United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
The FOEN focuses on Switzerland’s priorities and objectives in the following areas within the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): Strengthening UNEP as a central pillar of global environmental governance; chemicals and waste; implementation and enforcement of environmental agreements; closing gaps in the international regulatory framework; monitoring, assessment and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 following the UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm. Its mandate is to collect and evaluate global, regional and national environmental data, to develop political instruments for environmental protection and to assume a central role in coordinating and steering policy in the international environmental regime.
In order for UNEP to fulfil its leading role in the environmental sector, it requires not only the political support of the member states but also better implementation of UNEP's mandate and more stable funding. Measures and recommendations to strengthen UNEP’s role were drawn up in a process designed to consolidate international environmental governance. At the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in June 2012 (Rio+20 conference), it was decided to strengthen UNEP by introducing universal membership and developing environmental strategies for the United Nations system.
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), a plenary meeting of the UNEP member states, has been held every two years since 2014. As UNEP's highest body, it decides on policy, content and administrative matters, establishes the work programme and budget and oversees the activities of the Secretariat. It provides countries an opportunity to take stock of the state of the environment, offers advice on strategies for international protection and sustainable use of natural resources and decides on environmental policy measures. In addition, UNEA provides a forum for ministers to make important strategic decisions at a global level.
Switzerland works to ensure that resolutions are put into action, enabling UNEP to be effective in its coordinating role in developing environmental policies and strategic frameworks within the UN system. It is also UNEP’s task to ensure that the global community works towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relating to the environment.
A key priority in Switzerland's involvement in UNEP is the chemicals and waste sector. Switzerland believes that UNEP should continue to play an active leadership role and lay the groundwork in areas that are currently inadequately covered by the global environmental regime.
It continues to support UNEP's ongoing activities, i.e. monitoring and assessing potential; coordinating and further developing environmental policy instruments; increasing support for environmental conventions; freshwater, ecosystem management and biodiversity; resource efficiency, the green economy; sustainable production and consumption patterns; plastic pollution; raw materials governance and sustainable infrastructures.