UN System Documentation

UNEP is the lead UN programme concerned with the environment.  

• UNEP website
• Established by General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII) of 15 December 1972
• Agenda 21 (the outcome document of the 1992 Rio Conference) reinforced the mandate
• Governing Council adopted Nairobi Declaration on the Role and Mandate of UNEP on 7 February 1997
  • Found in A/52/25, p.29
• Issues press releases on website
• Executive Directors
  • 2019- : Inger Andersen (Denmark)
    • Press release SG/A/1862-BIO/5187-UNEP/340 [2019] 
    • Re-elected: Press release SG/A/2179 [2023]
  • 2016-2018 : Erik Solheim (Norway)
    • Press release SG/A/1657-BIO/4837-UNEP/335
  • 2006-2016: Achim Steiner (Germany)
    • Press release GA/10450, SG/A/989-BIO/3750-UNEP/318 [2006])
    • Re-elected: Press release SG/A/1231-BIO/4184-UNEP/324 [2010]
    • Extension: SG/A/1456-UNEP/330 [2014]
  • 1998-2006: Klaus Töpfer (Germany)
    • A/52/695 of 24 Nov. 1997, General Assembly decision 52/316 of 3 Dec. 1997, Press release BIO/3122-UNEP/21 [1997], A/56/516 of 16 Nov. 2001, General Assembly decision 56/312 of 21 Nov. 2001
  • 1993-1997: Elizabeth Dowdeswell (Canada)
    • Press release SG/A/516 [1992], Press release SG/A/521-BIO/2729-HE/797 [1992], ST/SGB/258 of 11 Mar. 1993
  • 1975-1992: Mostafa Kamal Tolba (Egypt)
    • Press release BIO/1270-HE/294 [1975]
  • 1973-1974: Maurice F. Strong (Canada)
    • A/8965 of 13 Dec. 1972
• Governing Body
  • 2013-present, UN Environment Assembly (UNEA)
  • 1972-2013, Governing Council

UN Environment Assembly (UNEA), 2013-present

The UN Environment Assembly is the policy-making organ of UNEP.

• Governing Council membership expanded by General Assembly resolution 67/213 of 21 December 2012
• Governing Council name changed to United Nations Environment Assembly by General Assembly resolution 67/251 of 13 March 2013
• UN Environment Assembly website
• First session held in June 2014 
• Document series symbol for working documents
  • UNEP/EA.session/-
  • Example: UNEP/EA.2/3
• Sessional reports
  • Supplement 25 to the General Assembly Official Records (GAOR)
  • First report A/69/25
  • A/session/25 
  • Example: A/71/25
  • Provide summaries of the work concluded
  • Contain the texts of resolutions and decisions adopted by the Assembly
  • Search for Report of the UN Environment Assembly

Governing Council of the UNEP, 1972-2013

• Former policy-making organ of UNEP
• Met annually in Nairobi
• Documents series symbol for working documents
  • UNEP/GCSS.session/-
  • Example: UNEP/GCSS.XII/3
• Sessional reports
  • Supplement 25 to the General Assembly Official Records (GAOR)
  • A/session/25
  • Example: A/68/25 [last report]
  • Provide summaries of the work concluded
  • Contain the texts of resolutions and decisions adopted by the Council
  • Search for Report of the Governing Council of the UN Environment Programme
• New York Press releases series symbol
  • Rarely issued now;
  • UNEP/- (formerly HE/-)
  • Example: UNEP/327