UN Environment Programme

Standing six meters tall and made of hollow Jenga blocks, Benjamin Von Wong’s #BiodiversityJanga installation represents the delicate balance of ecosystems. Each block—decorated with dioramas of jungles, forests, and oceans—symbolizes a life form that contributes to stability. As Von Wong explained Inger Andersen at #COP16Colombia, removing a single piece might seem insignificant, but take away enough, and the entire structure collapses. This artwork reminds us that all life is interconnected and highlights the importance of protecting biodiversity for the resilience of our planet. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dsbWuW83

Unsustainable production and consumption are causing environmental harm, biodiversity loss, and more frequent and severe health threats for both humans and animals. This highlights the need for a unified One Health approach to tackle these connected issues. On #OneHealth Day, see how UNEP and its partners use this approach to better understand health challenges. This helps create effective strategies for prevention and management, along with policies that support sustainable health systems and ecosystems. ://https://lnkd.in/d8RnYW8z

#COP16Colombia has wrapped up. Inger Andersen recaps some of this people’s COP achievements: new pledges for biodiversity funding, a Digital Sequence Information fund to give back to nature and its stewards, and a stronger voice for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. It’s high time to make #PeaceWithNature.

In 2025, countries will submit the next generation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to #ClimateAction. This year’s #EmissionsGap report sends an urgent message to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and deliver on the Paris Agreement temperature goals in the next NDCs. Full report: https://lnkd.in/dG4qUHiW

Cookware, paint, plumbing, even spices - All of these can contain lead, a heavy metal responsible for more than 1.5M deaths annually, developmental disorders in children and biodiversity loss. Collective efforts to ban lead in fuel and paints have already yielded great results. But to effectively end #LeadPoisoning globally further regulation and research for alternatives- as outlined in the Global Framework on Chemicals- is urgently needed. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dYgYMVes

Jeju, an island renowned for its natural wonders, and which is leading the Republic of Korea’s policy efforts to combat plastic pollution, has been selected as venue for the global commemoration of #WorldEnvironmentDay 2025. World Environment Day 2025 will highlight the importance of ending plastic pollution, creating synergies with ongoing negotiations to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. Details: https://lnkd.in/dgnxFmd4

Freshwater ecosystems—rivers, lakes, wetlands or aquifers—are essential for biodiversity, food security, and resilience against climate change. Yet, 50% of these reserves worldwide are degraded, threatening both nature and people. From implementing water-related nature-based solutions, like green corridors and urban waterway restoration, to using innovative tools like UNEP’s Freshwater Explorer and Global Wetlands Watch, here are 5 ways countries can protect these vital resources and make #PeaceWithNature: https://lnkd.in/dsKwP2jW #COP16Colombia

Renewable energy is advancing rapidly, but increased use in transport and heating is crucial to decarbonization. New technologies have a strong potential to transform energy systems and support sustainable development. However, gaps may hinder their expansion. Join UNEP and the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre on 01 November and discover how countries can bridge these gaps in the next round of NDCs: https://lnkd.in/dWbbf-ky

“Be ambitious, innovative and above all, demand to be heard, to be listened to and to be part of the decision-making processes.” Speaking at the Youth Forum on the Montreal Protocol and Climate Protection, Deputy Executive Director Elizabeth Mrema urged young people’s inclusive representation in decision-making and a collective responsibility to protect the most vulnerable populations. Details.: //https://lnkd.in/eRFstw-d

Cities expose their inhabitants to very high concentrations of toxic emissions, for example from burning fossil fuels, firewood and waste. Air pollution alone causes roughly 8.1 million premature deaths every year and also feeds climate change. But the problem is fixable: Five cities offer solutions for #CleanAirNow: https://lnkd.in/dXHZN3xA