Accreditation

UNEP-Accreditation will grant your organization consultative status at UNEP within the rules of procedure of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA).  

This means that in the run-up to the sessions of the UNEA and the Assembly itself, UNEP-accredited organizations can: 

  • Receive unedited working documents of the UNEA at the same time as the Committee of the Permanent Representatives (CPR). 

  • Submit to UNEP written contributions to these unedited working documents. 

  • Participate in all public meetings of the UNEA subsidiary organs such as the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR). 

  • Make oral and written contributions to these meetings. 

During the UNEA sessions, UNEP-accredited organizations can: 

  • Participate in the Plenary, the Committee of the Whole and the Ministerial Consultations discussions as observers. 

  • Circulate written statements to Governments through the UNEP Secretariat. 

  • Make oral statements during the discussions of the UNEA. 

What you need to get accredited 

Download the Accreditation Flyer here in English, Russian, Chinese, French and Spanish 

To be UNEP-accredited, your organization must: 

  • Have been registered with the Government for at least 2 years. 

  • Be non-governmental. 

  • Be non-profit-making. 

  • Have a major focus on the environment. 

  • Have environmental activities nationally, and internationally. 

How to send UNEP-accreditation application? 

  • Attach a cover letter, with organization letter head and signature, briefly explain the background of your organization, your national and international environmental work, and why you would like to be UNEP-accredited. 

  • Attach certified copy of constitution/charter/statutes/by-laws and amendments to those documents. 

  • Attach certified copy of the certificate of registration which must include a stamp of the government authority that issued it, the document has to show that the organization is non-governmental. 

  • Attach proof of non-profit-making status, e.g. government-issued document stating the non-profit-making status, or tax exemption certificate. 

  • Explain engagement in the field of environment nationally; attach proof, e.g. annual reports; conference and seminar reports; recent press releases and copies of media statements; newsletters and other periodicals; 

  • Explain engagement in the field of environment internationally; attach proof, e.g. headquarters and regional offices in different countries, evidence of engagement in more than one country, evidence of engagement with international organizations, activities that have an impact beyond one country. 

  • For the accreditation user guide please click here

Normal processing time for accreditation is 3 months.  

Find a list of accredited organizations here 

For further information or if you would like to submit your accreditation request, please contact us at unep-accreditation[at]un.org 

Handbook for stakeholder engagement at UNEP 

UNEP strives to ensure an effective, broad and balanced participation of Major Groups and Stakeholders as they play a central role in providing expertise and relevant knowledge. They also channel the voices of those most likely to be directly affected by environmental problems and related policies and calls needed attention to emerging issues as they reach out to their respective communities and the public at large. Increased demand for civil society engagement is a direct outcome of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). Download the handbook here.

The Major Groups and Stakeholders Code of Conduct is an annex of the Stakeholder Handbook explaining the expectations of UNEP with respect to the participation of UNEP accredited Major Groups and their representatives, including Regional Facilitators (RFs), in the Major Groups Facilitating Committee (MGFC). It outlines what UNEP expects of Major Groups, their representatives in the MGFC, including RFs, in their engagement with UNEP.