Media Room News Releases and Advisories

Backgrounder: United Nations Environment Programme and the UNEP Global Environment Monitoring System / Water Program

Financement accru pour le Fonds de l'environnement du PNUE

UNEP (www.unep.org) is the voice for the environment within the UN system. It works with other United Nations entities, international organizations, national governments, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and civil society on work including:

• Responsibility for agreements such as the Montreal Protocol on Substances the Deplete the Ozone Layer, and the UN Framework Conventions on Biological Diversity, Desertification and Climate Change;
• assessing environmental conditions and trends;
• strengthening institutions for the wise management of the environment;
• facilitating transfers of knowledge and technology for sustainable development; and
• encouraging new partnerships.

Canada's Minister of the Environment, David Anderson, is President of the UNEP Governing Council. He has led a process on improving international environmental governance that is proposing a stronger role for UNEP.

Funding for the UNEP Global Environment Monitoring System / Water Programme

UNEP's GEMS/Water Programme is a multi-faceted water science programme oriented towards understanding freshwater quality issues throughout the world. The goal of the Programme is to develop a knowledge base about freshwater that decision-makers can use to make more effective choices that affect water resources. Major activities include monitoring, assessment, and capacity building. Implementation of the GEMS/Water Programme involves several United Nations agencies active in the water sector and organizations around the world. More than 100 countries participate in GEMS/Water.

Canada has hosted the Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS)/Water Collaborating Centre since 1978 at Environment Canada's National Water Research Institute in Burlington, Ontario.