Press releases

Across the planet millions of animals travel with the seasons from one location to the next. Not unlike modern transport systems with interconnected airports, road and railway grids, migratory species depend on a network of habitats and corridors across the planet. Losing a single migration corridor may jeopardize entire populations.

On land, in the water and in the air – the UNEP rapid response assessment illustrates why ecological networks require immediate international attention and where on earth intervention is urgently needed for the frequent travellers of the animal world. 

Jakarta / Nairobi, 28 September 2011 – Conserving key rainforests in Indonesia could generate revenues three times greater than felling them for palm oil plantations.

19th September 2011 - The image of a frozen, timeless Arctic is being dramatically altered by each new scientific study that comes out, replaced by a new reality of rapid change. Governments are staking their claims as industry begins to focus on what an ice-free Arctic will mean for development and transportation. More than ever before, the Arctic is on the geopolitical agenda.

Nairobi, 1 September 2011 - Nominations are now open for the 2012 Champions of the Earth -- the United Nations' flagship environment award that recognizes outstanding visionaries and leaders in the fields of policy, science, entrepreneurship and civil society action.

Nairobi/Stockholm, 22 August 2010 – Recognising healthy ecosystems as the basis for sustainable water resources and stable food security can help produce more food per unit of agricultural land, improve resilience to climate change and provide economic benefits for poor communities, according to a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), in partnership with 19 other organizations.   

Abuja, 4 August 2011 – The environmental restoration of Ogoniland could prove to be the world’s most wide-ranging and long term oil clean-up exercise ever undertaken if contaminated drinking water, land, creeks and important ecosystems such as mangroves are to be brought back to full, productive health. 

Wind farms in China and small-scale solar panels on rooftops in Europe were largely responsible for last year’s 32% rise in green energy investments worldwide, according to the latest annual report on renewable energy investment trends issued by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Marrakesh, Morocco, 6 July 2011 - With more than 1,100 registered participants, the Africa Carbon Forum, the leading regional trade fair and knowledge sharing platform for carbon investments, has demonstrated that Africa is an increasingly attractive destination for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects, as investors seek new opportunities for growth in the voluntary market as well as the CDM.

Nairobi, 05 July 2011 – Social and environmental entrepreneurs who can demonstrate innovation, leadership and sustainability have the chance to win expert assistance and support for their sustainable development initiatives in the 2011 SEED Awards.

Nairobi, 17 June 2011—Today, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) joins hands with the Secretariat of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and dryland countries and communities across the globe. 

Bonn, 14 June 2011 - Fast action on pollutants such as black carbon, ground level ozone and methane may help limit near term global temperature rise and significantly increase the chances of keeping temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius, and perhaps even 1.5 degrees Celsius, a new assessment says. 

Delhi/Nairobi/World, 5 June 2011 – Investing an additional US$40 billion a year in the forestry sector could halve deforestation rates by 2030, increase rates of tree planting by around 140 per cent by 2050, and catalyze the creation of millions of new jobs according to a report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). 

Bern (Switzerland), 18 May 2011 – A not-for-profit organization tackling life-threatening pollution in developing countries and a renowned academic working to make houses safer during earthquakes are among the recipients of this year’s Green Star Awards (GSAs), announced by the United Nations and Green Cross International today.

New York/Nairobi, 13 May 2011 United Nations Secretary-General BAN Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Amina Mohamed, a Kenyan national, as Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). 

Abu Dhabi, 13 May 2011—A stronger governance structure and a set of forward-looking policies across a range of management issues were adopted today by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) at its 33rd Plenary Session in the United Arab Emirates.

Bonn/Nairobi 12 May 2011 – On their epic journeys, often spanning thousands of kilometres, migratory birds cross many borders, linking different countries as well as ecosystems. The annual migration of an estimated 50 billion birds representing around 19 per cent of the world's 10,000 bird species is one of nature's great natural wonders. Yet each year, more and more of the natural habitats migratory birds need to complete their journeys either diminish or disappear completely. 

New York / Nairobi, 10 May 2011 – Mexican President Felipe Calderon, global music legend Angélique Kidjo and adventurer Louis Palmer are among the five winners of the 2011 Champions of the Earth awards, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced on Tuesday. 

Istanbul (Turkey), 9 May 2011– With their low-carbon profile, rich natural assets and promising policy initiatives, the world’s 48 least developed countries are well-positioned to jump start the transition to a green economy, according to a new UN report released today at the start of the Fourth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC-IV).     

Cape Town/Nairobi, 21 March 2010. Rapid urbanization over the last five decades is changing Africa’s landscape and also generating formidable challenges for supplies of water and sanitation services, says a new UN report on major cities in Africa released today in Cape Town, South Africa, as part of World Water Day 2011.

2011 Sasakawa Prize winners bring Forest Management and Sustainable Development to Rural Communities in Latin America and Asia.
Nairobi (Kenya), 23 February 2011 - Two projects conserving forests and promoting sustainable development in remote rural communities of Latin America and Asia are the laureates of the 2011 UNEP Sasakawa Prize, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today.