United Nations Environment Programme

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Image:UN.KlausTopfer.01.jpg The UN Environment Programme (or UNEP) coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and encourages sustainable development through sound environmental practices. It has been founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

Its activities cover a wide range of issues, from atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems, the promotion of environmental science and information, to an early warning and emergency response capacity to deal with environmental disasters and emergencies.

The UNEP has developed guidelines and treaties on issues such as the international trade in potentially harmful chemicals, transboundary air pollution, and contamination of international waterways.

The World Meteorological Organization and the UNEP established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. UNEP is also one of several Implementing Agencies for the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

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Executive Director

UNEP's current Executive Director is Klaus Töpfer, who has served two consecutive terms, beginning in February 1998.

On 15 March, 2006, the United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, nominated Achim Steiner, currently Director General of the IUCN to the position of Executive Director. One day later, the UN General Assembly followed Annan's proposal and elected him [1].

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