environment

Children sit around the 2009 SEED Gold Award project, solar-powered lights made from recycled kerosene lanterns

Dozens of eco-friendly initiatives bestowed UN-backed award

3 November 2010
A solar device turning waste heat into electricity in rural China and an Ugandan business manufacturing stationery from agricultural waste are among the dozens of winners of a United Nations-backed sustainable development award, it was announced today.
ESCAP Executive Secretary Noeleen Heyzer

UN conference ends with pledges to promote green growth in Asia-Pacific region

2 October 2010
Government ministers from across the Asia-Pacific region today committed themselves at a United Nations conference to implement a plan to promote green growth that encourages economic development while still ensuring environmental sustainability.
Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro

Deputy UN chief urges increased global support for small island developing States

26 September 2010
Economic, environmental and social vulnerabilities in small island developing States (SIDS) have deteriorated during the past 10 years, undermining their capacity to achieve the globally agreed development targets, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro has said, urging the international community to provide more support to those countries.
Winning entry from the 19th UNEP International Children’s Painting Competition by Coco Ton Chi Ting

Hong Kong teen takes top prize in UN environment agency’s painting competition

12 August 2010
A painting warning of the dangers of pollution by a teenager from Hong Kong, China, beat out hundreds of thousands of entries from around the world to win this year’s United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) painting competition, it was announced today.

New UN online tool detects global fire hotspots in real time

11 August 2010
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today unveiled a new online portal to help countries monitor fires and protect property with data from satellites operated by the United States space agency NASA.
One of the winning entries entitle “Restoring our Beautiful Home”

Chinese children turn to art in UN environment contest

30 July 2010
Millions of schoolchildren in China have demonstrated their concern for the environment by participating in a painting contest, using their artistic creativity to come up with images to illustrate their commitment to conservation, the United Nations environment agency said today.
Actor Don Cheadle at UN Headquarters in December 2006

Actor Don Cheadle named UN Goodwill Ambassador for environment

5 June 2010
Actor Don Cheadle was today appointed as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations environment agency during a ceremony in Rwanda to mark the World Environment Day.
President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed

Two national presidents among this year’s winners of top UN environment award

22 April 2010
The Presidents of Guyana and Maldives are among six winners from government, science, business and entertainment to be awarded this year’s United Nations Champions of the Earth prize today for their leadership in environmental conservation.
Green Economy

UN-supported study reports promising gains towards low-carbon economy

21 April 2010
A new United Nations-supported study released today shows that countries forged ahead with low-carbon growth economic strategies in the first quarter of this year despite the uncertainty surrounding international climate negotiations.
The Uruguay River seen from the Argentine side.

Uruguayan mill can operate despite breach of treaty, UN World Court rules

20 April 2010
A pulp mill at the centre of an environmental dispute between Uruguay and neighbouring Argentina can stay open even though Uruguay breached a treaty between the two countries by constructing it, the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled today.