United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations’ leading global authority on the environment, driving transformational change on the triple planetary crisis: the crisis of climate change, the crisis of  nature, land and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of chemicals and pollution.   

Since its founding in 1972, UNEP has worked closely with Member States and other stakeholders to galvanize worldwide commitments and coordinated action to address many of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. From protecting species to restoring the ozone layer, UNEP-facilitated international agreements have made global environmental action possible throughout the years. Today, UNEP hosts the United Nations Environment Assembly, the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment, with a universal membership of all 193 United Nations Member States.    

Through robust science, global coordination and powerful advocacy, UNEP continues to support all UN Member States – and all of society – to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and forge a future where people and planet live in harmony. 

With respect to chemicals and pollution action, UNEP develops tools, facilitates dialogues and provides technical support to help stakeholders in government, the private sector, academia and civil society work together towards sound chemicals and waste management.

UNEP promotes joint approaches that demonstrate the economic, environmental, and health benefits of sound chemicals management and foster policies and investment that reduce risks from chemicals to both health and the environment.

By working with stakeholders across sector value chains, UNEP supports the development and implementation of chemical strategies - global roadmap for sustainability and circularity - to address the triple planetary crises.

UNEP also supports and administers, or provides secretariat functions for several Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and other entities, including landmark instruments for the sound management of chemicals and waste: 

• Global Framework on Chemicals - For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste

• Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution

• Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal

• Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade

• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

• Minamata Convention on Mercury

• Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer

• Bamako Convention on the Ban of the Import into Africa and the Control of Transboundary Movement and Management of Hazardous Wastes within Africa

Contact information

Ms Jacqueline Alvarez
Chief
Chemicals and Health Branch
Industry and Economy Division
UN Environment Programme
 8-14 Avenue de la Paix
 CH-1211 Geneva
 Switzerland

Email:  chemicals-pollution-action@un.org

 UNEP website