|
|
|
Presentation of the four units of the SCP Branch Integrated Resource Management Unit (IRMU) The Integrated Resource Management Unit hosts the Secretariat of two international panels:
Through these activities, the Unit is a significant actor in developing global work programmes of governments, business and civil society (in particular scientists and researchers) on sustainable resource management, in a life cycle perspective (cradle to cradle), rooted in solid and authoritative science. The Unit contributes with this portfolio
to one of the major aims of the global environmental agenda: decoupling
of economic growth and environmental degradation. Special emphasis
is paid to identifying concerns and opportunities for developing
countries and assisting them through institution building and
social learning, as included in the Bali Plan of Action. A flagship
project in this area is the four-year project "Enabling developing
countries to seize eco-label
opportunities", which started in 2007 and which is closely
linked to in particular the life cycle analysis work programme.
The Goods and Services Unit promotes the design and implementation of policies and tools which encourage the consumption and production of sustainable goods and services. A strong emphasis is placed on design of market-based instruments, policies and partnerships necessary to construct sustainable supply chains. The Unit hosts the secretariat of the Marrakech Process which is developing a 10-Year Framework of Programmes (10-YFP) on SCP which will be reviewed and endorsed by the CSD in 2010 and 2011. The framework is being designed through regional consultations, the work of Task Forces focusing on specific sectors, policy tools or regions, and through country level roundtables and demonstration projects. Ongoing research and demonstration projects are exploring ways to enhance the contribution of policies and actions for SCP to poverty alleviation, including in partnership with development cooperation agencies. Work is done in close cooperation with UNDESA, UNIDO, business, NGOs, universities and research centres. The unit also undertakes UNEP's work on
sustainable tourism. This includes design
of appropriate public policies, cooperation with the industry
to promote more sustainable forms of tourism, and awareness-raising
and application of market-based instruments to enable consumers
to choose more sustainable tourism products. There is an increasing
emphasis on mitigating the climate change impacts of the sector,
and on generating finance from public and private sources to support
the shift to more sustainable tourism. The work is done in close
cooperation with the CBD Secretariat, UNWTO, WMO, UN Foundation
and a number of international NGOs including IUCN and Rainforest
Alliance.
The Business and Industry Unit promotes
the implementation by public and private sector SCP decision makers
of corporate environmental and social responsibility (CESR) principles,
policies and practices. Key in its work is a preventive approach
to environmental management, safer and responsible production,
as well as more sustainable forms of business and industrial development.
Activities include voluntary initiatives and partnerships carried
out with international business and industry groups, national
cleaner production centres, sustainability think tanks, and other
UN organizations such as UNIDO and the UN Global Compact to engage
leading companies world-wide. CESR activities promote new strategies and alternative business models that include innovation in the use of management tools such as sustainability reporting and support to entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises. Unit activities overall highlight good practices and collaborative work carried out in partnership with relevant organizations, companies of all sizes, and industry groups. Preventive approaches like cleaner production,
focusing on energy efficiency and product (re)design, for example,
have been developed and are being replicated via national cleaner
production centres regionally and nationally. Prevention of and
preparedness for chemical accidents that have the potential to
cause environmental damage is another focus and new initiatives
are being developed in cooperation with the Oil and Gas Companies,
on climate change, GHG emission reduction and on environmental
capacity building. Unit results are discussed at UNEP's Annual
Business & Industry Global Dialogue as well as the Business
for the Environment (B4E) Summit.
The Sustainable United Nations (SUN) Unit was established in early 2008 to help the UN implement the decision by the UN's Chief Executive Board, that all UN organizations shall move towards being climate neutral by the end of 2009, as part of a wider effort to green the UN system. The SUN Unit works to help both the UN and other organizations to achieve climate neutrality and sustainable operations. The SUN Unit is providing tools, methodologies, training, assessment support and advice on development and implementation of action plans to achieve climate neutrality and sustainability. Specific focus areas include sustainable procurement, sustainable buildings and facilities management, and sustainable culture. The SUN Unit also manages the Sustainable Buildings and Construction Initiative (SBCI), which is a partnership between the UN and the building sector to promote sustainable buildings in general, and energy efficient buildings in particular. |
 |
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|