboundary cooperation agreement
established in a transboundary mountain
ecosystem covering China, India and Nepal, In 2010, governments
and also in a forest ecosystem shared by agreed to increase land-
Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
based protected areas to
17 per cent of the Earth’s
Restoring and Managing surface, from around
Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Spain-UNEP partnership for 12.5 per cent now, and to
Protected Areas ‘LifeWeb’ project extend marine protected
implemented in Cameroon, Cape
Verde, the Democratic Republic of areas to 10 per cent.
Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia,
Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone and
Wider Caribbean region.
Ecosystem services and
Restoring and Managing other non-marketed
Ecosystems and Biodiversity natural goods account for
During the United Nations General
Assembly (UNGA) 65th session,
47 to 89 per cent of the 67
the resolution on oceans and law of so-called ‘Gross Domestic

unep annual report 2010 : ecosystem management


the sea related to the ‘Regular Process
for Global Reporting and Assessment
Product of the Poor’.
of the State of the Marine
Environment (GRAME) was adopted.
The first integrated assessment is to
be completed by 2014.

Restoring and Managing Ecosystems and Biodiversity The sound management of


A UNEP FAO project with GEF funding to conserve, sustainably use and ecosystems and biodiversity,
manage pollinators for biodiversity conservation in Brazil, Ghana, India, along with the inclusion of natural
Kenya, Nepal, Pakistan and South Africa. capital in governmental and
business accounting can start to
redress inaction and reduce the
cost of future losses.
Trends in human use vs.
condition of ecosystem
services. The length of the
black lines indicate the
degree of change in
human use or condition of
the service.

Source: Carpenter and others 2009.


Science for managing ecosystem services:
Beyond the Millennium Ecosystem
Assessment. Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, 106, 1305-1312.
In: UNEP Year Book 2010

Highlights in 2010
Ecosystems were in the spotlight in 2010; the UN declared International Year of Biodiversity.
68
From UNEP assessments, detailing the intrinsic and economic value of the natural world, to new
unep annual report 2010 : ecosystem management

science underscoring the current and emerging threats to the environment, there was a wealth of
disturbing and compelling evidence demanding urgent global action.

Simultaneously, there were also significant achievements and successes: a growing shift towards
valuing the services provided by nature to support countries’ development priorities and human
well-being, as well as international consensus defining global policy which will potentially change
the way we use and value biodiversity and ecosystem services.

UNEP also worked with different partners and governments to help them understand how their
countries’ ecosystems can help achieve development goals and enable countries’ transition to
greener economies.
IPBES

June 2010 witnessed the


successful culmination of a
two year negotiation supported
by UNEP to establish the
Intergovernmental Platform on
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
(IPBES), an independent panel that
will strengthen the interface between
science and policy.

The purpose of IPBES is to enhance the


credibility, legitimacy and relevance of
scientific findings relating to biodiversity and
ecosystem services, to ensure that policy is
informed by the best available science.
Two red-eyed tree frogs © Corbis

Access and benefit sharing of


genetic resources
A new plan for biodiversity
After close to 20 years of discussion and debate,
governments from across the globe agreed to During the CBD COP 10 in Nagoya, governments
a new protocol to manage the world’s genetic adopted a new strategic plan including targets for
resources in a fairer and more systematic way. addressing biodiversity loss to be met by 2020.
The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Governments agreed to increase the extent of
Sharing of Genetic Resources and their Fair and protected areas to 17 per cent of the Earth's
Equitable Sharing of Benefits (ABS) was established terrestrial surface — up from under 13 per cent
by the 10th meeting of the Conference of the currently — and achieve 10 percent coverage 69
Parties (COP 10) of the Convention on Biological of coastal and marine protected areas. Other

unep annual report 2010 : ecosystem management


Diversity in Nagoya, for which UNEP provides elements of the plan include, by 2020, reducing
secretariat support. the extinction risk of threatened species.

This protocol sets basic ground rules on how The meeting also agreed on a strategy for resource
nations cooperate in obtaining genetic resources mobilization to assist developing countries to
from animals to plants and fungi. It also outlines meet the new targets in the plan based on a
how the benefits, arising for example when a methodology that relates support given to needs
plant’s genetics are turned into a commercial and gaps. Other decisions included taking a
product such as a pharmaceutical, are shared ‘precautionary approach’ to issues such as geo-
with the countries and communities who have engineering in order to combat climate change and
conserved and managed that resource. on the development of synthetic biofuels.
T f Bi
h E o
o
e c d
&

E os iv
Indonesia
 











































India
 


































Brazil


c y e
o s rs
n t i
Ecosystem
Services


o e t

m m y
ic s
s
11%
 17% 6%


Share
of
agriculture,
forestry,

and
fisheries
in
classical
GDP



89% 83% 94%



MAINSTREAMING THE ECONOMICS OF NATURE
A SYNTHESIS OF THE APPROACH, CONCLUSIONS

 
 AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF TEEB

11%

25%
 47%

Ecosystem
services
as
a

percentage
of
‘GDP
of
the

Poor.’

75%
 53%

ECOSYSTEMS
89%









































































99
million





















































352
million

















































20
million

Rural
poor
population

AND DEVELOPMENT

considered
in
'GDP
of
the
Poor'

Ecosystem
services


 GDP of the Poor: estimates for ecosystem service dependence
Source: TEEB for National Policy, Chapter 3

Using ecosystems to achieve development TEEB for Business makes the business case and
highlights new business models that deliver benefits
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity from ecosystem services and biodiversity, providing
(TEEB) initiative hosted by UNEP released a number an agenda for action.
of studies throughout 2010 calling on policy-
makers, business, national and local governments The publication of the UNEP-hosted TEEB study
to accelerate, scale-up and embed investments in has resulted in Brazil, India, Germany and the
the management and restoration of ecosystems. European Commission committing to undertake
national and regional ecosystem and biodiversity
Businesses and policy-makers need to recognize valuation studies.
the tremendous economic value of ecosystems
such as forests, watersheds, soils and coral reefs, The TEEB approach of incorporating the value of
as well as the social and economic costs of losing nature in policy and business decision-making has
the services these ecosystems provide such as food, been supported and recognized in a number of
energy, water, flood attenuation, water purification, government statements and decisions, including
70 groundwater recharge. the G20 Leaders Statement from the Seoul
Summit, the G8 Carta di Siracusa (a political
unep annual report 2010 : ecosystem management

It has been estimated that ecosystem services and document agreed at the G8 Environmental Ministers
other non-marketed natural goods account for 47 Meeting, held in Sicily in 2009) and a series of CBD
to 89 per cent of the so-called ‘Gross Domestic COP 10 decisions.
Product of the Poor.’
As next steps, TEEB will be implementing a series
In October, the World Bank launched a new, of outreach events in Africa, Asia and Latin
global partnership to assess the economic value America until March 2011 to engage directly with
of ecosystems. India and Colombia are the first stakeholders and build capacity for implementation
countries to participate. of TEEB recommendations.
Access to sanitation facilities
Commonwealth of
Access to sanitation facilities Independent States

East Asia
West Asia

Pacific
North Africa Ocean

ECOSYSTEMS Type of sanitation facility South Asia


South Eastern
Asia

AND
Shared Unimproved Indian
Improved Open Atlantic Ocean
Latin America Sub-
defecation Ocean
and Caribbeans

DEVELOPMENT
Saharan Oceania
Africa

0 500 1 000 1 500


Million people Source: JMP, Progress in drinking water and sanitation, 2009.

Improved: facilities that ensure hygienic separation of Shared: Sanitation facilities of an otherwise Unimproved: Facilities that do not Open defecation: in fields, forests, bushes,
human excreta from human contact. Includes connection acceptable type shared between two or more ensure hygienic separation of human bodies of water or other open spaces, or
to a piped sewer system, septic tank, or pit latrines. households. excreta from human contact disposal of human faeces with solid waste.

THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S FISHERIES AND WATER and policy briefs highlighted the need for clean drinking
water, helping UN Water establish a Priority Area on
Ignored fisheries Water Quality.

An assessment of the often ignored value of inland waters Balancing agricultural needs and fisheries
in terms of fish catches and the role of fish in the health
of river and lake ecosystems was launched by UNEP in Since growing populations, expanding economies and
partnership with the WorldFish Center in November. changing patterns of production and consumption
The Blue Harvest report, focused on Africa and Asia and will require increased food production, fertilizer
to some extent, Latin America and the Caribbean. It is consumption is projected to increase 40 per cent
estimated the unofficial global inland catch is close to between now and 2030. The majority of this increase will
30 million tonnes, comparable to official marine catches, occur in developing countries.
and employs 60 million people — 13 million more than in
equivalent marine fisheries. However, the improper use of agrochemicals coupled
with other key problems such as untreated sewage
The report succeeded in raising the profile of fresh- has led to a rapidly growing environmental crisis in
water fisheries and awareness of their contribution to freshwater and marine systems worldwide.
livelihoods alongside the pressures they are facing. The
UNEP website recorded 4,221 downloads of the report More than 90 per cent of the world’s fisheries depend 71
within eight days of its launch. in one way or another on estuarine and near-shore

unep annual report 2010 : ecosystem management


habitats. However, many of these habitats are vulnerable
Sick water to the harmful effects of eutrophication (nutrient over-
enrichment) and toxic algal blooms.
More than half of the world’s hospital beds are filled by
people suffering from water-related illnesses affecting To respond to this global challenge, UNEP with the
human well-being and countries’ development and support of the Government of Norway, launched ‘The
economic growth. Global Partnership for Nutrient Management’ (GPNM)
to bring together governments, scientists, policymakers,
More people die from drinking polluted water every year the private sector, NGOs and international organizations
than from all forms of violence, including war, warned to catalyse emerging global consensus on the need to
UNEP in March on World Water Day. A series of reports take action on nutrient management.
APPLYING
ECOSYSTEM
MANAGEMENT TOOLS

Meeting with the Ogiek community © UNEP

Restoring and managing ecosystems and May 2010, UNEP convened donors and they pledged
biodiversity: Restoring Kenya’s water towers $10 million in support of the Kenyan government’s
efforts to save the vital Mau Forest complex.
The Mau Forest Complex is one of the most important
‘water towers’ of Kenya and East Africa’s largest Indigenous communities like the Ogiek are important
closed-canopy high altitude montane forest. Its forest partners in the government’s revitalization of the
provides critical ecological services to Kenya and the Mau. These groups have traditionally relied on the
global community in terms of water storage, carbon forest for food, medicine and shelter and their cultural
storage, river flow, flood mitigation, recharge of knowledge is invaluable in the ongoing effort to
groundwater, reduced soil erosion, water purification, restore the Mau to its former glory.
biodiversity value and micro-climate regulation.
We shall offer our traditional knowledge
The Mau Forest Complex supports key economic sectors
in the Rift Valley and Western Kenya, including energy, and conservation skills. We shall help
tourism, agriculture, industry and contributes to the in zoning where to plant exotic trees
River Nile Basin water resources. Assessments indicate and areas for indigenous trees. We shall
that the Mau may be worth up to $1.5 billion a year to
ensure that our wetland and water
the Kenyan economy in terms of river flows for hydro,
agriculture, tourism sites and drinking water alongside points are fully rehabilitated so that we
72
moisture for the tea industry and carbon sequestration. and the majority of Kenyans get water
unep annual report 2010 : ecosystem management

and other environmental services.


As showcased in the Africa and Kenya Atlas of our
Statement by the Ogiek People to the
Changing Environment using satellite imagery, 25 per Prime Minister of Kenya, Rt. Hon Raila Odinga,
cent of the 400,000 hectare Mau Forest Complex has 22 April 2010.

been lost to ecosystem encroachments, threatening


ecological stability, economic development and A comprehensive Management Plan for the Maasai
human well-being in the region. Mau forest ecosystem has been developed with input
from stakeholders. It will guide the development of
Beginning in 2007, and throughout 2010, UNEP has the area for the next 10 years. Beginning in 2011,
been engaged with the conservation efforts in a UNEP will be implementing activities outlined in the
specific area of the complex, the Maasai Mau forest. In Management Plan.
APPLYING
ECOSYSTEM
MANAGEMENT TOOLS

Restoring and managing ecosystems


and biodiversity: Restoring a lifeline –
Lake Faguibine Lake Faguibine © UNEP

For Kouna Mohammed and her family, life is


starting to fall into place. This year is the second in a
row that her family has managed to harvest sorghum the lake basin. Additionally, dunes and riverbanks
from the green fields around Lake Tele, part of the are being stabilised and reforestation is promoted to
Lake Faguibine System in Mali. Like many families, ensure a sustainable and lasting impact.
Kouna and her sons had abandoned the lake years
ago as many people died because of drought. Nepal, China, India to jointly conserve Hindu
“Without water, there is no world,” says neighbour, Kush-Himalaya Kailash sacred landscape
Medel Al Houseini.
Mount Kailash soars over 22,000 feet in a Himalayan
Siltation has played a large role in the destruction landscape shared by China, India and Nepal. It is
of the river. A crucial component of restoration one of the most culturally and ecologically diverse
is digging out silt from riverbeds to open up river and fragile areas in the world. In September 2010,
channels. The UNEP project coordinator Ms Birguy fourteen months since its inception, representatives
Lamizana-Diallo says that “Nomadic groups lost from China, India and Nepal gathered to monitor
most of their livestock and became sedentary in progress of this unique transboundary project in
order to benefit from emergency relief programmes the Hindu-Kush Himalayas, brought together by
or migrated into cities. But the past two years have UNEP and the International Centre for Integrated
seen a dramatic improvement.” Mountain Development (ICIMOD). 73

unep annual report 2010 : ecosystem management


To support the Mali Government in this effort, UNEP The meeting further crystallised the process towards
is leading a project that builds on the commitment completion of a transboundary Regional Cooperation
of the local community to revitalize their ecosystems Framework (RCF) based on the principles of
and protect them. With funding from the participatory management, equity, sustainability,
Government of Norway, the UNEP project focuses partnerships and ecosystem approach, and will
on strengthening civil society groups and engaging lay the foundation for development intervention
people across society in the restoration of the Lake in the region. Mount Kailash is the source of
Faguibine ecosystem. the Indus, the Brahmaputra, the Karnali and the
Sutlej rivers, providing vitally important resources
Communities are scouring silted river beds and for the greater Hindu Kush-Himalayan region,
flood-water channels to allow water to flow and fill and beyond.
APPLYING
ECOSYSTEM
MANAGEMENT
TOOLS

Gorilla © Andy Rouse, Wildlife Photography

Promoting transboundary collaboration for management of ecosystems:


biodiversity corridor between Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia

Along the Cavally River that divides South-western Côte d’Ivoire and South-eastern Liberia are
remaining fragments of one of the most important ecosystems within the upper Guinea Forest
Region (UGFR) of West Africa. These lowland tropical forests are home to many endangered
animals, provide habitat for more than a quarter of Africa’s mammals, including over 20 species of
primates, the dwindling West African Chimpanzee populations and rare endemic species such as
the pygmy hippopotamus and the forest elephant. By creating landscape corridors between the
Tai National Park, the Classified Forests of Goin-Debe, Cavally in Côte d’Ivoire, the Sapo National
Park and Grebo National Forest in Liberia, the high levels of biodiversity and the livelihoods of the
74 local communities that depend on these forest ecosystem services can be maintained.
unep annual report 2010 : ecosystem management

The initiative, led by UNEP’s Great Ape Survival Partnership (GRASP), aims to undertake
comprehensive field-level technical studies to stimulate on-going national debates and political
negotiations to address important questions concerning land title, legal harmonisation and
implementation, sustainable forest management and wildlife population levels. The establishment
of the landscape corridor based on currently available data would protect and consolidate over
13,000 square kilometres of remaining forest cover, while contributing to community development
and peace-building efforts within the two post-conflict states of Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia.
APPLYING
ECOSYSTEM
MANAGEMENT
TOOLS

Green sea turtle © UNEP

Innovative approaches in boosting


protected areas: Spain-UNEP partnership for Lifeweb

More than fifteen protected areas totaling over 15 million hectares, including one that is home to monk
seals off Mauritania and another in Sumatra that is a haven for orangutans, tigers and elephants, are
receiving a $6.8 million conservation boost. At the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on
Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan, the Government of Spain and UNEP announced a new partnership
for protected areas, supporting mainly low income and developing countries.

In the Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, some of the funds will support
improved health services for local people. In Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d'Ivoire, and Guinea-Conakry,
work is being initiated to create marine protected areas for sea turtles.

Enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem functioning: underground biodiversity

In May, complementing UNEP’s Programme of Work, the results of an eight-year, newly-completed 75


UNEP-Global Environment Facility project, focusing on the benefits of soil-living worms, beetles and

unep annual report 2010 : ecosystem management


other ‘below ground biodiversity’, was announced. The project has coordinated a partnership between
governments including Brazil, India, Indonesia and Kenya and research institutes and universities including
the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute of CIAT (TSBF-CIAT). Soil-living bacteria and fungi can be used
to boost crop yields by more than 50 per cent without the use of fertilizers. Other soil-living organisms
have been found that can assist in fighting crop diseases, also reducing the need for pesticides.

A follow up to the project, ‘Carbon Benefits Measurements’ is working with scientific institutions with
GEF financing to develop standard and cost effecive tools for measuring total terrestrial carbon above and
below ground.
WASTE
HARMFUL
SUBSTANCES
AND
HAZARDOUS
© Corbis, iStockphoto
Sound management of chemicals and
hazardous waste

UNEP’s objective is to minimize the


impact of harmful substances and
hazardous waste on the environment and
people. UNEP achieves this through four
core services:

• UNEP assesses trends in the use,


release and disposal of harmful
substances around the world to
inform policymakers and raise
awareness on the need for action.

• UNEP helps governments use


data and information from these
global assessments to make
informed decisions.

• UNEP uses scientific assessments


and legal instruments as a basis for
technical assistance and capacity
RESULTS TARGETED building for States, helping them
design and implement national 77
programmes supporting sound

unep annual report 2010 : harmful substances and hazardous waste


The capacities and financing of States and other
management of harmful substances
stakeholders to assess, manage and reduce risks
and hazardous waste.
to human health and the environment posed by
chemicals and hazardous waste are increased. • UNEP helps governments monitor,
evaluate and report on the impacts
Coherent international policy and technical advice and progress of their systems for
is provided to States and other stakeholders for managing harmful substances and
managing harmful chemicals and hazardous waste hazardous waste.
in a more environmentally sound manner, including
through better technology and best practices.

Appropriate policy and control systems for harmful


substances of global concern are developed and in
line with international obligations and the mandates
of relevant entities.
Harmful substances and hazardous waste Supporting Multilateral Policy and Control Systems
(HS & HW): A SNAPSHOT OF 2010 RESULTS UNEP supports China, South Africa and the Russian
Federation to understand mercury emissions from coal
combustion and the means to reduce them.

Sound Science Guides the Agenda


UNEP supports analytical capacity building for Persistent
Organic Pollutants (POPs) and global monitoring with GEF
funding. POPs laboratories in 32 developing countries use
UNEP's guidelines for sampling and analysis of relevant
matrices; their capacities are strengthened through hands-
on training to generate high quality data for the
Stockholm Convention and SAICM.
Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Cuba,
the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Ghana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Mali, Marshall
Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, Peru, Samoa,
Senegal, Solomon Islands, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uruguay,
Zambia. Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and
Switzerland to provide training.

Sound Management of HS & HW at the


National Level
Tools and methodologies developed for country
Situation Analysis and Needs Assessments (SANA),
leading to development of national plans of joint
action in Angola, Cameroon, the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Lesotho,
Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique and Tanzania.
Similar tools and methodologies developed in
78 Congo Brazzaville, Ghana and Kenya.
unep annual report 2010 : harmful substances and hazardous waste

Sound Science Guides the Agenda


Supporting Multilateral Policy and Control Systems UNEP with OECD and WHO is developing the Global Chemicals
UNEP has supported national activities towards the Outlook (GCO) to assess the status of health, environmental,
reduction of mercury use and its release from artisanal economic and institutional factors related to the production, use,
and small-scale gold mining activities in Bolivia and and disposal of chemicals, with a focus on issues relevant to
Peru, and similarly in Cambodia and the Philippines. developing and transition countries.
Supporting Multilateral Policy and Control Systems
Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) succeeded in
the phase out of leaded gasoline in two more countries:
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
KEY FACTS

An estimated 18 to 22 million people


are at risk from lead poisoning, 15 to
Sound Science Guides 19 million from mercury, 13 to 17 million
the Agenda from chromium and 5 to 8 million
First Worldwide UNEP
Laboratory Intercalibration from pesticides.
Study on Persistent Organic
Pollutants concluded. Included
24 labs from Asian developing
countries and 14 labs from Twenty-one of the most Persistent
OECD countries including: Organic Pollutants (POPs) are now
Australia, Canada, China, Czech
Republic, Fiji, Germany, Greece, strictly controlled by the Stockholm
India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Convention agreed in 2001 which now
Malaysia, Norway, Spain,
Sweden, Vietnam.
has 172 Parties.

The Secretariat of the Basel Convention


Sound Management of HS & estimated that about 318 and 338 million
HW at the National Level
tonnes of municipal solid waste were
UNEP supported national
mercury waste management generated in 2000 and 2001 respectively. 79
planning in Pakistan and the

unep annual report 2010 : harmful substances and hazardous waste


Philippines. Similar work also
supported in Burkina Faso,
Cambodia and Chile. As much as 80 per cent of the pollution
load in coastal waters and the deep
oceans comes from land-based activities.

Sound Management of HS & HW at the National Level


The Chemical Information and Exchange Network (CIEN)
extended to seven countries and training carried out to In order to ensure sustainable
facilitate chemical information access and exchange. development in fast-growing
Countries covered include: Bolivia, Burundi, Cambodia, economies that are experiencing
Peru, Philippines, Uruguay and Vietnam. rapid industrialisation, countries
must seek to maximise the benefits of
chemicals and minimize their negative
impacts through safer production and
improved management.
Highlights in 2010

Chemicals play an essential role in our daily lives. They are used in
every economic sector and in many of the common products we buy. MANAGEMENT
Many chemicals are critical to human well-being and sustainable OF CHEMICALS
development; yet they can also endanger health and the environment
if not manufactured, used and managed properly. There are over
100,000 different chemical substances in use today.

Strategic partnerships in chemicals management: avoiding the worst by encouraging the best–China

The Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at a Local Level (APELL) programme was launched by UNEP in
1986 against a background of major technological accidents, which took place around the world during the 1980s.
These included Bhopal in India, Sandoz in Switzerland, and San Juanico in Mexico.

UNEP has built an extensive network of APELL and safer production practitioners over the years. As part of this, a
joint project between UNEP’s China Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) and the Dow Chemical Company,
was developed over 2010 to promote safer operations and emergency preparedness of the chemical sector in
China.

The project presents a first-of-its-kind example of private sector engagement with UNEP to promote safer
production in partnership with government and local authorities in China.

80
unep annual report 2010 : harmful substances and hazardous waste

SCRAPPED CARS
Eastern
From Europe Europe
New
China
Waste Baja
California
Jersey
Campania
Mediterranean Sea
trafficking Senegal Nigeria
Red
Sea
India Hong Kong
Mexico Philippines
Somalia Asia
The 2004 tsunami
Singapore
Côte
d’Ivoire washed up quantities
OECD countries of toxic waste barrels CABLE WASTE
Abidjan on the Somalian shores. PLASTIC WASTE
(main hazardous waste
ELECTRONIC WASTE
producers) Africa
SCRAPPED CARS
CFC PRODUCTS
States or regions where REFRIGERATORS
Campania illegal waste dumping
has been proven
(not comprehensive)
Major current conflict zones

Regions where small arms (related) Major illegal waste shipment routes from Europe
traffic is particularly developed (as reported by IMPEL)

Source: compiled from multiple sources in Vital Waste Graphics Update. UNEP, Nairobi and Arendal (www.vitalgraphics.net/waste2/download/pdf/VWG2_p36and37.pdf).
In: Global Environment Outlook 4. Environment for Development, 2007
MANAGEMENT
OF CHEMICALS

Exchanging information

National officers with responsibilities for


the control and registration of chemicals
neither have the time nor resources to find the
information they need on the many chemicals
that may be imported. To help find and exchange Scientist checking seedlings in plant experiment © Corbis

information, UNEP established the system of


Chemical Information Exchange Networks (CIEN)
which brings together national chemicals information 12 civil society organizations involving activities in
from various stakeholders and provides access to 95 countries, including 46 least developed countries
international information resources. and/or Small Islands Developing States.

During 2010, seven more countries: Cambodia, the UNEP supports a number of government-led projects
Philippines, Vietnam, Bolivia, Peru, Uruguay, and funded from the SAICM Quick Start Programme. The
Burundi were added to over 50 countries in Africa, Asia UNEP-UNDP partnership on mainstreaming sound
and Latin America already using CIEN. More than 1,600 chemicals management into national development
national officials have been trained. policies and programmes is gathering momentum.
More than 12 countries are now being assisted.
Catalysing chemical management through a
81
global plan of action on chemicals The new five-year development plan of Uganda, one of

unep annual report 2010 : harmful substances and hazardous waste


the first countries to join the programme, recognizes
The Strategic Approach to International Chemical the important benefits that come from good practices
Management (SAICM) provides an overarching strategy and the avoidance of chemicals-related impacts on
and a Global Plan of Action to address problems of human health and the environment.
chemical management and safety, nationally and
globally. To facilitate the implementation of SAICM’s In a similar fashion, the ‘UNEP-World Health
Global Plan of Action, the Quick Start Programme and Organization (WHO) Health and Environment Initiative’
its Trust Fund have been established to build initial brings together national officers to examine inter-
capacities for the sound management of chemicals in linkages between pollution, environmental degradation
developing countries and countries with economies and health impacts.
in transition.
More than 17 countries are now preparing inter-
The Fund has now received donations of over $30 million ministerial situation analyses and needs assessment
for projects and supported 117 projects, which are (SANA) reports to help to identify critical issues for
currently being undertaken by 97 governments and inclusion in planning for sustainable development.
ASSESSMENT
AND
MANAGEMENT
OF RISKS

As part of its hazardous waste management capacity-building programme in Côte d’Ivoire, UNEP
provided sixteen laboratory staff with 80 days of intensive training over two years © UNEP

UNEP analysis contributes to prevention of hazardous waste-related disasters: Côte d’Ivoire

In 2006, when thousands of Abidjan residents in Côte d’Ivoire reported health problems after large
quantities of toxic sludge was discharged from the vessel ‘Probo Koala’ and dumped on open landfills
and in local waterways, the world’s attention turned to the ability of many African countries to detect and
manage hazardous waste. Four years later, in a bid to prevent a repeat of the Côte d’Ivoire incident and
as part of a systematic strengthening of the country’s capacity to manage hazardous waste, a modern
laboratory was established in Abidjan with the help of UNEP and its Basel Convention Secretariat.

The laboratory is able to test for hazardous waste from ships entering the West African port as well as test
82 for potential contamination in soil and water samples. Sixteen laboratory staff also received intensive
training on sampling and analysis so that the laboratory can provide the analytical services necessary
unep annual report 2010 : harmful substances and hazardous waste

to advise the government and protect those communities whose livelihoods are dependent on healthy
waterways. The Côte d'Ivoire model is now to be introduced by the Basel Convention Secretariat in
Gabon, Morocco and Madagascar.

I am impressed not only by the quality of the equipment procured by UNEP, but
also by the quality of the staff that was trained by UNEP’s experts. My Ministry
can now count on an effective tool and well-trained staff to detect and analyse
any type of pollution, including of course the type dumped by the Probo Koala
vessel, which is still present in our minds. This is very reassuring to the people
of Côte d’Ivoire.
Mr. Karim Fadiga, Minister of Environment, Water and Forests of Côte d’Ivoire having toured the new laboratory.
ASSESSMENT AND
MANAGEMENT OF RISKS

Piloting innovative approaches through


global study on Persistent Organic Pollutants:
Asia Region Toxic smoke © iStockphoto

While the Stockholm Convention on POPs seeks the global elimination of many of the most hazardous chemicals,
work at national level to implement the control measures in the treaty needs to be based on a clear understanding
of local problems. Until recently, few developing countries had the ability to analyse POPs and the laboratories that
existed struggled to be recognized as providing reliable results that country Parties could use for reporting under
the Convention.

In 2010, and as part of long-term efforts to build laboratory capacity, UNEP concluded the first Worldwide
Intercalibration Study on POPs in the Asia region, with 24 laboratories from Asian developing countries and 14
laboratories from OECD countries. The study tested the ability of all the laboratories to analyse standard samples
and demonstrated the competence and
Level Trends in POPs and mercury in eggs of Thick-billed murres reliability of participating laboratories
3.0
in Asia.
Total DDT
Total PCB
Twenty-one of the most persistent 83
2.5 Total Mercury
organic pollutants (POPs) are now

unep annual report 2010 : harmful substances and hazardous waste


strictly controlled by the Stockholm
Note: Levels are g/g dry
2.0 Convention agreed in 2001, which
weight for mercury and lipid
has 172 Parties. Fourteen of the POPs
weight for PCBs and DDT.
are pesticides. Others are industrial
1.5 chemicals including some brominated
flame retardants; the remainder include
dioxins and furans, which are found
1.0 in small amounts in the environment,
including air, water and soil.

0.5
Trends in POPs and mercury in eggs of thick-billed murres
Source: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada 2003 Canadian Arctic Contaminants
0 Assessment Report II. and Braune and others 2005 Persistent organic pollutants and
mercury in marine biota of the Canadian Arctic: an overview of spatial and temporal trends.
1975 1976 1977 1987 1988 1993 1998 2003
In: Global Environment Outlook 4. Environment for Development, 2007 Photo by M. Mallory
Sources: INAC 2003, Braune and others 2005
CONTROL OF
TARGETED
CHEMICALS

Gold mining in French Guiana © Corbis

Reducing risks from mercury

An important step forward towards eliminating the use of one of the world’s most toxic heavy metals,
mercury, was taken in June 2010. UNEP, serving as the Secretariat, convened the first session of the
Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to prepare a global legally binding instrument on Mercury
(INC1). UNEP recognizes that it will be some time before a legally-binding instrument comes into force.

In the interim, the Global Mercury Partnership has been formed to take immediate action wherever
possible on mercury use and release. Since 2009, membership has trebled to almost 70; including 14
84 governments, four intergovernmental organizations, 31 non-governmental organizations and 19 other
unep annual report 2010 : harmful substances and hazardous waste

groups, organizations or individuals.

Probably the largest intentional use of mercury is by artisanal and small-scale gold miners who add
mercury to their crushed ore and ‘concentrate’ to help separate the gold, producing 20 to 30 per cent
of total world gold production. Few miners use any equipment to trap the mercury vapours so these
evaporate and are breathed in by the miners, their families and neighbours — causing them long-term,
severe and sometimes irreversible medical problems.

During 2010, UNEP helped countries develop an understanding of their mercury problems; to develop
national plans for tackling mercury waste and to examine options to store unwanted mercury, as well
as examine the socio-economic influences driving the growth in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.

The partnership helped countries with many coal-fired power plants to understand and quantify their
unintentional mercury releases. Good practices for pollution control to restrict mercury emissions have
been developed for coal-fired power plants and for waste incinerators.
CONTROL OF
TARGETED CHEMICALS

Taking the lead on lead

During 2010, the number of countries still using


leaded vehicle fuels was reduced and today only
six countries use small amounts of leaded gasoline.
The UNEP-led Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles
Barrel containing harmful substances washed up on a beach © iStockphoto
is working with all of these to help develop plans to
phase out those fuels and ‘beat the lead habit’.

However, breathing in the exhaust fumes from Coherence in actions to prevent further
vehicles using leaded fuels is not the only way in degradation of the marine environment from
which children and adults become poisoned by lead. land-based activities
Paint and the dust created during building work is
also an important exposure route. During 2006, the global annual total amount
of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) reached 2.02
In 2009, at the second International Conference on billion tonnes, representing a 7 per cent annual
Chemicals Management, the world was reminded increase since 2003 (Global Waste Management
that paints containing lead compounds are easily Market Report, 2007). This trend is predicted to
available for domestic use in many countries. UNEP continue. For hazardous waste, the Secretariat of
and WHO were asked to initiate a partnership to work the Basel Convention estimated that about 318
85
towards the elimination of lead paints. and 338 million tonnes were generated in 2000 and

unep annual report 2010 : harmful substances and hazardous waste


2001 respectively.
An inaugural meeting of the Global Alliance to
Eliminate Lead Paint was held during 2010 and As much as 80 per cent of the pollution load in
attracted 35 participants from governments, coastal waters and the deep oceans come from
intergovernmental organizations, civil society land-based activities. The pollutants include
organizations, industry and academia. This heavy metals and POPs, litter, radioactive waste,
resulted in endorsing the establishment of a global hydrocarbons and chemicals — including nutrients.
partnership to promote the phase-out of the use of Excess use and inefficient practices leads to
lead in paint. nutrient over-enrichment, causing soil acidification,
groundwater pollution, and the undermining of
The overall goal is to prevent children's exposure to marine and coastal ecosystems and the services and
lead paints and to minimize occupational exposures livelihoods they support.
to lead in paint. A broad objective is to phase out the
manufacture and sale of paints containing lead and
eventually to eliminate the risks from such paint. For more on UNEP’s work on nutrients, see page 71.
CONTROL OF
TARGETED
CHEMICALS

Water pollution © iStockphoto

Chemicals at sea Convention for the Protection, management and Development of the Marine and
Coastal Environment in the Eastern African Region (Nairobi Convention)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
SAP
Strategic Action
Programme
P.O. Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel : +254 20 7622025
Fax : +254 20 7623203
E-mail : [email protected]
Website : www.unep.org/nairobiconvention Protection of the Coastal and Marine Environment of the
Western Indian Ocean from Land-based Sources and Activities
Harmful substances and waste generated on land
find their way into waterways and are transferred
to marine and coastal environments. The Global In March 2010, Ministers and officials from ten
Programme of Action for the Protection of the countries and territories in East Africa endorsed
Marine Environment from Land-based Activities or signed a potentially far-reaching protocol
(GPA-Marine) is the only global intergovernmental to protect East Africa’s coastal and marine
initiative directly addressing the link between environment. Ten countries of the Western Indian
86
watersheds, coastal waters and the open ocean. Ocean region signed the Final Act of the Land-
unep annual report 2010 : harmful substances and hazardous waste

based Sources and Activities (LBSA) Protocol


The Regional Seas Programme, launched in 1974, is and eight countries signed it during the Sixth
one of UNEP’s most significant achievements over Conference of Parties to the Nairobi Convention
the past 35 years. The Regional Seas conventions organized by UNEP. This regional LBSA protocol is
and action plans contribute to the sustainable expected to bind governments towards a common
management and protection of the coastal objective of managing pollution from land-based
and marine environment by preventing further sources and activities in order to protect and
degradation of the marine environment from sustain the marine and coastal environment in the
pollution derived from land based activities. Western Indian Ocean.

There are currently 18 Regional Seas During 2010-11, the programme will link to
conventions and action plans across the on-land activities to strengthen the mainstreaming
world, involving 184 countries. of sound chemicals management.
Coherence
in action

Two men in protective gear cleaning up after a chemical accident © iStockphoto

Strengthening the chemicals and waste Multilateral Environmental Agreements

In February 2010, governments agreed to merge the administrations of the Basel, Rotterdam
and Stockholm Conventions on chemicals and hazardous wastes — an unprecedented historical
model where three Conferences of the Parties met simultaneously and undertook simultaneous
decision-making in a wave of cooperative action towards boosting delivery in country. This was
the outcome of extended intergovernmental discussions supported by UNEP, which administers
the Secretariats for these Conventions.

87

unep annual report 2010 : harmful substances and hazardous waste

Presidents of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions gavel a decision simultaneously
© Photograph courtesy of IISD/Earth Negotiations Bulletin
ENCY
EFFICI
RESOURCE
© iStockphoto, Gallo/Getty Images

RESOURCE EFFICIENCY,
SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION
AND PRODUCTION
Accelerating the transition to
resource efficient societies

UNEP’s objective is to ensure natural


resources are produced, processed and
consumed in a more environmentally
sustainable way. UNEP’s work focuses
on four core areas:

• UNEP conducts assessments of trends


in the way resources are extracted and
used throughout the global economy.

• Governments look to UNEP for


support in developing national policies
and implementing national solutions
by use of regulatory and economic
instruments, as well as new policy and
management approaches such as 3R
RESULTS TARGETED (reduce, re-use, recycle).

Resource efficiency is increased and • UNEP builds on the insights gathered


pollution is reduced over product life from scientific and macroeconomic
cycles and along supply chains. assessments to identify investment
opportunities for alternative business
89
Investment in efficient, clean and safe models and improvements in some of

unep annual report 2010 : resource efficiency


industrial production methods through the most resource intensive industries.
public policies and private sector action
is increased. • UNEP works with media and
communication experts to raise
Consumer choice favours more resource awareness, helping individual and
efficient and environmentally friendly institutional consumers purchase and
products. use resource efficient technologies,
products and services.
Seizing Investment Opportunities
RESOURCE EFFICIENCY: First finance sector members from Greece and
A SNAPSHOT OF 2010 RESULTS Turkey join the UNEP Finance Initiative (FI).

Assessments to Strengthen the Scientific


Knowledge Base
Two resource inefficient and unsustainable agri-
food supply chains selected, studied to provide
robust knowledge platform on resource
inefficiencies in the supply chain. One in Brazil
and the other in Thailand.

Stimulating Demand
Training provided on sustainable public
procurement in Colombia and Uruguay.

90
unep annual report 2010 : resource efficiency

Building Capacity for Policy Action


Collaboration initiated with new countries
expressing interest formally in green economy
advice. The new participants include: Barbados,
Indonesia, Jordan and South Africa.
Stimulating Demand
Economic studies of Agricultural Sector in three
EECCA (Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia)
countries paves way for work on economic pricing,
KEY FACTS
complementing the macro-economic Green
Economy Initiative work, studies undertaken in
Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine.
The building sector is
responsible for more than
a third of global resource
consumption annually, including
12 per cent of all fresh water
use, and produces 40 per cent of
solid waste.
Seizing Investment Opportunities
20 Small and Medium Size Enterprises and
Sustainable Consumption and Production providers
trained in Resource Efficient Cleaner Production;
subsequently 16 industrial improvement plans under
The International Energy
implementation in both Ethiopia and Vietnam. Agency has estimated that
fuel consumption and CO2
emissions from the world’s cars
will roughly double between
2000 and 2050.

It is estimated that around


140 billion tonnes of agricultural
biomass is produced annually.
Stimulating Demand
National level support provided in
introduction of eco-labeling schemes
related to textiles and electronic A global Green Economy
goods in India and South Africa.
requires much higher recycling
rates of specialty metals such as 91
lithium, neodymium and gallium

unep annual report 2010 : resource efficiency


— yet only about 1 per cent of
them are recycled.

Stimulating Demand
Green sporting events improve youth education
through the Green Passport Campaign, raising
awareness to 100,000 visitors during the 2010 FIFA
World Cup in South Africa. One aspect of the Green Economy
is a vision of a sustainable world in
which people everywhere
can enjoy a high quality of life
within the productive capacity of
the planet.
1. Recycling plastic containers at a market in Addis Ababa 2. South Africa soccerball made from reused post consumer plastics project © Corbis

Scientific research shows that we are rapidly spiralling into ecological debt, overshooting the planet’s
carrying capacity, yet a large proportion of the world’s population is still struggling to meet basic needs.

UNEP recognizes that investment in a new generation of environmentally sound technologies, cleaner
92 industrial processes and greener cities has the power to positively transform economies and societies.
UNEP’s vision is based on delivering improved productivity and less waste, cleaner investment and more
unep annual report 2010 : resource efficiency

sustainable lifestyles.

Decoupling growth from environmental degradation is the number one


challenge facing governments in a world of rising numbers of people,
rising incomes, rising consumption demands and the persistent challenge
of poverty alleviation.
Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme.
Highlights in 2010

The impact of resource use on economies


ASSESSING
CRITICAL TRENDS
One of the principal challenges facing nations today
is how to ensure that both people and the natural
environment have adequate freshwater. UNEP worked
with companies to improve methodologies in the UNEP’s Resource Panel released key assessments with
use of water footprinting, which is critical for water policy-relevant conclusions on alarming trends in the use
intensive industries. and disposal of key resources and consumer goods.

UNEP also oversaw the development of Corporate The metals report analysed recycling rates of specialty
Water Accounting with the Chief Executive Officer metals, showing that a Green Economy will require much
Water Mandate of the United Nations Global Compact. higher recycling rates of specialty metals such as lithium,
This report examines corporate water accounting neodymium and gallium. These metals, needed to make
that considers the social, political and environmental wind turbines, solar panels and hybrid car batteries, are
conditions of the watersheds in which participant scarce in nature and expensive — yet only about 1 per
companies operate. cent of them are recycled.

Specialty and rare earth metals could


Adapted from van der Voet et al (2005) — Relative contribution of groups of
finished materials to total environmental problems become essentially unavailable for use in
100%
modern technology.
Plastics
90% Coal (Heating and
electricity in Another assessment report examined the environmental
80%
housing)
impacts of consumption and production, highlighting
Natural Gas (Heating
and electricity in priority products and materials for policy-makers. The
70%
housing)
assessment concluded that dramatically reforming, re-
Crude Oil (Heating
and electricity in thinking and redesigning two areas — fossil fuel use and
housing)
60% agrifood — could generate significant environmental,
Biomass from
forestry (Wood, social and economic returns. 93
50% paper and board)

unep annual report 2010 : resource efficiency


Animal Products
(Animal protein and A report on electronic waste, a partnership of UNEP
40% fish)
Crops with the United Nations University in the StEP initiative
Iron and Steel (Solving the e-Waste Problem) predicted that sales
30%
Other Metals (Zinc, of electronic products in countries such as China and
Lead, Nickel, Lead,
20%
Copper, Aluminium) India and across continents such as Africa and Latin
Minerals (Glass, Salt, America are set to rise sharply in the next 10 years.
Concrete, Ceramics,
10% Clay, Sand and Unless action is stepped up to properly collect and
Stone)
recycle materials, many developing countries face the
0% spectre of hazardous e-waste mountains, with serious
Consumption by Global Warming Land Use Human Toxicity Environmentally
mass Potential Competition weighted Material consequences for the environment and public health.
Consumption
Building capacity
for policy action

Recycling metals © Corbis

Catalysing resource efficiency In 2010 an additional six countries went unleaded: Egypt,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia-
In most countries, small and medium enterprises Herzegovina. The Partnership, with its Clearing-House based
(SMEs) are the backbone of economic and industrial at UNEP Headquarters, has on-going or planned activities in
activity. In 2010, UNEP further developed its partnership all the remaining six countries. These are Myanmar, North
with the United Nations Industrial Development Korea, Yemen, Algeria, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Organization (UNIDO) in providing capacity building
support to SMEs in developing countries and A recent global study by the California State University shows
transition economies. that societal benefits are major — much larger than thus far
believed. The global elimination is estimated to save over 1.2
National Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production million premature deaths per year. Financial benefits are also
(RECP) programmes were initiated in four developing significant — close to �100 billion per year for Africa alone.
and transition economies and centres are being
developed for a further two. Four regional training-the- Follow up on the Rio and Johannesburg legacy
trainer workshops were carried out in Panama, Cairo,
Colombo and Vienna. An assessment for a National Changing consumption and production patterns was
Cleaner Production Programme (NCPP) was completed recognized as a key goal in the Johannesburg Plan of
in Albania, Rwanda and Mauritius and initiated in Implementation (JPOI) agreed at the World Summit on
Uruguay, Senegal, Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia. NCPPs Sustainable Development in 2002. The Marrakech Process
94 for Albania and Rwanda have been developed jointly on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP), led by
with UNIDO through One-UN funding. UNEP and United Nations Department of Economic and
unep annual report 2010 : resource efficiency

Social Affairs, has been developing and piloting innovative


Worldwide phase out of leaded gasoline policies and capacity building initiatives to support the shift
to sustainable consumption and production.
The Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV)
has achieved great success in the global elimination of Governments at the 18th session of the United Nations
leaded gasoline since its launch at the World Summit Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in May 2010
on Sustainable Development in 2002. Today, only recognized the value of these building blocks for a Ten Year
six countries are still using small amounts of leaded Framework of Programmes (10 YFP) on SCP. Governments
gasoline and a complete global elimination is within reach also recognized the 10 YFP as an important input to Rio+20
in the next biennium. discussions on the Green Economy.
seizing
investment
opportunities

Diver and spiny lobster © UNEP


Pests and lobster battles –
threats to future food security

Ask any rice farmer in Thailand about the ‘brown hopper plant’ and they are likely to shudder.
The brown hopper plant may be small, but is deadly to rice crops and consequently, farmers’
incomes, and in the long-term, Thailand’s food security. The excessive use of insecticides and urea
as nitrogenous fertilizer has led to multiple outbreaks of brown hoppers in part by reducing their
natural enemies. The brown plant hopper pest is now proving to be a ‘call to arms’ for the industry to
promote a more integrated holistic approach to farming rice, in which water, fertilizer and pesticides
can be used more efficiently.

In Brazil, a prized resource, the lobster, has become a source of conflict between legal artisanal
fishers and illegal deep sea divers. Around 3,000 mostly artisanal boats make a living from small-
scale lobster fisheries. Most of the traditional sail boats are around three metres in length. They are
the mainstay of communities dotted along the coast in the north-east of Brazil. Although this fleet
is licensed, it is forced to compete with illegal boats with untrained divers that steer them. These
divers use illegal, unregulated and dangerous equipment to poach lobster from the legal deep-sea
95
traps. Consequently, the artisanal fleet and the illegal fleet are often caught in combat. The navy is

unep annual report 2010 : resource efficiency


unable to consistently police the area, the lobster stock is dwindling and the competition for catch
intensifying. Most of this catch goes almost exclusively to the USA and the European Union.

UNEP is working with two pilot supply chain projects in Brazil and Thailand to secure the livelihoods
for future generations of fishers and farmers. UNEP has brought together all the supply chain actors
to develop sustainability recommendations from provenance to plate. These recommendations will
be taken forward and tested in 2011, developing new standards of behaviour that can be replicated
throughout the industries involved world-wide.
seizing
investment
opportunities

Ethanol plant © iStockphoto

The alchemy of transforming waste

It’s estimated that around 140 billion tonnes of biomass is produced annually. However, in
Sri Lanka and Nepal, UNEP’s International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC) is pilot
testing new approaches and helping to convert waste agricultural biomass including rice
husks, grass and fruit and vegetable waste into energy.

This conversion provides a decentralized energy source in rural areas, simultaneously


offering a cost-effective solution to waste disposal and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
from rotting or burning waste agricultural biomass and from the substitution of fossil fuels.

Working with two principal partners, the National Cleaner Production Centre in Sri Lanka
and the Society for Environment and Economic Development in Nepal, UNEP has trained
96
communities, and helped local partners to procure and install technologies to treat some
unep annual report 2010 : resource efficiency

2,000 tonnes per annum of rotten vegetables in Nepal and 1,000 tonnes per annum of
mixed dry agricultural waste in Sri Lanka across two pilot areas. The biomass is turned into
compost as well as heat and used to dry limes and other fruit, enhancing livelihoods in one
of Sri Lanka’s poorest areas.

The IETC is working to extend the initiative to Pakistan and the Philippines and has plans to
start work with a fifth country in Asia.
stimulating demand for resource efficiency
Efficiency in construction and Catalysing the use of voluntary measures in
procurement practices consumer choice

UNEP’s Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative UNEP, through its project Enabling Developing Countries
(SBCI) initiated the development of a green building to Seize Eco-labelling opportunities, promotes the
index and launched a standard methodology for production of goods and services that are compliant with
building energy efficiency metrics and accounting. Over recognized voluntary standards. In 2010, UNEP organized
30 companies and national green building councils national and regional training workshops in seven selected
are participating. countries, attended by participants from private sector
and government. The European Union eco-label was
UNEP also supported eight countries in the used as a case study to encourage companies to apply for
implementation of sustainable public procurement: certification for eventual export of eco-labelled products
Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Uruguay, Tunisia, to the European market.
Lebanon and Mauritius. Some 120 experts from 48
countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe have UNEP has collaborative agreements with the International
acquired and upgraded their skills and knowledge in the Organisation for Standardisation and the Global Reporting
area. The aim is to help these countries change their public Initiative, which have been used to align activities in
procurement practices in ways that send market signals building capacity in the convergence and application of
in favour of the use of more resource efficient products new standards. Supporting Governments with advice in
and services. this area, UNEP co-published ‘Carrots and Sticks’ with an
overview analysis of voluntary and mandatory reporting
requirements in OECD countries and emerging markets.
Industrialisation
Low density industrialised countries Low density developing
Low density countries
developing countrie

50 50
45 45
40 40
35 35
30 30
Low 25 25
Density 20 20
15 15
Domestic Material 97
10 10
5 Consumption

unep annual report 2010 : resource efficiency


5
Population Density

0 0
Australia
Australia Canada
Canada Finland
Finland USA
USA Argentina
Argentina Brazil
Brazil Saudi
SaudiArabia
Arabia South Africa
South Africa
(tonnes per capita) in
industrial and developing
High density industrialised countries High density developing countries
countries in the year 2000
50 50
45 45
40 40
35 35
30 30
High 25 25
Density 20 20
15 15
10 10
5 5
0 0
Austria
Austria Germany
Germany Japan
Japan UK
UK EU
EU 2727 China
China Cuba
Cuba India
India Mexico
Mexico Nigeria
Nigeria

Construction minerals Industrial minerals and ores Fossil fuels Biomass


Source: Krausmann et al (2008)
“There can be no human development in
an environment that does not support life.
We must feel inspired.
MESSAGE
The
Green
We must feel encouraged.
We must take responsibility.
Because if people living in the world’s
poorest communities can throw themselves
so fully into protecting
our shared environment,
so can we all. So must we all.”
© UNEP, Corbis

Gisele Bündchen, Supermodel


and UNEP Goodwill Ambassador
David de Rothschild – nearing Fiji © Plastiki Crew

The Green Message:


Inspiring Action and Change
99
From trees to tweeting, sports to sustainability or forests to

unep annual report 2010 : the green message


Facebook, successfully communicating both the challenges and
solutions which address the current state of the planet is vital to
change mindsets and behaviour.

Engaging environmental ambassadors, rewarding champions,


bringing environmental best practices to popular sporting events
and working with global and local partners all play a key role.
www.unep.org/wed

People around the world celebrated


WED 2010 with tens of thousands of
activities in 109 countries. It was the
largest and most successful ever
celebration of World Environment Day,
5 June, which celebrated the UN
International Year of Biodiversity, heralding
a global call to take stock of our impact upon
and relationship with the planet. Twenty-five
Don Cheadle and WED celebrations in Rwanda 2010 © UNEP
UN agencies organized WED celebrations
worldwide with some 3.3 million visits to the
WED website.
When else do we get to mobilize hundreds of
thousands of people from across the globe for Activities ranged from individual actions such
positive action on the planet in one day? as street clean-ups and parades, gardening and
On World Environment Day (WED) of course! collecting rubbish to private sector and commercial
enterprise commitments. 2,920 articles referenced
I would love it if we were able to WED 2010 on mainstream and web-based media;
live in a world, which is in harmony and 183 per cent increase from 2009.
with its environment. We need to
100 2010 also saw the launch of the WED Legacy
educate people on the environment Project. For every registered activity, UNEP
unep annual report 2010 : the green message

and draw clear connections now — pledged $10 to support a project in the WED host
it is not disparate pieces, it really country. Rwanda received over $100,000 in cash
is a chain of life. We have to and in-kind contributions both to support gorilla
protection and provide solar power to a village.
connect the dots. I am surprised the
The proliferation of WED activities and its messages
environment is not at the top of the have been enhanced through mobile and digital
agenda. What is more important technologies and platforms, all of which allow
than clean air and a healthy planet? easier and faster communication than ever before.
Don Cheadle,
UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, actor and World Environment Day 2011 will celebrate the UN
environmentalist on World Environment Day 2010. Year of Forests.
Plastiki © Patrick Riviere

A green message in a bottle —


Would you sail across the ocean on a bed
of plastic bottles held together by cashew nut and sugar glue?

It has been estimated that over 13,000 pieces of plastic litter are floating on every square kilometre
of ocean and it takes 450 years for a single plastic beverage bottle to degrade in the marine
environment. Three years ago, a UNEP report entitled ‘Ecosystems and Biodiversity in Deep Waters
and High Seas’ charted the way fisheries, pollution and other stresses impact and affect the
marine world.

The Plastiki, a 60-foot catamaran made from 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles and fully recycled 101
plastic, set sail at the end of March from San Francisco to Australia. Led by David de Rothschild,

unep annual report 2010 : the green message


UNEP Climate Hero and British adventurer and environmentalist, the Plastiki's mission was to
beat waste by drawing attention to the large amount of plastic debris in the world’s oceans and
to re-think how waste can be a resource. After sailing more than 8,000 nautical miles and taking
128 days to cross the Pacific, the world's largest ocean, the Plastiki expedition and her crew arrived
safely at Sydney in July.

“This is truly a message on a bottle”, said Mr. de Rothschild. “We have this addiction to single-use,
throwaway plastic, which is choking up the ecosystem. With Plastiki, we want to enlighten, inform and
inspire people and show that there are solutions and not just problems.”
Peru district of Tumán, Lambayeque enter the Guinness Book of Records by planting
27,166 trees simultaneously in five minutes, 20 seconds and 37 hundredths © AgroRural
www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign

Plant for the planet

It is rare that a simple action can be so infectious and effective, yet the act of planting a tree as part of
UNEP’s Billion Tree Campaign has catalysed a collective, powerful response among citizens, communities and
governments around the world.

In June, LG Display signed an agreement to participate in the ‘Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign’
and decided to build a �1 million green fund in connection with the campaign. LG Display wanted to be part
of the Billion Tree Campaign to convey the message that products made with eco-friendly parts contribute
102 greatly to protecting the environment.
unep annual report 2010 : the green message

The Billion Tree Campaign has inspired the involvement of all 192 United Nations Member States, and
numerous governments have registered data on afforestation.

UNEP’s Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign is a worldwide initiative that encourages
governments, organizations of all kinds, and individuals, to plant trees. Since its inception in
2006, the Billion Tree Campaign has recorded the planting of more than 10 billion trees, which
— according to estimates based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change guidelines —
have the potential to absorb 164 million tonnes of CO2 per year over their lifespan.
UNEP’s prize winners
and ambassadors:
their gifts to the world

UNEP takes pride in recognizing


outstanding individuals, organizations and
entrepreneurship in service of the planet and
2010 winners of the UNEP Sasakawa Prize © UNEP
the promotion of sustainable development.
2010 saw an increase of close to 100 per
cent in entries across the board for its flagship
prizes — Champions of the Earth and the UNEP
Sasakawa Prize.
In 2010, UNEP added three new Goodwill Ambassadors,
to its roster. In March, to mark the launch of UNEP's
2010 Champion of the Earth laureates included
Batting for the Environment Initiative with the Indian
presidents, scientists, actors and businessmen.
Premier League, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was
The UNEP Sasakawa Prize winners were chosen
designated Goodwill Ambassador. A few months later
for work on bringing clean, affordable lighting
on World Environment Day, Academy Award nominee
solutions to rural communities in Rwanda, Kenya
Don Cheadle was named Goodwill Ambassador in a
and India, and efforts to promote and distribute 103
traditional gorilla-naming ceremony in Rwanda. In
fuel-efficient cook stoves which burn 70 per cent
July, Chinese actress Li Bing-bing joined the ranks of

unep annual report 2010 : the green message


less wood, saving families $1 — $5/day, and
celebrity environment crusaders when she was named
decreasing harmful carbon emissions by 1 tonne
UNEP’s Goodwill ambassador to China. All are active in
CO2 equivalent/year per stove for domestic users.
promoting sustainable lifestyles.

www.unep.org/champions
www.unep.org/sasakawa
Facebook page in March 2010. 12,379 bloggers
wrote about WED 2010 and the UNEP twitter
account has been recognized by the Guardian
newspaper as one of the top environmental
Shanghai © Shutterstock accounts to follow.

Exhibits to email Green learning


Online Access to Research in the Environment

UNEP, in coordination with UN Habitat, led the Online Access to Research in the Environment
3,247,709
‘Green Expo’ on the ‘Nature of Cities’ illustrating (OARE) offers access to scientific research in 109
visits in six
months how cities can exist in harmony with the natural developing countries and is a partnership led by
world at the 2010 Shanghai Expo. UNEP with the World Health Organization, the Food
and Agricultural Organization and Yale University.
The Chinese version of the famous environmental
film HOME was launched at the United Nations OARE now offers more than 3,000 scientific
Pavilion. Taking 15 years to shoot in 54 countries, peer reviewed journals from over 200
the film has been dubbed the largest environmental publishers. As of November 2010, more
film in history. Film director Yann Arthus-Bertrand is than 2,200 institutions have registered for
also a UNEP Goodwill Ambassador. access. UNEP's Mainstreaming Environment
and Sustainability Programme in African
Activity on www.unep.org continues to rise. Universities (MESA) is now operational in
104 From January to December 2010, www.unep.org 90 universities across 42 countries in Africa.
registered 16,022,801 visits, 308,834,092 hits, and
unep annual report 2010 : the green message

87,596,595 page views. This denotes an increase UNEP’s e-Publishing Policy came into effect in 2010
of 19.6 per cent, 27.8 per cent and 24.3 per cent with the aim of making the dissemination of our
respectively compared to 2009. The most popular publications less expensive, more environmentally
sites in 2010 were the UNEP News Centre, World friendly and more simple.
Environment Day and GEO.
95 per cent of UNEP’s publications are
UNEP-followers on social media number around available online in portable document
560,000 individuals. The vast majority derives format (PDF). The aim is to make the entire
from the Chinese social media platform RenRen, publications library available for free on
established in early 2009. UNEP also launched a line: www.unep.org/publications
Sports, music and The youth of today, the adults of tomorrow
environmental sustainability
The annual children’s painting competition
What was the most watched TV event of 2010? organized by UNEP, the Japan-based Foundation
It’s thought that over 3 billion people watched the for Global Peace and Environment (FGPE), Bayer
opening of the World Cup. and Nikon received 594,032 entries on biodiversity
from 95 countries. The competition, in its initial
Major sporting events such as the FIFA World outreach stage, engaged over 2 million children
Cup have the potential to build global awareness and their teachers in schools around the world.
of environmental issues and promote a reduced
ecological footprint. UNEP, with support from the Young people from over 100 countries participated
Global Environment Facility (GEF), assisted South in the celebration of major UN days and activities.
Africa in the run up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup Millions of young people from the Scout Movements,
with $1,000,000. Street lights, billboards and traffic the Girl Guides and community children and youth
lights at the six host cities were retrofitted with organizations carried out activities.
solar power.
The first Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in
UNEP is currently conducting an independent August 2010 brought UNEP and 3,500 young
environmental assessment on the greening of the athletes together to work through how to live more
2010 FIFA World Cup. The report will be released at sustainable lifestyles.
the Governing Council in February 2011.

UNEP also worked with 12 teams of the competition


to offset emissions linked with the event, including
seven under a new partnership with PUMA, the
sportswear company.

In another sporting partnership with the Indian


Premier League (IPL), it is calculating its carbon 105
footprint and examining ways of reducing the

unep annual report 2010 : the green message


Samuel Eto‘o © UNEP
overall environmental impact of its operations,
from waste management to energy efficiency and
water. Estimates of fans watching IPL matches stand The PUMA/UNEP 'Play for Life' initiative
at over 2 billion. Each match started with a UNEP netted $800,000 for three biodiversity
‘Green Environmental Tip’. conservation projects in Africa. Football stars
such as Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon worked
In March 2010, UNEP/GRID-Arendal hosted the first alongside UNEP to promote biodiversity and
music industry stakeholder meeting. Twenty-four sustainable development messaging in 2010,
music representatives pledged their commitment reaching out to potentially millions of fans
towards making the industry more sustainable in across the globe.
the form of a communique. www.unep.org/Sport_env/Puma_PlayforLife.asp
A SNAPSHOT OF
PUBLICATIONS 2010
The TEEB Synthesis Report
– Mainstreaming the

T f Bi
h E o
Economics of Nature

o
e c d
&

E os iv
c y e
Launched in October at

o s rs
n t i
o e t
m m y
the CBD COP10 in Nagoya,

ic s
30 Ways in 30 Days

s
From creating mass markets Japan, this report illustrates
for solar water heaters to how TEEB economic concepts
Emissions Gap Report and tools can help equip
planting trees and protecting
Launched in advance society with the means to
forests, UNEP released 30
of the UNFCCC incorporate the values of nature
case studies in the run-up to MAINSTREAMING THE ECONOMICS OF NATURE
Mexico meeting, this A SYNTHESIS OF THE APPROACH, CONCLUSIONS
into decision-making. Following
the UN climate convention AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF TEEB

report concludes that a the report, the World Bank


in Mexico to prove that
significant emissions gap launched a global partnership
solutions to combat climate
exists between national on “green accounting.”
change are available,
commitments and what is
accessible and replicable.
needed to keep the global
temperature rise below
2° C. UNEP has been
asked to look at how to GEO Latin America
close the gap. GEO LAC 3 warns that the
region needs to take a step
forward to sustainably manage
its natural resources and
effectively counteract the
forces that are leading to
environmental degradation.

The UNEP Year Book 2010 Dead Planet, Living Planet


highlighted the latest science Launched on the eve of World
Ocean Acidification
and developments and progress Environment Day, 2010 the report
Released at the
in environmental governance; draws on thousands of ecosystem
UNFCCC meeting
the effects of degradation restoration projects world-wide
in Mexico, this report
of the world’s ecosystems; and showcases over 30 initiatives
shows the effects of
impacts of climate change; that are transforming the lives of
rising concentrations
106 effects of harmful substances communities and countries across
of CO2 on the marine
and hazardous waste on human the globe.
unep annual report 2010 : the green message

environment and their


potential devastating health and the environment;
consequences on disasters and conflicts related
species and ecosystems. to the environment; and the
unsustainable use of resources.
Green Economy – Developing
Countries Success Stories
The Last Stand of the Gorilla This collection of eight Green
Released at the 15th CITES Economy initiatives from
meeting in Qatar, this report developing countries illustrates
underscores that myriad threats the benefits from specific
from poaching to the illegal green investment policies
timber trade are hitting Great Ape which if scaled up could
populations and habitats faster offer a pro-growth, pro-jobs
than first thought. development path.
Marine
Biodiversity
Outlook –
Global
Synthesis
Clearing the Waters Launched Africa Water Atlas
Sick Water in October Launched at Africa
The challenge of
Released on World at the CBD Water Week in Addis
water is one of both
Water Day, this COP10 in Ababa, Ethiopia, the
quantity and quality.
report addresses the Nagoya, new atlas shows Africa's
This publication
challenges posed by Japan, this vulnerable water
highlights the links
illegal and unregulated report draws on supporting data from all 18 resources in striking
between clean water
wastewater, which Regional Seas and is the first systematic detail as well as solutions
and public health
present a global threat assessment of marine biodiversity at a sub- and success stories from
and the health of the
to health and well-being. global scale. across the continent.
wider environment.

High Mountain Glaciers


Blue Harvest
and Climate Change
Launched in
Released at the
October at the
UNFCCC meeting in
CBD COP10 in
Mexico, this report
Nagoya, Japan
shows that glaciers
and published in
in South America and
collaboration with
Protecting Arctic Alaska are melting faster
the WorldFish
Biodiversity than those in Europe and that many low-lying ones
Centre, this book spotlights the significant
Launched in October vital for dry land communities may disappear over
contribution of inland fisheries to diet, health
at the CBD COP10 in coming decades.
and the economy.
Nagoya, Japan, the report
urges action to save
Arctic biodiversity which Framing the Flow
requires addressing a Climate Action 4
The fourth edition of Climate This publication highlights
number of threats, whose the linkages between coastal
root causes originate Action launched at UNFCCC 107
in Mexico contains articles ecosystems (mangroves,
outside the region.

unep annual report 2010 : the green message


and features by esteemed coral reefs, seagrasses,
authors from governments, estuaries, and lagoons) and
intergovernmental how to better understand,
organizations, civil society protect and value ecosystem-
and the private sector. services across habitats.

Nutrient Management
Nutrients are key for food security
Environment Outlook for the Arab Region and sustainable development.
The Environment Outlook for the Arab However, excess use and inefficient
region is the first official, comprehensive and practice leads to nutrient over-
integrated assessment of the state of the enrichment, causing soil acidification,
environment in the region. groundwater pollution, harmful algal
blooms and marine dead zones.
© Shutterstock, iStockphoto

THE UN:

EXAMPLE
LEADING BY
THE UN
UNEP SUPPORTING sustainability efforts
in the UN AND LEADING BY EXAMPLE

The United Nations plays a critical role in KEY FACTS


encouraging businesses and governments
to improve their sustainability The emission reduction potential of
performance, and now the UN, with the building sector (at a carbon cost of
90,000 staff and another 110,000 in $20 per tonne CO2 equivalent) is larger
peacekeeping operations, is greening its than the combined potential of industry,
own operations as well. transport and forestry.

The UN Climate Neutral Strategy, which Up to 26 per cent in energy consumption


commits the UN to measure and reduce and 42 per cent in water inputs could be
its greenhouse gas emissions and reduced, and 61 per cent of current solid
investigate the option of purchasing waste could be diverted from landfill in
offsets, was approved in 2007. UN facilities.

RESULTS TARGETED

With emissions of more than 1.7 million tonnes of CO2 a year, the UN is aiming to reduce its
greenhouse gas emissions, focusing its reduction efforts on buildings, travel and procurement.

109

unep annual report 2010 : The UN – leading by example


2 Western Europe 2 4
EECCA North America
2 Central and
Eastern Europe
0 0 2
1971 2000 2030 1971 2000 2030
0
4
1971 2000 2030 Non-Annex I
East Asia 0
2 Middle East & 1971 2000 2030
4
North Africa Non-Annex I 2
South Asia

2 Sub Saharan 0 2
1971 2000 2030 0 2 Latin America
Africa 1971 2000 2030
16 World
0 0 2 0
1971 2000 2030 1971 2000 2030 Pacific OECD 1971 2000 2030
12

0 8
1971 2000 2030
4

0
1971 2000 2030

CO2 emissions from buildings (including through the use of electricity) – IPCC High Growth Scenario. Note: Dark red: historic emissions. Light red: projections 2001
– 2030. 2000 – 2010 data adjusted to actual 2000 carbon dioxide emissions. EECCA= Countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Source: Levine et al, 2007.
1. Environment house planning © iStockphoto 2. Brisbane's new environmentally friendly eco unit
building complex, view showing shades of green angled panels © Shutterstock

Building a sustainable future


110
unep annual report 2010 : The UN – leading by example

How and where we live not only shapes our daily experience, but defines the global urban landscape.
Many of us do not consider the impact of our homes and offices on the environment — either positive
or negative — but buildings are responsible for more than one-third of global energy use and in most
countries are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Available technologies could cut energy consumption in new and old buildings by 30 to 50 per cent
without significantly increasing investment costs. A prevailing frustration is that these technologies are
under-utilized owing to relatively short investment perspectives. The challenge is therefore to mainstream
sustainability and resource efficiency, encouraging a life-cycle approach to building design, construction,
refurbishment and use.
Greening
the Blue

United Nations peacekeeping mission © Corbis

UNEP coordinated efforts across 49 UN entities Initial Results


to prepare the first generation of greenhouse gas
inventories. By end of 2010, 15 UN organizations • The World Food Programme has set in place
submitted emission-reduction action plans. a standard for the sustainable procurement
of air-conditioning.
The interagency Environmental Management
Group (EMG) provided a vehicle to support such • UN peacekeeping missions have pledged
UN-wide collective action. UNEP chaired the EMG, to plant 169,000 trees, half of which have
which coordinates several initiatives through already been planted helping to reforest the
issue management groups and cooperates with world’s trouble-spots.
the UN Development Group (UNDG) and the UN’s • Staff at UNAIDS can travel no more than
coordination mechanisms of the Chief Executives 21 days a year.
Board (CEB).
• Videoconferencing has become a key
The EMG also launched its Biodiversity Report in tool at the UN Conference on Trade and
October at the CBD, in which UN Agencies committed Development, which has pledged to cut
to contribute individually and collectively to the emissions by 20 per cent by 2020.
international biodiversity agenda, in particular by 111
• UNEP assisted the UN Departments of Field
identifying opportunities for cooperation within the

unep annual report 2010 : The UN – leading by example


Support (DFS) to conduct the first ever
respective mandates of different organizations.
environmental impact assessments for new
base camp sites in Mogadishu, Somalia, and
Commitments included work on TEEB (The
Mombasa, Kenya.
Economics of Ecoystems and Biodiversity) and
IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform • UNEP also supported baseline studies on
on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services). energy, water and waste reduction options
for peacekeeping camps, recommending
UNEP launched an UN-wide campaign on in-house a series of simple, practical measures that
sustainability — Greening the Blue — to highlight could lead to cuts of more than 25 per cent
ways staff can contribute to resource efficiency; in energy consumption and 40 per cent
www.greeningtheblue.org. In September 2010, in water use, as well as less solid waste
Greening the Blue won the international ‘IVCA reaching landfills.
Clarion not for profit award’ for Best Website.
UNEP's
Climate Neutral
Strategy

Executives working on a train © Getty Images

UNEP is committed to reducing its own greenhouse gas emissions by 3 per cent each year between
2010 and 2012, from 2009 levels. A key area for emission reductions is work-related travel by UNEP
employees. At present, air travel is responsible for over 85 per cent of UNEP's carbon emissions.

More journeys will be undertaken by train where possible and there will be greater investment in
e-conference technology. UNEP will establish an e-communication plan where all UNEP employees
are provided with access to online communication tools and online meeting rooms.

UNEP has been climate neutral since 2008, but the new efficiency measures in the UNEP Climate
Neutral Strategy will enable UNEP to lead by example in promoting sustainability. Greenhouse gas
emissions from UNEP’s offices — due primarily to electricity use — make up around 15 per cent of
the organization's carbon footprint.
112
To reduce workplace emissions, all UNEP offices with 10 or more staff members will undertake
unep annual report 2010 : The UN – leading by example

in-house greenhouse gas emission reduction audits based on the Sustainable United Nations
(SUN) Guide to Climate Friendly Buildings and Offices. In addition to putting emission reduction
plans in place, the SUN is helping UNEP offices and other UN agencies to consider broader resource
use challenges such as office paper and e-waste. UNEP’s goal is:

• Continuous improvement in sustainability performance and development of an


environmental management system to support this.
• Monitor, manage and report on its climate and sustainability performance on an
annual basis.
• ‘Lead by example’ and provide a basis for raising awareness of similar organizations,
governments, and the public as a whole. UNEP will share methods that can be used by other
organizations to reduce their own environmental and climate footprint.
• To download the UNEP Climate Neutral Strategy, please visit: www.unep.org/sustainability
No place
like home

UNEP’s new home in Nairobi is designed to be energy neutral


through the combination of solar power generation, intelligent
building design (which maximizes natural lighting and cooling),
a state-of-the-art lighting system and the latest in IT solutions
and technology. It is the first of its kind in Africa and will be an
international showcase for sustainable buildings.

The new building incorporates many other sustainable building


features such as rainwater harvesting, water recycling and a
modern water treatment system, improved waste management,
and the use of environmentally friendly building materials.

113

unep annual report 2010 : The UN – leading by example

© UNEP
FINANCE
Organizational
Structure
and
© Corbis
1. Finance © Corbis 2. Business and economy © iStockphoto

UNEP’s mandate and focus are determined by its Governing Council, comprising 58 Member States.
115
Member States to the Governing Council are elected by the UN General Assembly, for four-year terms,

unep annual report 2010 : organizational structure and finance


taking into account the principle of equitable regional representation.

There are 16 seats for African states, 13 seats for Asian states, six seats for Eastern European states, 10 seats
for Latin American and Caribbean states, and 13 seats for Western European and other states.

The Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR), which is made up of government delegates who are
assigned to monitor UNEP’s work, is a subsidiary of the Governing Council. The mandate of the CPR includes
reviewing, monitoring and assessing the implementation of Governing Council decisions, reviewing the
UNEP Programme of Work and budget and its subsequent implementation, and preparing draft decisions
for consideration by the Governing Council.

Full information on the composition, functions and responsibilities of the UNEP Governing Council and the
Committee of Permanent Representatives is available at www.unep.org/resources/gov
UNEP Funding in 2010
Estimated requirements for the approved donors, affected the total amount of funds
Programme of Work and budget for the biennium mobilized through the Environment Fund. As of
2010-2011 total $446.5 million: $180 million from 31 December 2010, Environment Fund income
the Environment Fund, $228.2 million in Trust and totaled $79.2 million. If this income performance
Earmarked Funds and $38.3 million in other funds is repeated in 2011, Environment Fund income
(including programme support costs and the UN will fall short of the $180 million required for the
regular budget). This translates into an estimated Programme of Work and budget for 2010-2011 by
requirement of $218.2 million for 2010. $21.6 million (or 12 per cent).

In 2010, 86 countries made their contributions to Actual 2011 Environment Fund income
the Environment Fund; about 70 per cent of them performance may be more positive. A number
paid close to, or above, the Voluntary indicative of donors customarily pay contributions due in
scale of contributions (VISC). Over 72 per cent the first year of the biennium, early in the second
paid during the first quarter of the biennium. year, together with that year’s contribution. In this
Other Member States were invited to make their regard, UNEP will continue to work on the basis
contributions as early as possible for timely and that we may experience a 10 per cent shortfall
more efficient delivery of UNEP’s Programme in Environment Fund income (as a contingency
of Work. The highest contributors include the scenario) while actively seeking to ensure full
Netherlands ($12.9 million), followed by Germany, funding of the approved budget. It must be noted
UK, USA, France, Sweden and Belgium. that 2010 Environment Fund expenditures totaled
$77 million. This rate of expenditure was the result
Austerity measures adopted by some European of two factors: the initiation and acceleration
countries, as well as the fluctuation in the natural to the first months of the first year of a new
116 exchange rate and non-payments by two major programme (i.e. programme expenditure does not
unep annual report 2010 : organizational structure and finance
follow a straight-line trajectory) and a precautionary Norway. The Programme Cooperation Agreement
approach to expenditures, particularly the filling of for NOK 200 million is the second programmatic
vacant positions, until such time as more income agreement between Norway and UNEP which
is secured. earmarks funds at the subprogramme level.
Similar arrangements have been established
Income and expenditure performance in 2010 for with the Swedish International Development
Trust and Earmarked Funds exceeded the estimates Cooperation Agency (Sida), resulting in a
reflected in the 2010-2011 budget. Income totaled commitment of SEK 95 million in support of four
$126 million which if repeated in 2011 will exceed subprogrammes during the period 2010-2013.
estimates by $23.8 million (or approximately Negotiations are ongoing with other major donors
10 per cent). Expenditure totaled $117.7 million — for the set-up of similar partnerships.
$3.6 million (or 3 per cent) above initial estimates.
An accelerated rate of expenditure for Trust and Additional earmarked contributions were leveraged
Earmarked Funds in 2011 should go some way through increased collaboration with UN agencies.
towards ensuring full delivery of the 2010-2011 $16.6 million were received through the United
Programme of Work. Nations Development Programme in the framework
of joint cooperation programmes implemented
The highest Trust and Earmarked Funds by UNEP and UNDP. Additional funds were raised,
contribution was provided by the Government of for example, in collaboration with UN-HABITAT,

117

unep annual report 2010 : organizational structure and finance


the UN Department of Political Affairs (DPA), the institutions, including banks and insurance
UN Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) and the companies, supported UNEP Finance Initiative to
UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs analyse the impacts of environmental and social
(UNDESA) to support countries to improve natural considerations on financial performance. Their
resource management for conflict prevention and contributions in 2010 totaled over $2 million.
peacebuilding.
While encouraging Member States to move
In addition to resources made available by donors towards contributions to the Environment Fund in
for multilateral aid, UNEP has been exploring preference to extra-budgetary funds in line with
opportunities to access aid funds provided at the UNEP Governing Council’s Decision 25/1 (IV), UNEP
bilateral level by Member States and to further is working to leverage further extra-budgetary
broaden its funding base by engaging with private funds through new partnerships to catalyse
sector and other non-State entities including wider change and achieve the results targeted for
foundations. 2010-2011.

As an example, two projects that have been


funded through the bilateral aid channel by the Note: Figure on contributions received is
Government of Denmark are the Kenya National indicative; 2010 accounts will be closed in
State of Environment Report 2009 and Kenya March 2011.
Renewable Energy, for $710,000. Over 190

118
unep annual report 2010 : organizational structure and finance
ENVIRONMENT FUND — CONTRIBUTIONS IN 2010

2010 PLEDGE/ 2010 PLEDGE/


Country Country
PAYMENT PAYMENT

1 Albania 1,728 45 Lesotho 9,975


2 Algeria 10,000 46 Liechtenstein 9,000
3 Andorra 36,582 47 Lithuania 23,000
4 Argentina 54,475 48 Luxembourg 700,280
5 Armenia 1,500 49 Malawi* 900
6 Australia 839,971 50 Malaysia 40,000
7 Austria 570,000 51 Mauritania* 7,336
8 Bangladesh* 653 52 Mauritius 5,000
9 Barbados 2,500 53 Micronesia* 760
10 Belarus 12,500 54 Moldova 900
11 Belgium 4,488,538 55 Monaco 26,749
12 Bhutan 1,450 56 Morocco 12,079
13 Botswama 6,000 57 Netherlands 12,901,000
14 Brazil* 280,000 58 New Zealand 230,000
15 Bulgaria 8,712 59 Niger 814
16 Cameroon 2,257 60 Norway 3,000,000
17 Canada 2,800,000 61 Oman 10,000
18 Chile 20,000 62 Pakistan 10,968
19 China 500,000 63 Panama 10,000
20 Colombia 40,000 64 Peru 15,000
21 Costa Rica 10,000 65 Philippines* 18,000
22 Croatia 33,000 66 Poland 150,000
23 Cyprus 40,000 67 Romania* 60,000
24 Denmark 3,508,772 68 Russian Federation 900,000
25 Ecuador 3,800 69 Rwanda 1,800
26 El Salvador* 3,200 70 Senegal 2,000 119
27 Eritrea* 900 71 Serbia 14,000

unep annual report 2010 : organizational structure and finance


28 Ethiopia 1,000 72 Singapore 30,000
29 Fiji 4,500 73 Slovak Republic 55,000
30 Finland 4,161,600 74 Slovenia 86,000
31 France 5,440,000 75 Sri Lanka 2,550
32 Germany 9,819,747 76 Suriname* 900
33 Greece 250,000 77 Sweden 4,928,295
34 Guyana 1,000 78 Switzerland 4,035,719
35 Honduras 1,000 79 Thailand 23,045
36 Hungary 50,000 80 Trinidad & Tobago 444
37 India* 100,000 81 Tunisia 17,400
38 Ireland 422,973 82 Turkey 300,000
39 Israel 20,000 83 Turkmenistan* 3,300
40 Japan 2,963,807 84 Uganda 1,850
41 Kazakhstan 17,469 85 United Kingdom 8,572,758
42 Kenya* 30,000 86 USA 6,000,000
43 Korea Rep. 201,325 TOTAL 79,177,781
44 Kuwait* 200,000 * Pledge
UNEP Senior Staff 2010
Akiwumi, Paul
Chief,
Executive Office (EO)
Steiner, Achim
UNEP Executive Director and
Alcamo, Joseph
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Chief Scientist
Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi
Bindra, Satinder
Director,
Division of Communications & Public Information (DCPI)

Candotti, Michele
Principal advisor to the Executive Director and Head of the
Office for Policy and Inter-Agency Affairs (OPIA) Cropper, Angela
Gilruth, Peter
UNEP Deputy Executive Director and
Director,
United Nations Assistant Secretary-General
Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA)

Kante, Bakary
Regional Directors & Representatives
Director,
Division of Environmental Law and Conventions (DELC)
Astrálaga, Margarita
Regional Office for Latin America &
Kirkcaldy, Chris the Caribbean (ROLAC)
Director, a.i. Office for Operations

Lemmet, Sylvie Bouvier, Christophe


Director, Regional Office for Europe (ROE)
Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE)

Niamir-Fuller, Maryam El-Habr, Habib


Director, Regional Office for West Asia (ROWA)
Division of Global Environment Facility Coordination (DGEF)

Nishimoto, Tomoko
Fraenkel, Amy
Director,
Regional Office for North America (RONA)
Division of Regional Cooperation (DRC)

Nuttall, Nick Goumandakoye, Mounkaila


Spokesperson/Head of Media Regional Office for Africa (ROA)

Thiaw, Ibrahim
Director, Park, Young-Woo
Division of Environmental Policy Implementation (DEPI) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP)

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