Nairobi
Kenya
Telephone: 254 2 624001
Fax:254 2 226895
Contact:Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director
Website:www.unep.org

Since its inception, the United Nations Environment Programme has enjoyed a special relationship with civil society in tackling environmental issues.

The Stockholm Conference on Human Environment, which led to the creation of UNEP in 1972, owed much to the enthusiasm, dedication and commitment of NGOs.

Most of the multilateral environmental agreements (Basel Convention, Montreal Protocol, Biodiversity and Climate Change Conventions, etc) were developed thanks to the lobbying efforts of NGOs.

Member of the International Land Coalition Assembly 2005

To provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

• In February 2003, the Governing Council of UNEP adopted a long-term strategy for engaging young people in environmental activities and in the work of UNEP. The strategy was entitled the TUNZA Youth Strategy.
• Strengthening institutional management, in order to facilitate transparent and meaningful communication between civil society and UNEP.
• Engagement at the policy level, to take into account civil society expertise and views at the intergovernmental level.
• Engagement at the programmatic level, to involve civil society in UNEP’s implementation of its work programme.
• The first Global Women’s Assembly on Environment:
  Women as the Voice for the Environment (WAVE) was held at the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Nairobi, Kenya, from 11 to 13 October 2004. The meeting was attended by some 150 participants from 65 countries.
  
  

Governments, scientists, journalists, business persons, civil society, children and youth.