Add us as your preferred source on Google to see more of our content in Search.
Add to Preferred SourcesOur planet needs urgent attention: huge numbers of species are on the brink of extinction and global temperatures continue to rise. As we plunge deeper every year into an unprecedented environmental crisis, the mandate of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is more relevant than ever.
The year 2020 has been dubbed a super year for the environment—a make or break year in which key international meetings will set the tone and agenda for environmental action in the decade ahead. Supported by scientists and a growing number of governments around the world, UNEP stands ready to work with countries and people as they accelerate action to address environmental challenges.
To deliver on its mandate, UNEP relies on its Member States and the financial support they provide—of which 95 percent are voluntary contributions for its programme and activities.
UNEP is expressing gratitude to the 80 Member States that contributed core funding to the Environment Fund of UNEP – and especially those 27 Member States that contributed their fair share, in other words, their share in accordance to the voluntary indicative scale of contributions (VISC) as agreed by the Member States themselves in 2002.
The support of these 80 countries has been and continues to be critical for UNEP to fulfil its mandate as the global authority on the environment, providing scientific and technical expertise on environmental issues, including the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, pollution and the environmental dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals.
While UNEP is increasingly called upon as a trusted partner for guidance and solutions on environmental issues by its partners, including governments, the fact is that the lack of flexible funds restricts the organization’s capacity to deliver on its mandate and programme of work.
The success of the UNEP’s work highly depends on the contributions made by Member States and other partners. Multi-year commitments, increased and adequate resources, and timely payments are therefore extremely critical. Funding UNEP is the responsibility of its 193 Member States—it is a shared responsibility.
UNEP calls on all 193 Member States to honour the commitment made at the Rio+20 Summit and to ensure secure, stable, adequate and increased financial resources to UNEP in 2020.
Original source: UN Environment
Published on 20 January 2019