This report highlights key progress made by the UN system in advancing common approaches, shared policy agendas, and joint operational initiatives on the environment. It outlines actions undertaken to strengthen interagency collaboration, enhance environmental integration across UN programmes, and support delivery of the environmental dimensions of the 2030 Agenda.
The United Nations System-Wide Framework of Strategies on the Environment (SWFS) aims to achieve greater synergy, collaboration, and coherence in the United Nations system’s work on the environment to support Member States in the delivery of the environmental dimension of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. This report was prepared for the information of the sixth session of UNEA providing an update on key collaborative initiatives on the environment under the Environment Management Group since the first SWFS report. It aims to provide a synoptic view of United Nations system efforts in enhancing environmental multilateralism for sustainable development, addressing the triple planetary crisis, and how these efforts can be enhanced in support of Member States.
This report was prepared as a contribution to the Stockholm+50 conference in 2022, providing a UN system-wide perspective on delivering on the vision of the 1972 Stockholm Declaration and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
This document presents key elements of a proposed Model Approach to Environmental and Social Standards for UN programming The Model Approach represents a key step in moving towards a common approach among UN entities for addressing environmental and social standards in programming.
The report maps agency specific environmental actions, partnerships, and overall strategic trends of Member Agencies of the United Nations Environment Group, highlighting good practices, leveraging data visualisations, and identifying opportunities for further collaboration.
The System-wide Framework of Strategies is a collaborative framework to achieve greater synergy, collaboration and coherence in the UN system’s work on the environment to support Member States in the delivery of the environmental dimension of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
This brochure spotlights a number of the main UN system-wide reports, guidance manuals, information kits and booklets on the environment in which UNEP has played either a leading or contributory role, during the period between 2009 and 2013. The publications are global in scope, demonstrating the UN family’s collaboration as it builds on synergies between different agencies and works closely to “Deliver as One”. These publications have been categorized according to the six environmental themes, namely: climate change, disasters and conflicts, ecosystem management, environmental governance, chemicals and waste, and resource efficiency.
In 2012, Members of the UN Environment Management Group prepared a Framework for Advancing Environmental and Social Sustainability in the UN system at the policy, program and operational levels. This Interim Guide serves as a basic tool to help the UN entities to start implementing the Framework. Its specific objectives are to raise awareness about environmental and social sustainability measures that can be adopted at the individual entity level, and to sensitize staff about the implications of and options for applying them.
The Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework strives to carry the United Nations system beyond the typical safeguard measures of “do no harm” to identify ways to “do good”. In the spirit of One United Nations, the Framework takes a holistic view of the organization’s work from policy conception through programme implementation and internal operations management, providing a broader base of knowledge for smart decision-making. The initiative looks to build on the internationally agreed sustainability norms and principles by adapting the best practices of environmental and social assessment procedures and management systems to United Nations System activities.
This report is designed to start a discussion about how the UN might adapt to a changing environment and help to lead the world in sustainable development.