UNEP

United Nations Environment Programme UNEP, established in 1972, is the

voice for the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a
catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the wise use and
sustainable development of the global environment. To accomplish this, UNEP
works with a wide range of partners, including United Nations entities,
international organizations, national governments, nongovernmental
organizations, the private sector and civil society. UNEP work encompasses:

• Assessing global, regional and national environmental conditions and trends

• Developing international and national environmental instruments •

Strengthening institutions for the wise management of the environment

• Facilitating the transfer of knowledge and technology for sustainable

development

• Encouraging new partnerships and mind-sets within civil society and the
private sector. UNEP's global and cross-sectoral outlook is reflected in its
organizational structure, its activities and is personnel. Being based in Africa
gives UNEP a clear advantage in understanding the environmental issues facing
the world's developing countries.

OVERVIEW
Climate change is generally recognized as the major environmental problem
facing the globe. Evidence is building that impacts are being felt in the form of
melting icecaps in the polar areas and increased variability of temperature,
rainfall and storms in virtually all regions. The scientific consensus
underpinning the rising political and public recognition of the climate problem
has been captured in the recent reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC).

The IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) clearly states that it is no longer
relevant to discuss whether the climate is changing but rather how much change
we are committed to and how fast this will occur. In addition the IPCC
emphasized that climate change, while a long-term issue, needs to be considered
as a medium term problem requiring short-term action. The IPCC also states
that the required action to forestall serious climate change is possible with
strong policies, technology development and transfer of technologies using a
broad range of policy and technical options.

ANALYSIS
The total costs of limiting concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs)
to manageable levels will be significant. However, when compared with the
anticipated economic impacts of climate change if mitigation does not occur and
the size of the world economy and its expected growth over the coming
decades, the costs of mitigation will amount to a small fraction of that growth.

Action to forestall serious climate change is possible with strong policies,

technology development and transfer of technologies using a broad range of
policy and technical options. In short, combating climate change should not
affect overall economic development patterns. AR4, however, underlines that
this statement is only true if action is taken urgently and that costs will increase
if action is delayed. A similar point was made in the Stern Review on the
Economics of Climate Change.

The political landscape is changing fast in some areas and provides reason for
optimism. At the same time the reality is that developments on short term
actions and key issues under negotiation are still moving relatively slowly. In
addition, and notwithstanding the increasing political focus, greenhouse gas
emissions (GHG) continue to increase and not enough has been done to support
increased resilience to climate change in developing countries.

Addressing climate change is now central to the work of the United Nations.
The UN has made climate change one of the three priorities for the UN system,
but has also termed it the “the defining challenge of our age”.

CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGY

UNEP’s Climate Change Strategy is the result of a comprehensive process
involving external experts and UNEP staff from across the organization. The
strategy is built on the analysis of UNEP’s political mandate, the existing
portfolio of climate change activities and the areas of distinctiveness. The
Climate Change Strategy provides the foundation for transforming the
organization’s engagement on climate change and for developing a results-
oriented programme of work. UNEP will complement other processes and the
activities of other institutions and will emphasize the substantial co-benefits of
climate change actions and their contribution to environmental sustainability

PARIS AGREEMENT
At COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015, Parties to the UNFCCC reached a
landmark agreement to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify
the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future. The
Paris Agreement builds upon the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change which entered into force on 21 March 1994. Today, it has
near-universal membership. The 197 countries that have ratified the Convention
are called Parties to the Convention. For the first time – brings all nations into a
common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and
adapt to its effects, with enhanced support to assist developing countries to do
so. As such, it charts a new course in the global climate effort.

The Paris Agreement’s central aim is to strengthen the global response to the

threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well

below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit

the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the

agreement aims to increase the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of

climate change, and at making finance flows consistent with a low GHG

emissions and climate-resilient pathway. To reach these ambitious goals,

appropriate mobilization and provision of financial resources, a new technology

framework and enhanced capacity-building is to be put in place, thus supporting

action by developing countries and the most vulnerable countries, in line with
their own national objectives. The Agreement also provides for an enhanced

transparency framework for action and support.

The Paris Agreement requires all Parties to put forward their best efforts

through “nationally determined contributions” (NDCs) and to strengthen these

efforts in the years ahead. This includes requirements that all Parties report

regularly on their emissions and on their implementation efforts. There will also

be a global stocktake every 5 years to assess the collective progress towards

achieving the purpose of the agreement and to inform further individual actions

by Parties.

Guiding Questions
● • How does climate change affect your country?

● • Does your government have any programs that address the effects of climate
change?

● • Has your country signed or ratified the Paris Agreement? Does it participate
in any of the Paris Agreement mechanisms?

● • Did your government make any statements about climate change?

 ● What are the impacts of climate change and how can they be negated?
● What are the Kyoto Accords?
● How can the UNEP climate change strategy be adapted and enforced for our
needs?

Research Sources
● • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change:
http://unfccc.int/2860.php
● •Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: http://www.ipcc.ch/

● • UN Gateway to Climate Change:

http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/climatechange/gateway/

● UNEP Strategy http://ccsl.iccip.net/unep_cc_strategy.pdf

● UNFCC-Paris Agreement https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-

agreement/what-is-the-paris-agreement

● UNFCCC-CONVENTIONhttps://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-
convention/what-is-the-united-nations-framework-convention-on-climate-change