The contribution of $10 million is in addition to Canada's previous contribution of $3 million to the CCAC's Trust Fund and $7 million for projects that support the mitigation of short lived climate pollutants in developing countries.

Nairobi, 11 April 2013 - The government of Canada has agreed to contribute over $10 million towards the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC).

Third Africa Environment Outlook Addresses Key Environmental Risks for Human Health and Draws Pathways for Sustainable Future

Report Shows Good Policies for Addressing Environmental Challenges Affecting Human Health, But Weak Implementation

Geneva/Nairobi, 19 January 2013--International effort to address mercury—a notorious heavy metal with significant health and environmental effects—was today delivered a significant boost with governments agreeing to a global, legally-binding treaty to prevent emissions and releases.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury—named after a city in Japan where serious health damage occurred as a result of mercury pollution in the mid-20th Century—provides controls and reductions across a range of products, processes and industries where mercury is used, released or emitted.

UN General Assembly Strengthens UNEP Role in Addressing Global Environmental Challenges

Renewed Focus on Improving Access to Technology and Capacity Building

New York / Nairobi, 21 December 2012 – Another step forward to the ‘Future We Want’ was put in place today with a decision by the General Assembly of the United Nations to ‘strengthen and upgrade’ the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and establish universal membership of its governing body.

Environment is one of the cross-cutting issues in the humanitarian cluster approach. Environmental issues – along with poor governance of natural resources – are part of the underlying causes of many, if not most crises and disasters requiring humanitarian aid. This is also acknowledged in many of the recent CAPs. Underlying environmental factors, such as water scarcity, disputes over land, deforestation or impact from climate change, contribute to many crises and may even hamper the humanitarian mission itself.

Food, Water and Livelihoods in Pacific Islands under Increasing Threat from Climate Change

Invasive Species, Waste, and Extreme Weather Events among Key Challenges

Doha (Qatar), 4 December 2012 – Island communities in the Pacific Ocean are facing unprecedented challenges to their economies and environment from the impacts of climate change, according to a new report released at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Doha, Qatar.

Biodiversity-Rich Marine Areas in Focus as Countries Renew Efforts to Curb Species Loss

Hyderabad (India), 20 October 2012 - The world's governments have agreed to increase funding in support of actions to halt the rate of loss of biodiversity at the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, which ended today.

Bamyan, Afghanistan, 11 October 2012 - The Government of Afghanistan, through its National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), has launched a USD $6 million climate change initiative, the first of its kind in the country's history.

This landmark scheme - to be implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and funded mainly by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) - aims to help communities that are vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as drought, and to build the capacity of Afghan institutions to address climate change risk.

Vital Economic and Environmental Role of Wetlands Must Be Recognized to Avoid Further Degradation and Losses

An Estimated 50 Per Cent of Wetlands Lost During the 20th Century

Hyderabad (India), 16 October 2012 – The key role that rapidly diminishing wetlands play in supporting human life and biodiversity needs to be recognized and integrated into decision-making as a vital component of the transition to a resource-efficient, sustainable world economy, according to a new TEEB report released today.