Sometimes, individual effort is not enough in the grand project of restoring the status quo in the environment. Nation states play an important role in determining the living habits of people of a particular country. Their policy decisions and legislation can make huge impact on the environment. Certain international bodies are necessary in order to persuade governments to control the production and use of substances that harm nature. UNEP is one such organization.
The United Nations Environment Programme or UNEP is an agency that coordinates its environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. Maurice Strong founded the organization and he was its first director too.
UNEP has played a significant role in developing international environmental conservations and promoting environmental science. The headquarters of the agency was established in Nairobi, Kenya, on 5 June 1972.
The organization has registered several successes, such as the 1987 Montreal Protocol for limiting emissions of gases blamed for thinning the planet’s protective ozone layer and the 2012 Minamata Convention, a treaty aimed at limiting toxic mercury.
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