Environmental Policy Implementation


* Support the implementation of activities (e.g. advisory services, pilot projects, education/training and other capacity-building support) undertaken by other programmes;
* Coordinate the implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities;
* Obtain regular feedback from a monitoring and evaluating process which should improve future policy development / implementation; and
* Mobilize and coordinate international responses to environmental emergencies.

Environmental Information, Assessment and Early Warning

* Promoting availability of, and enhancing access to, the scientific information needed by decision makers for better environmental management;
* Assessing environmental conditions and threats to alert policy makers, and to facilitate the development of impact reduction strategies;
* Devising strategies and contributing to early warning to better cope with environmental threats; and .
* Identifying emerging issues.

Environmental Policy Development and Law

* Analysis, review and development of environment-related policies, and articulation of policy positions in response to emerging environmental issues and events;
* Development of new and strengthening of existing legal, economic and other policy instruments and institutional frameworks to make environmental policy more effective;
*Enhancing environmental policy coordination and information exchange within and outside the United Nations System;
*Promoting the involvement of the private sector, Non-Governmental Organisations and major interest groups in environmental policy dialogue and development; and
* Resource mobilization.

Technology, Industry and Economy

* Contribute to improving the understanding and knowledge of environmental issues related to industrial and urban development, use of natural resources (particularly energy and freswater) and chemicals, trade and the economy, consumption patterns;
* Encourage decision makers in government, local authorities as well as industry to develop and adopt policies, strategies and practices that:
o make efficient use of mutual resources
o sound management of chemicals
o incorporate environmental costs; and
o reduce pollution and risks for humans and the environment

* Assist in the preparation of international agreements and guidelines and in particular, the Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs);
* Facilitate widespread information exchange, technology transfer and capacity building, with particular focus on supporting the effective and coherent implementation of multilateral environmental agreements and in particular the conventions that are hosted by UNEP and the Rotterdam Convention hosted jointly by UNEP and FAO; and
* Demonstrate, in association with other partners active at the local level, effectiveness of policies and tools suggested. .

Regional Cooperation and Representation

* Make programme development and delivery more responsive to the needs of countries and regions;
* Assess and sensing of environmental trends, needs and policies in the regions;
* Facilitate policy dialogue and consensus among countries of the regions; ;
* Catalyze regional contributions to and involvement in programme development and implementation;
* Develop and implement, national, subregional and regional programme activities; ;
* Provide information on and present UNEP's policies, positions and programme in the regions; and
* Build partnerships with national, subregional and regional institutions.

Communications and Public Information

* The functions of the official spokesperson in relation to mass media, governments, non-governmental organisations and other United Nations agencies;
* Organization of official communications and public information activities and campaigns; and .
* Management of UNEP's publications and reports, on behalf of all programmes.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

* Ensuring that GEF activities will be additional to the UNEP programme of work;
* Ensuring synergy between UNEP's activities and its programme of work; and
* Integrating GEF objectives and activities with UNEP's overall management and programming.

Cooperation with Conventions

* Promoting the development of complementary policies and approaches among the work programmes of related global and regional environmental conventions and processes;
* Supporting, in conjunction with the programme on policy development, the development of new international conventions and agreements, including protocols; and
* Coordination of UNEP's programmatic support to conventions and related international agreements and processes, including the regional seas programmes, conventions and projects, particularly focusing on programmatic inter linkages.