Message from the Executive Director

Last year was one of broken records and broken promises. We saw new highs of greenhouse gas emissions, temperature records tumbling and climate impacts arriving stronger and faster. The finance to help vulnerable communities adapt to climate change isn’t being delivered. At the same time, most of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are off track at the halfway point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. There are many reasons for this, but it is clear that slow action on the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste is a major driving force.

This is the downside. The upside is that the global response to the triple planetary crisis intensified. Efforts to combat pollution and waste received a shot in the arm with the agreement of the Global Framework on Chemicals and progress on the global instrument on plastic pollution, which should be ready by 2024. Nations adopted a treaty to protect biodiversity in the ocean beyond national borders, while key guidelines to help the private sector reduce its impact on nature were released – a boost to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the implementation of which gathered pace. Finally, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP28, delivered a clear call on countries to transition away from fossil fuels – alongside a framework on the Global Goal on Adaptation, operationalizing the Loss and Damage Fund, and new commitments on sustainable cooling, methane reduction, tripling renewable energy targets and nature breakthroughs.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) played an important role in many of these processes – by providing key science and solutions on the triple planetary crisis, convening and supporting important negotiations, hosting critical multilateral environmental agreements, working with the private and financial sectors to align funding with global processes and supporting Member States to deliver on their commitments.

Progress is being made. The great task ahead is to accelerate this progress so that it moves faster than the intensification of the triple planetary crisis. As the leading global authority on the environment, UNEP will work tirelessly to help make this happen – through deploying digital technologies to provide forward-looking and relevant science, boosting the implementation of the multilateral environmental agreements that make change possible, and backing Member States to promote climate stability, live in harmony with nature and forge a pollution-free future. This is how we will deliver on the 2030 Agenda and create the conditions for a more peaceful and prosperous world.

Inger Andersen
UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director
Endurance swimmer and UNEP Ocean Advocate Lewis Pugh
Endurance swimmer and UNEP Ocean Advocate Lewis Pugh, seen here during an expedition to the Arctic, helped raise awareness about the threats to the world’s water bodies.
Climate
Action

UNEP is at the forefront of global efforts to help countries cut their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change, which are at the core of SDG13 on climate action. This work also contributes to a host of other goals that back human and planetary health, prosperity and equity, including ending poverty (SDG1), stopping hunger (SDG2), expanding access to affordable and clean energy (SDG7), reducing inequalities (SDG10) and building sustainable communities (SDG11).

UNEP/Kelvin Trautman

The UNEP report shows that the emissions gap is more like an emissions canyon. A canyon littered with broken promises, broken lives, and broken records.

António Guterres
UN Secretary-General on the launch of the Emissions Gap Report
By the numbers
42%
Amount the world needs to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5°C.
Penguin
With nature under mounting pressure, UNEP is helping countries around the world protect and restore their wild spaces.
Nature
Action

At a time when nature and biodiversity is under huge pressure, UNEP is leading efforts to protect, restore and sustainably manage the natural world. Since nature underpins societies and economies, this work supports safeguarding life below water (SDG14) and life on land (SDG15), amongst other goals. Many of UNEP’s efforts in 2023 focused on helping countries implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

UNEP/Olle Nordell

With only seven years to implement the (Global Biodiversity Framework) we must all act now. And we must continue to act until our web of life is secure.

Inger Andersen
UNEP Executive Director
By the numbers
138
Number of countries UNEP and UNDP are supporting as they develop national strategies to safeguard biodiversity.
Scientist
UNEP named South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research as a 2023 Champion of the Earth, the UN’s top environmental honour. Last year’s awards focused on groups and individuals helping to tackle the plastic pollution crisis.
Pollution
Action

UNEP is helping countries to phase out hazardous chemicals, rein in single-use plastics, close open dumpsites, improve air quality and build circular economies. Tackling the pollution and waste crisis is integral to ensuring good health and wellbeing (SDG3), providing clean water and sanitation (SDG6), forging sustainable cities and communities (SDG11), establishing sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG12), and protecting life below water (SDG14).

UNEP/Ihsaan Haffejee

Everyone on this planet should be able to live and work without fear of falling sick or dying from chemical exposure. This framework provides a vision for a planet free of harm from chemicals and waste, for a safe, healthy and sustainable future.

Inger Andersen
UNEP Executive Director, on a new global agreement to limit chemical pollution.
By the numbers
300M
Number of people who saw World Environment Day content on social media in 2023. The day was hosted by Côte d’Ivoire.
Bridging the gender divide

UNEP continued to promote SDG5 on gender equality, and empower women and girls to take leadership roles in conservation and restoration by developing its second Gender Policy and Strategy. Initial results indicate that about 90 per cent of projects designed in the first half of 2023 integrated gender well based on a comprehensive metric used by the UN. UNEP launched the second phase of the EmPower project, which is helping women in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Viet Nam purchase small-scale renewable energy equipment, like solar-powered water pumps. Some 100,000 women are expected to benefit from this initiative. UNEP also played a crucial role in Kenya by providing training to women engaged in sustainable fishing practices, boosting their incomes, and contributing to the conservation of depleting marine resources. Furthermore, in Rwanda, Togo and Uganda, UNEP and its partners launched a programme providing grants to electric mobility start-ups with a focus on creating employment opportunities for women.

Photo: Unsplash/Ashwini Chaudhary

Photo: Unsplash/Ashwini Chaudhary
Leveraging technology for a more sustainable world

UNEP continued to harness the power of technology-driven solutions to advance environmental goals. In partnership with the UN Staff College, the Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability and GIZ, UNEP launched an e-learning initiative, Digital4Sustainability. Featuring a new climate module, the platform has attracted over 12,000 participants from governments, the private sector, civil society and international organizations. The new UNEP-led 10YFP Secretariat’s Digitalization 4 Circular Economy initiative supported public and private sector organizations to harness digital technologies. Meanwhile, UNEP and partners released Rethinking, Extending, Re-using: Harnessing Digital Technologies for a Circular Economy, which shows how digital product passports can contribute to the lifecycle approach to materials.

Photo: Unsplash/Markus Spiske

Photo: Unsplash/Markus Spiske
Supporting conflict-affected states and communities impacted by disasters

As conflicts around the world intensified, UNEP found new ways to help communities manage natural resources and limit environmental fallout. Through the UN Resident Coordinator system, UNEP provided science-based advice at the country level. The organization supported the UN mission in Somalia, where climate change is inflaming long-standing conflicts. In West Asia, UNEP showcased how communities can adapt to extreme weather, notably drought. UNEP is increasingly using remote sensing and satellite data to understand conflict-related environmental degradation and make policy recommendations.

These observations played a role in the rapid environmental assessment of the breach of Ukraine’s Kakhovka Dam in June. UNEP also helped UN country teams in Syria and Türkiye measure and manage huge volumes of debris generated by a 7.8 magnitude earthquakein February.

Photo: UNEP/Igor Riabchuk

Photo: UNEP/Igor Riabchuk
Funding

2022-23 (combined) financial status as of December 2023 (US$ Millions)

Budget
Million
Income*
Million
Expenditure
Million
UN Regular Budget
Environment Fund
Earmarked Funds**
Global Funds***
*
The income figures are provisional and subject to completion and closure of UNEP annual financial accounts
**
Earmarked funds include thematic funds and other softly earmarked funding
***
Global funds represent: Global Environment Facility and Green Climate Fund

Top-15 Earmarked contributors in 2023 (US$ Millions)*

Germany66.6
UN Agencies36.0
European Union/European Commission28.2
UNEP Finance Initiative**26.7
Foundations/NGOs24.7
Canada11.4
Japan11.4
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland10.8
United States of America8.5
Sweden7.7
Norway5.0
Finland4.1
Belgium3.8
Austria3.5
France2.8

Top-15 Environment Fund contributors in 2023 (US$ Millions)

Norway12.3
Netherlands10.2
Germany8.1
United States of America7.6
France7.6
Denmark7.2
Sweden5.1
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland4.5
Belgium4.2
Switzerland4.0
Canada2.8
Italy2.6
Finland2.3
Spain1.6
Japan1.5
*
Includes softly earmarked contributions from Belgium, Finland, Norway and Sweden
**
Partnership between UNEP and the global financial sector to mobilize private sector finance for sustainable development
TOTAL
48
Full share contributors*
32
Other contributors
113
Non-contributors
*
Full share of the Environment Fund budget as per the voluntary indicative scale of contributions, established by the Member States
Full share contributors
  • Albania
  • Armenia
  • Barbados
  • Belgium
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • Cyprus
  • Denmark
  • Dominican Republic
  • Eritrea
  • Fiji
  • France
  • Georgia
  • Guinea
  • Guyana
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • Jordan
  • Kenya
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Maldives
  • Malta
  • Mauritius
  • Micronesia (Federated States of)
  • Monaco
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Panama
  • Peru
  • Saint Lucia
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Slovenia
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Tajikistan
  • United Republic of Tanzania
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
  • Uruguay
Other contributors
  • Andorra
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Chile
  • China
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Finland
  • Germany
  • Honduras
  • Hungary
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iraq
  • Islamic Republic of Iran
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kuwait
  • Malaysia
  • Mexico
  • Paraguay
  • Philippines
  • Portugal
  • Republic of Korea
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • South Africa
  • Spain
  • Thailand
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • United States of America

UNEP would like to thank Member States and other funding partners for their contributions in 2023. This financial support is crucial in helping UNEP to deliver on its mandate of countering the triple planetary crisis and creating a more sustainable future for all.