Nairobi Declaration
The role and mandate of the
United Nations Environment Programme
We, the ministers and heads of delegation attending the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme
at its 19th session, held in Nairobi from 27 January to 7 February 1997,
Recalling the goal of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, which is to establish a new and
equitable global partnership through the creation of new levels of cooperation among States, key sectors of society
and people,
Reiterating our commitment to the implementation of the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21, and the Forest Principles,
adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, as well as other environmental conventions
agreed upon in the Rio process,
Recognizing the progress made in the implementation of the Rio agreements,
Nevertheless deeply concerned at the continuing deterioration of the global environment, including the
worsening trends in environmental pollution and the degradation of natural resources, as reflected in the Global
Environment Outlook report of the United Nations Environment Programme,
Aware of the rapid changes currently taking place in the world and the increasing complexity and fragmentation
of the institutional responses to them, as well as the far-reaching significance of the concept of sustainable
development which encompasses economic, social and environmental dimensions, supported by capacity-building, transfer
of technology and financial resources to developing countries, in particular least developed countries,
Convinced that a strong, effective and revitalized United Nations Environment Programme is essential to assist
the international community in its efforts to reverse environmentally unsustainable trends,
Aware that the special session of the General Assembly for the purpose of an overall review and appraisal of
the implementation of Agenda 21 offers a unique opportunity to review and appraise the follow-up to the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development and to confirm the revitalized role of the United Nations Environment
Programme,
Determined to assist the General Assembly in this important task, and guided by the principles agreed in the
Rio Declaration on Environment and Development,
DECLARE:
1. That the United Nations Environment Programme has been and should continue to be the principal United
Nations body in the field of the environment and that we, the ministers of the environment and heads of delegation
attending the 19th session of the Governing Council, are determined to play a stronger role in the implementation of
the goals and objectives of the United Nations Environment Programme;
2. That the role of the United Nations Environment Programme is to be the leading global environmental
authority that sets the global environmental agenda, that promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental
dimensions of sustainable development within the United Nations system and that serves as an authoritative advocate
for the global environment;
3. That to this end, we reaffirm the continuing relevance of the mandate of the United Nations Environment
Programme deriving from General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII) of 15 December 1972 and further elaborated by Agenda
21. The core elements of the focused mandate of
the revitalized United Nations Environment Programme
should be the following:
a. To analyse the state of the global environment and assess global and regional environmental trends, provide
policy advice, early warning information on environmental threats, and to catalyse and promote international
cooperation
and action, based on the best scientific and technical capabilities available;
b. To further the development of its international environmental law aiming at sustainable development,
including the development of coherent interlinkages among existing international environmental conventions;
c. To advance the implementation of agreed international norms and policies, to monitor and foster compliance
with environmental principles and international agreements and stimulate cooperative action to respond to emerging
environmental challenges;
d. To strengthen its role in the coordination of environmental activities in the United Nations system in the
field of the environment, as well as its role as an Implementing Agency of the Global Environment Facility, based on
its comparative advantage and scientific and technical expertise;
e. To promote greater awareness and facilitate effective cooperation among all sectors of society and actors
involved in the implementation of the international environmental agenda, and to serve as an effective link between
the scientific community and policy makers at the national and international levels;
f. To provide policy and advisory services in key areas of institution-building to Governments and other
relevant institutions;
4. That, for the effective discharge of its focused mandate and to ensure the implementation of the global
environmental agenda, we have decided to improve the governance structure of the United Nations Environment Programme.
In doing so, we have been guided by the following considerations:
a. The United Nations Environment Programme should serve as the world forum for the ministers and the
highest-level government officials in charge of environmental matters in the policy and decision-making processes of
the United Nations Environment Programme;
b. Regionalization and decentralization should be strengthened through the increased involvement and
participation of regional ministerial and other relevant forums in the United Nations Environment Programme process,
complementary to the central coordinating role of the United Nations Environment Programme headquarters in Nairobi;
c. The participation of major groups should be increased;
d. A cost-effective and politically influential
inter-sessional mechanism should be designed;
5. That, in order to operationalize its mandate, the revitalized United Nations Environment Programme needs
adequate, stable and predictable financial resources and, in this regard, that we recognize the interrelationship
between excellence, relevance and cost-effectiveness in programme delivery, confidence in the organization and a
consequent increase in the competitive ability of the United Nations Environment Programme to attract funding;
6. That ways must be sought to assure financial stability for the implementation of the global environmental
agenda. In this regard, the predictability and early notification of expected contributions to the Environment Fund
would facilitate an effective planning and programming process;
7. That we reaffirm the central importance of the Environment Fund as the principal source of financing for the
implementation of the programme of the United Nations Environment Programme;
8. That we are convinced that the expeditious implementation of our decisions and the principles contained in
this Declaration, adopted on the 25th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations Environment Programme, will
revitalize and strengthen the organization and place it at the forefront of international efforts to protect the
global environment for present and future generations and in the pursuit of sustainable development;
9. That we request the President of the Governing Council to present this Declaration to the high-level segment
of the 5th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development and to the special session of the General Assembly for
the purpose of an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of
Agenda 21.
