united nations environment program (unep)
The United Nations Environment Programme was founded following the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972 with the expressed mandate of promoting the implementation of environmental aspects of sustainable development among UN member states. Its highest-level decision-making body, the UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA), was created in 2012 after calls by world leaders to strengthen the UNEP, and it has met every year since to address critical environmental challenges.
TOPIC: Rethinking Climate Finance in the Context of Climate Responsibility
(Intermediate LEVEL)
As seen from the successes of UNEP through Member State compliance, protecting the Earth is a priority shared by many. Unfortunately, a lack of funding has limited progress toward climate adaptation and mitigation across the world, especially in developing countries. According to the Climate Policy Initiative,3 climate finance needs to increase by at least 590% to meet existing objectives. As much as it is a global effort, governments are busy funding national needs and interests, and some appear to be less interested in abiding by non-binding pledges. Should nations be obligated to contribute based on their responsibility for climate change? How can climate-vulnerable countries move beyond the narrative of depending on the benevolence of wealthy countries and move towards one of demanding reparations? And what of the actual people - the individuals who suffer the most but get overlooked amidst abstract negotiations in ivory towers?
PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES
This list is subject to change
