Geneva
Green Guide
2010
The Geneva Environment Network’s
practical guide to Geneva-based
global organizations
working on the environment
and sustainable development
Geneva Green
Guide
2010
Published by the United Nations Environment Programme
for the Geneva Environment Network, November 2009.
This publication is intended for public information purposes only
and is not an official document.
Permission is granted to reproduce or translate the contents for
educational and public awareness purposes, giving appropriate credit.
Foreword
This expanded and revised fifth edition of the
Geneva Green Guide reaffirms that the United
Nations, the NGO community and the numerous
academic and local organizations based in the
Geneva region are committed to finding creative
and action-oriented solutions to the pressing environmental and sustainable development
challenges of our time.
New organizations joined the region. These,
including the Global Humanitarian Forum, the UN
REDD secretariat, the Environmental Science
Institute of the University of Geneva have been
contributing largely to the debate on major international environmental discussions.
Geneva-based organizations remain fully engaged
in the issue of climate change, a subject which is
a top priority for the UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki Moon. In 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC), established by UNEP and
the World Meteorological Organization and whose
Secretariat is hosted in Geneva, issued a definitive assessment on the science, likely impacts and
costs of curbing climate change.
UN and non-governmental organizations are promoting actions to reduce emissions and to step up
funding and support for adaptation in the run-up to
the next Climate Change Conference in December
in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The World Conservation Union (IUCN), WWF Intl.
and many others are actively supporting the 2010
biodiversity target which, with respect to forests
and other ecosystems, also echoes the climate
change agenda.
Other environmental priorities – from managing
chemicals more safely to reducing the risks of
natural disasters to addressing the interaction
between conflict and the environment – make
Geneva a dynamic and significant centre for
environmental issues. The region’s net work of
committed organizations offers an ideal arena for
developing new partnerships and activities. The
Geneva Green Guide offers a good starting point
for making these connections.
Achim Steiner,
UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director
Bruno Oberle,
Director, Swiss Federal Office for the Environment
Foreword
“Think globally, act locally” has been the guiding
principle behind the Geneva authorities’ environment strategy. Their policies aim to protect living
beings and the environment from damage or
threats, to protect nature throughout the canton,
including in urban areas, and to ensure the protection – or even enhancement – of natural habitats
to safeguard biodiversity. Building on the Rio Earth
Summit of 1992, Geneva was the first canton in
Switzerland to adopt a local Agenda 21, in March
2001, in the form of legislation at the cantonal
level. This programme of action aims at a convergence of, and a balance between, economic effi
ciency, social solidarity and ecological responsibility in all spheres of public activity. These measures
aim to reinforce global development and contribute
to safeguarding future generations. The City of
Geneva has been actively involved in this process
since 1995, when it signed the Aalborg Charter of
European Cities and Towns Towards Sustainability.
These efforts to protect the environment benefit
greatly from the presence here of so many organizations with environmental mandates. Indeed,
few places in the world can boast such an array
of “green” activities. These range from United
Nations programmes and treaty secretariats to
international non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) to Swiss universities and agencies. Together, these institutions create a critical mass of
environmental expertise. The Geneva authorities,
representatives of the host country, are committed
to supporting these international institutions.
The breadth and depth of Geneva’s environmental
infrastructure is revealed by the 110 entries in
this Guide. Many of the listings have addresses
at the International Environment House, based in
Châtelaine, Geneva. And many are members of
the Geneva Environment Network, which seeks to
facilitate contacts and to promote synergies.
It is our fervent wish and expectation that Geneva’s
role as a host for so many important organizations
will continue to contribute to effective environmental
action.
Sandrine Salerno,
Administrative Councillor, City of Geneva
Pierre-François Unger,
State Councillor, Republic and Canton of Geneva
The Green Guide
The Green Guide is designed to be a practical desk
reference for Geneva-based organizations involved in
environmental and sustainable development issues.
Published by the Geneva Environment Network (GEN)
with the generous assistance of the Swiss Federal
Office for the Environment, the guide is available since
2001 in both French and English. It was preceded by
the guide - Geneva and the Environment - published
from 1992 by Michael Foley Associates, the former
International Academy of the Environment and the State
of Geneva.
The aim of the Green Guide is to foster cooperation on
environmental issues. The handbook profiles organizations and provides the information necessary for making
the initial contact:
• It offers practical information for each organization,
such as address, telephone number, fax number,
email address, website, date of establishment,
number of staff and current person in charge;
• It distills the nature of each organization’s work into
one- or two-paragraph summaries.
The “Cooperation” and “Publications” categories are
meant to be representative rather than exhaustive
or definitive. Readers are encouraged to contact the
organizations and to visit their websites.
In addition to the print version, the Green Guide can
be downloaded at the Geneva Environment Network’s
website (www.environmenthouse.ch). The online
version is updated regularly. Updates and additions to
the online version can be made by sending an email to:
gen.secretary@unep.ch
The Geneva
Environment Network (GEN)
The Green Guide is the fruit of cooperation between the
Geneva Environment Network and the 110 organizations listed.
Set up in1999, the GEN is a cooperative partnership
of over 50 environment and sustainable development
organizations based in the International Environment
House and elsewhere in the Geneva area, including
United Nations offices and programmes, local authorities and non-governmental organizations.
GEN actively promotes increased cooperation and
networking between its members by: organizing and
hosting meetings on the environment and sustainable development, such as GEN Roundtables and
international workshops, promoting the dissemination
of information and public awareness of environmental
issues, maintaining a resource centre and cyberspace
and providing conference services to the Environment
House, and publishing the Geneva Green Guide.
Secretariat of the Geneva Environment Network
International Environment House
9-15 Ch. des Anémones, 1219 Châtelaine
Tel +41 22 917 82 22
Fax +41 22 797 3464
Public transport:
Bus 6, 19, 22, 51 bus-stop Châtelaine-Ecole;
Tram 14, 16 bus-stop Balexert.
Contents
Intergovernmental organizations
International non-governmental
and business organizations
National and local government
Academic institutions
Special status
Environment Management
Group
What is it? The Environment Management Group
(EMG) seeks to enhance cooperation in the field of
environment and human settlements within and beyond
the UN system. Established following the adoption of
General Assembly resolution 53/242 in 1999, the
EMG draws its membership from the specialized agencies, funds and programmes of the UN system and the
secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements
(MEAs). UNEP provides the secretariat.
What does it do? The EMG adopts an issuemanagement and problem-solving approach aimed at
promoting solutions to and joint action on important and
newly emerging issues
on the environment and human settlements agenda.
The EMG:
• provides a forum for its members to share their views
or concerns on issues of common interest, to review
progress or identify obstacles, to convey their views
on certain issues to intergovernmental forums and
processes and to other relevant forums, and to set a
roadmap for the future;
• contributes to the implementation of the outcomes of
the World Summit on Sustainable Development
(WSSD) and the Millennium Summit in the areas of
environment and human settlements.
• identifies issues on the environment and human
settlements agenda requiring enhanced interagency
cooperation;
• addresses these issues through time-bound issuemanagement groups (IMGs) consisting of relevant UN
entities as well as other stakeholders with proven
expertise in the area;
Cooperation The EMG’s main mandate is to
enhance cooperation and joint action within and beyond
the UN system, including the Bretton Woods institutions
1
EMG
Secretariat of the
Environment Management Group
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Head of Secretariat: Ivar Baste
and WTO. It also establishes concrete working relationships with NGOs, other civil society groups and the
private sector.
Tel: (+41 22) 917 86 93
Fax: (+41 22) 797 43 20
Email: EMG@unep.ch
Website: www.unemg.org
Established: 2003
Staff: 5
Group on Earth Observations
GEO
What is it? The Group on Earth Observations
(GEO) was established in 2005 as an intergovernmental
mechanism for coordinating all existing and future Earth
observations systems and implementing a “Global Earth
Observation System of Systems” (GEOSS). It was
launched in response to calls from the WSSD, the
G8 and three ministerial Earth Observation Summits to
improve existing Earth observation systems. GEO now
boasts over 70 member countries and 45 participating
organizations. It is constructing GEOSS on the basis of
a 10-Year Implementation Plan that runs from 2005 to
2015. It is funded by voluntary contributions.
What does it do?Earth observations form the
building blocks of humanity’s efforts to understand and
manage our highly stressed global environment. To improve the value of these observations, GEO is actively
linking together existing and planned Earth observation
systems – including satellites, ocean buoys and weather
stations – to create a Global Earth Observation System
of Systems (GEOSS). It is encouraging the development
of new systems to eliminate gaps in coverage, promoting common technical standards so that outputs from
different instruments can be combined into integrated
data sets, and helping individuals and institutions gain
the skills and capacities they need to use Earth observations more effectively. GEO is taking a cross-cutting
approach to nine interconnected priorities of critical
importance to the future of the human race. It aims to
help us to protect ourselves better against natural and
human-induced disasters, understand the environmental
sources of health hazards, manage energy resources,
respond to climate change and its impacts, safeguard
freshwater resources, improve weather forecasts, manage ecosystems, promote sustainable agriculture and
conserve biodiversity.
Cooperation with the International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction (ISDR), United Nations Environment
Programme, World Meteorological Organization,
Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), UNITAR,
Switzerland’s Federal Office for the Environment, World
Health Organization, etc.
Publications GEOSS Ten-Year Implementation Plan, GEO Annual Reports, The Full Picture.
GEO Secretariat
7 bis, avenue de la Paix
Case Postale 2300
CH-1211 Geneva 2
Director: José Achache
Info contact: Michael Williams
Tel: (+41 22) 730 85 05
Fax: (+41 22) 730 85 20
Email: secretariat@geosec.org
Website:
www.earthobservations.org
Established: 2005
Staff: 15
2
Intergovernmental Forum
on Chemical Safety
IFCS
What is it? The IFCS is an alliance of all stakeholders concerned with the sound management of chemicals.
IFCS provides an open, transparent and inclusive forum
for discussing issues of common interest and also new
and emerging issues in the area of sound management of
chemicals. IFCS plays a unique multi-faceted role as a flexible, open and transparent brainstorming and bridge-building forum for all stakeholders. It is a global platform where
governments, international, regional and national organizations, industry groups, public interest associations, labour
organizations, scientific associations and representatives of
civil society meet to build partnerships, provide advice and
guidance, and make recommendations. The IFCS serves
as a facilitator, advocates systemizing global actions taken
in the interest of global chemical safety.
What does it do? The functions of the IFCS are
consultative and advisory, and include:
• identifying priorities for cooperative action and
facilitating this cooperation;
• making recommendations for concerted international
strategies;
• promoting the strengthening of national chemicalsmanagement coordination mechanisms;
• identifying gaps in scientific understanding;
• promoting information exchange and technical
cooperation;
• reviewing the effectiveness of relevant ongoing
activities;
• advising governments on their work on chemical safety;
• promoting cooperation among governmental and nongovernmental organizations;
• evaluating progress on agreed actions and
recommendations.
Forum discussions, adopted recommendations and
agreed actions contribute to the implementation of the
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) and the work of other chemicals-related
international organizations and institutions.
Cooperation with governments, intergovernmental
and non-governmental organisations.
Publications include reports of Forum sessions, resource guides, videos and other materials/documents. All are available on the
website.
3
IFCS
c/o World Health Organisation
20 Avenue Appia
CH-1211 Geneva 27
President: Cheikh Ndiaye Sylla
Government of Senegal
Info contact: Judy Stober
Tel: (+41 22) 791 36 50
Email: stoberj@who.int
Tel: (+41 22) 791 38 73
Fax: (+41 22) 791 48 75
Email: ifcs@who.int
Website: www.ifcs.ch
Established: 1994
Staff: 3
Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change
IPCC
What is it? The IPCC is an intergovernmental body
established by WMO and UNEP to assess the scientific,
technical and socio-economic information relevant to
understanding the risks of human-induced climate
change. All member countries of the UN and WMO are
members of the IPCC.
What does it do? The IPCC’s main activity is
the preparation – approximately every six years – of
a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the
policy-relevant scientific, technical and socio-economic
dimensions of climate change.
Other activities of the IPCC include:
• preparing Special Reports and Technical Papers on
specific topics in response to requests from the
Parties to the United Nations Framework Conven
tion on Climate Change (UNFCCC) or from within
the IPCC itself;
• through the National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
Programme, developing guidelines and methodolo
gies to be used for calculating greenhouse-gas
emissions and removals in order to assess the
impacts of climate change and evaluate appropriate
adaptations;
•
Cooperation Key partners are the parent organizations WMO and UNEP and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The
IPCC also cooperates with other relevant UN organiza-
tions, UN specialized agencies and Conventions. About
30 intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations participate as observers in the work of the IPCC.
•
•
facilitating cooperation between the climatemodelling and impacts communities through the
IPCC Task Group on Data and Scenario Support
for Impact and Climate Analysis (TGICA), which
is composed of experts in climate modelling, climate
impact assessment and scenario development;
making available a range of scenario-related data
for conducting assessments of climate change
through its Data Distribution Centre (DDC); and
holding workshops and expert meetings in support
of the assessment process.
Publications Since its inception, the IPCC has produced four multi-volume Assessment Reports and a number of special reports,
methodology reports and technical papers - see the website. In 2007 the IPCC published its Fourth Assessment Report: Climate
Change 2007 in four volumes: The Physical Science Basis; Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability; Mitigation of Climate Change and
the Synthesis Report.
IPCC Secretariat
c/o World Meteorological
Organization
7 bis Avenue de la Paix
Case Postale 2300
CH-1211 Geneva 2
Secretary: Renate Christ
Info contact: (+41 22) 730 82 54
Tel: (+41 22) 730 82 08 / 82 84
Fax: (+41 22) 730 80 25 / 80 13
Email: ipcc-sec@wmo.int
Website: www.ipcc.ch
Established: 1998
Staff: 6
4
International Centre for
Migration Health and Development
ICMHD
What is it? The International Centre for Migration
Health and Development is a research, training and
policy advocacy centre. The ICMHD headquarters are
in Geneva, Switzerland but it has offices in Nairobi, New
Orleans, Rome and Sarajevo from where it out-reaches to
a large number of countries. ICMHD has been recognized
by WHO for its technical excellence and been designated
three times as a WHO Collaborating Centre on issues of
health and migration. ICMHD has also been recognized
as a UNFPA Implementing Partner.
What does it do? ICMHD is a research, training
and policy institution. Its work focuses on the health and
development impact of migration of all kinds, including forced
and voluntary migration, nomadism and the movement of
military and other personnel. Within the domain of health,
ICMHD addresses communicable and non-communicable
diseases, and also the impact of the health needs of migrants
on health systems. Within its training program, ICMHD
organizes courses for health care personnel on cultural competency; it also organizes courses for humanitarian relief
personnel on public health in emergencies. In 2008 it began
a series of courses on the implications of human resources
movement within the health care sector. Within its policy formulation and advocacy program, ICMHD works closely with
governments and international organizations such as WHO,
UNFPA, the EU and the Council of Europe. For university
students, ICMHD maintains an educational/study programme
without remuneration. ICMHD runs climate change-related
projects
Cooperation ICMHD cooperates with governments,
UN and other international organizations, as well as the
EU and the Council of Europe. It also has a wide net
work of partnerships with universities in Europe, Africa
and North America.
Publications Please consult ICMHD’s website for a selected list of publications.
5
Centre international pour la migration
et la santé (CIMS)
Route du Nant d’Avril 11
CH-1214 Vernier (Genève)
Executive Director:
Manuel Carballo
Info contact: (+41 22) 783 10 80
Tel: (+41 22) 783 10 80
Fax: (+41 22) 783 10 87
Email: admin@icmh.ch
Website: www.icmh.ch/
Established: 1995
Staff: 10
International Labour
Organization
ILO
Programme on Safety and Health at Work
and the Environment
What is it? The SafeWork programme of the ILO’s
Social Protection Sector is responsible for elaborating international instruments related to all aspects of
occupational safety and health. The current objectives
of SafeWork are to develop and promote preventive policies and programmes to protect workers in hazardous
occupations and sectors, including: extending effec
tive protection to vulnerable groups of workers falling
outside the scope of traditional protective measures;
better equipping governments, employers and workers
to address problems of worker well-being, occupational
health care and the quality of working life; and documenting the social and economic impacts of improving
worker protection.
What does it do? Apart from its standard-setting
work, its activities include the preparation and dissemination of information on:
• accidents and diseases;
• occupational health;
• hazardous work;
• radiation protection;
• chemical safety;
• World of Work and the environment:
• management systems;
• capacity-building (technical cooperation).
Cooperation with other UN agencies, such as with
the WHO on occupational health issues, as well as with
national governments and aid agencies.
Publications ILO Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety; Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems. For a full list of publications, see the website at www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework.
ILO-SafeWork
International Labour Office
4 route des Morillons
CH-1211 Geneva 22
Safework Programme Director:
Sameera Al-Tuwaijri
Director General: Juan Somavia
Info contact: Communications and
Files Section
Tel: (+41 22) 799 61 11
Fax: (+41 22) 798 86 85
Email: ilo@ilo.org
Tel: (+41 22) 799 67 15
Fax: (+41 22) 799 68 78
Email: safework@ilo.org
Website: www.ilo.org/safework
Established: 1919
Staff: 1900 worldwide
6
International Programme
for Chemical Safety
What is it? The IPCS is a cooperative programme
of the WHO, the ILO and UNEP. It was established following the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment, which recom- mended that programmes should
IPCS
be undertaken for the early warning and prevention of
the harmful effects of chemicals to which humans are
exposed.
What does it do? The two main roles of the
IPCS are to establish the scientific basis for the safe
use of chemicals and to provide technical assistance in
strengthening national capabilities and capacities for the
sound management of chemicals. There are four focal
areas for this work:
• the evaluation of chemical risks to human health;
• poison information, prevention and management
activities;
• chemical incidents and emergencies, including
public-health preparedness, response,
prevention and surveillance;
• capacity-building and technology transfer.
Cooperation through a network of governmental
and non-governmental institutions, which are designated
“Participating Institutions”. In addition, all countries are
encouraged to designate National Focal Points,
through which the results of the work of the IPCS may
be disseminated and guidance may be given to the
Programme on the needs and views of the country.
Publications Environmental Health Criteria (EHCs); Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents (CICADs); International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs); Poisons Information Antidote Monographs and Pesticide Safety Data Sheets. All documents
are available on the IPCS website and also on the CD-ROMs IPCS INCHEM and IPCS INTOX. The IPCS INCHEM database is also
accessible online free of charge at www.inchem.org.
7
International Programme for
Chemical Safety
World Health Organization
20 avenue Appia
CH-1211 Geneva 27
Coordinator: Tim Meredith
Info contact: Tim Meredith
Email: mereditht@who.int
Tel: (+41 22) 791 35 90
Fax: (+41 22) 791 48 48
Email: ipcsmail@who.ch
Website: www.who.int/ipcs
Established: 1980
Staff: 20
International Trade Centre
ITC
What is it? The International Trade Centre is the joint
agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations.
What does it do?ITC provides trade-related technical assistance to exporters, trade support institutions and
policymakers in developing and transition economies. ITC’s
mission is Export Impact for Good. Environmental goods and
services is a key export opportunity, comprising certified natural
resource based products and environmental technologies.
ITC’s work covers the following areas:
• Training for companies and TSIs in meeting environmental
market requirements, international marketing, ecopackaging, supply chain management, law and finance.
Incorporating environmental sector issues in national export
strategies. Facilitating strategies for environmental sectors,
for example medicinal plants;
• Export promotion of certified environmental products and
services through advisory services and market analysis of
sectors including organic food; spices and herbs; rubber;
jute and coconut fibres; medicinal plants; sustainablyproduced wood products and artisanal products; and
environmental services and technologies;
• Trade information through specialized databases for private
environmental standards; new process and production
requirements; eco-labelling; prices of environmentally
preferable products; and supply sources for environmentally
supportive products, technologies and services. ITC’s online
market analysis tools, Trade Map, highlight environmental
trade barriers on countries’ exports.
Cooperation ITC’s Environment Sector Development
Programme, provides technical assistance support to certified
natural resource based sectors (organic food, biodiversity
products and timber) and to environmental technologies and
services sectors. The programme of producer/enterprise
training and trade promotion is currently implemented in subSaharan Africa and Asia.
ITC’s Trade for Sustainable Development (T4SD) is a project
• to provide information on voluntary standards so helping
producers, exporters and TSIs participate in
international trade;
• to assess the effects of sustainable trade on livelihoods
and the environment.
Publications The World of Organic Agriculture (2009), Organic Farming and Climate Change (2008), Airfreight Transport of Fresh Fruits
and Vegetables – A Review of the Environmental Impact and Policy Options, World Market for Organic Wild Collected Products (2007); Marketing
Manual and Web Directory for Organic Spices, Herbs and Essential Oils (2006); World Markets in the Spice Trade 2000-2004 (2006); The US and
Canadian Market for Organic Food and Beverages (2004); Environmental Industries - Country profile - Trade Opportunities, Germany (2004). See
the website and for organic products (www.intracen.org/organics).
ITC
54-56 rue de Montbrillant
CH-1202 Geneva
Executive Director: Patricia Francis
Info contact: Alexander Kasterine,
Division of Product and Market
Development,
Tel: (+41 22) 730 0292
Email: kasterine@intracen.org
Tel: (+41 22) 730 01 11
Fax: (+41 22) 733 44 39
Email: itcreg@intracen.org
Website: www.intracen.org
Established: 1964
Staff: 200
8
International Union
for the Protection of
New Varieties of Plants
UPOV
What is it? UPOV, which was established by the
International Convention for the Protection of New
Varieties of Plants, provides a protection system for the
intellectual property rights of plant breeders.
What does it do?The UPOV Convention makes
an exclusive property right available to breeders of new
varieties of plants. To be eligible for protection, varieties
must be:
•
•
•
•
•
new;
distinct from existing, commonly known varieties;
sufficiently uniform;
stable; and
designated by an appropriate denomination.
UPOV aims to encourage plant breeding for the benefit
of society. It promotes international harmonization and
cooperation, mainly between its members (States and
international organizations), on the legal and technical
aspects of the protection of new varieties of plants.
UPOV also provides assistance to countries and international organizations in the introduction of plant variety
protection legislation.
Cooperation The Office of UPOV maintains close
contacts with a number of IGOs and NGOs with interests in the field of plant variety protection and related
areas.
Publications
9
International Union for the Protection
of New Varieties of Plants
34 chemin des Colombettes
CH-1211 Geneva 20
Secretary-general: Francis Gurry
Info contact: Rolf Jördens,
Vice Secretary-General
Email: rolf.joerdens@upov.int
Tel: (+41 22) 338 91 11
Fax: (+41 22) 733 03 36
Email: upov.mail@upov.int
Website: www.upov.int
Established: 1961
Staff: 11
Joint Programme Unit for
United Nations and Interpeace
Initiatives
JPU
What is it? A United Nations / NGO partnership
supporting UN peacebuilding operations in the field. The
Joint Programme Unit for United Nations / Interpeace
initiatives (JPU) was created in 2005 from an agreement
between UNDP and Interpeace. The JPU now works as
an operational unit of the Swiss operational centre of
UNOPS.
What does it do? An operational focus - With a 2009
operational budget of US$ 4 million and a team of 61
peacebuilders, the JPU is currently overseeing programmes in Israel, Liberia and Cyprus.
Benefits from 15 years of experience in peacebuilding
- The JPU uses an approach that is based on 15 years
field experience of NGO partner Interpeace, which has
programmes running in Africa, Asia, Central America,
Europe and the Middle East.
An approach that addresses the ‘how’ of peacebuilding
- The JPU uses research-based, participatory dialogue
strategies to help societies identify, agree and deliver
against shared goals and actions to build lasting peace.
Key to the success – The focus on the ‘how’ in addition
to the ‘what’ of peacebuilding has been the foundation of
the success. The JPU approach addresses ‘how to’:
- build an effective local team
- foster trust amongst all actors
- facilitate constructive participation by all
stakeholders
- identify shared goals and agree on common actions
- develop local ownership and capacities for peace
Cooperation The JPU supports the field operations
of the UN by designing joint peacebuilding strategies
with UN local offices by: identifying and training key
local capacities; implementing field initiatives through
local teams; bringing the expertise from the Interpeace
programmes.
For more information on how the JPU can support your peacebuilding initiatives please contact
bernardoa@unops.org
Publications www.interpeace.org
c/o Interpeace
International Environment House 2
7-9 Chemin de Balexert
CH 1219 Châtelaine
Director: Bernardo Arévalo de León,
Programme Coordinator:
Enrique Sánchez Airas
Info contact: (+41 22) 917 8627
Email: dpo@lutheranworld.org
Tel: (+41 22) 917 8627
Fax: (+41 22) 917 8039
Email: bernardoa@unops.org
Website: www.interpeace.org
Established: 2005
Staff: 61 peacebuilders in Geneva
and around the world
10
Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands
What is it? The Convention on Wetlands, signed
in Ramsar, Iran, is an intergovernmental treaty that
provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of
wetlands, including rivers and lakes, coastal lagoons,
mangroves, peatlands and coral reefs. It also covers
human-made wetlands such as fish and shrimp ponds,
farm ponds, irrigated agricultural land, salt pans, reservoirs, gravel pits, sewage farms and canals. Some,1,825
wetland sites, totalling 170 million hectares, have been
designated for inclusion by its 158 member states in the
Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance as
of December 2008.
What does it do? The Convention obliges its
Contracting Parties to include wetland conservation
considerations in their national land-use planning. Parties must promote, as far as possible, “the wise use of
wetlands in their territory”. The Convention’s “Wise Use
Guide- lines” call upon Contracting Parties to:
• adopt national wetland policies, which involves a
review of existing legislation and institutional
arrangements;
• develop programmes of wetland inventory,
monitoring, research, training, education and public
awareness; and
• take action at wetland sites, including the
development of integrated management plans
covering every aspect of the wetlands.
Cooperation BirdLife International; IUCN – The
World Conservation Union; Wetlands International; the
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and the International Water Management Institute are formally recognized as the Convention’s ‘International Organization
Partners’. The Secretariat also cooperates with many
other international and national NGOs and has formal
collaborative agreements with most global environment
Conventions.
Publications Ramsar Handbooks (guidelines on the wise use of wetlands, etc.); The Ramsar Convention Manual; Wetlands, Biodiversity
and the Ramsar Convention (1997); Economic Valuation of Wetlands (1997); Towards the Wise Use of Wetlands (1993); etc.
11
Ramsar Convention Secretariat
28 rue Mauverney
CH-1196 Gland (Vaud)
Secretary General: Anada Tiéga
Email: tiega@ramsar.org
Info contact: Dwight Peck
Email: peck@ramsar.org
Tel: (+41 22) 999 01 70
Fax: (+41 22) 999 01 69
Email: ramsar@ramsar.org
Website: www.ramsar.org
Established: 1971
Staff: 17 and 4 interns
South Centre
What is it? The South Centre is an intergovernmental organization of developing countries, with a current
membership of 50 member states. The central objective
of the South Centre is to promote South solidarity, South
consciousness and mutual knowledge and understanding among the countries and peoples of the South. The
South Centre’s mandate is to serve as a think tank and
it enjoys full intellectual independence.
What does it do? In order to achieve its objectives and with the aim of fostering coordinated participation by developing countries in international forums,
the South Centre prepares, publishes and distributes
information, strategic analyses and recommendations
on international, social and political matters of concern
to the South.
Cooperation Within the limits of its capacity and
mandate, the Centre also responds to requests for
policy advice and for technical and other support from
collective entities of the South, such as the Group of 77
and the Non-Aligned Movement. The South Centre is
also in regular working contact with the organizations
of the UN system, in particular UNCTAD, UN/DESA,
and UNDP, with various NGOs from the North and the
South, with academic and research institutions, and with
a network of experts and collaborators.
Publications South Bulletin; Working Papers; Research Papers; Policy Briefs; Analytical Notes; Intellectual Property Quarterly
Update; The South Centre Quarterly on Trade Disputes and books in the South Perspectives series. All publications are accessible
on the South Centre’s website.
South Centre
17-19 chemin du Champ d’Anier
CH-1209 Petit Saconnex (Geneva)
Executive Director: Martin Khor
Info contact: Joseph R. Nanayakkara
Tel: (+41 22) 791 80 50
Fax: (+41 22) 798 85 31
Email: south@southcentre.org
Website: www.southcentre.org
Established: 1995
Staff: 25
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United Nations Children’s Fund
Regional Office for Europe
What is it? UNICEF is on the ground in over 150
countries and territories to help children survive and
thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The
world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good
UNICEF
water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys
and girls, and the protection of children from violence,
exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by
the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses,
foundations and governments.
What does it do? UNICEF carries out activities in
the following areas:
- Child survival (immunization, nutrition) and
development
- Children and HIV/AIDS
- Basic education and gender equality
- Child protection from violence, exploitation and
abuse
- Policy advocacy and partnership
Cooperation UNICEF works with families, schools,
communities, NGOs, governments and a wide range of
UN agencies.
Publications See the complete list of manuals, reports and publications on the website at www.unicef.org/wes.
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UNICEF
Regional Office for Europe
5,7 Avenue de la Paix
CH-1211 Geneva
Director general: Ann M. Veneman
Regional director: Philip O’Brien
Info contact: (+41 22) 909 51 11
Email: askgeneva@unicef.org
Tel: (+41 22) 909 51 14
Fax: (+41 22) 909 59 00
Website: www.unicef.org
Established: 1946
Staff: More than 10 000 people
working in over 150 countries
United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development
UNCTAD
What is it? As the focal point within the UN for development issues in the areas of trade, finance, technology
and investment, UNCTAD works as an ‘ideas laboratory’ to
provide on-the-ground assistance to developing countries
in related areas. It helps developing countries to ensure
development gains and opportunities and to participate fully
in the world economy.
What does it do? UNCTAD carries out its activities through three channels: research, policy analysis
and data collection; intergovernmental debate and consensus-building; and technical assistance (300 projects
and programmes in 2007). Its main activities include:
• analysing foreign direct investment trends and their
impact on development; helping countries to participate
in international investment agreements; advising
governments on investment policies through investment
policy reviews, investment guides and training;
• identifying policy options in new technologies, in particular digital and e-business solutions; analysing and
promoting e-tourism options; facilitating trade and
customs clearance through the use of applied information technologies.
• identifying broad trends and prospects in the world
economy; assisting developing countries in all
aspects of their trade negotiations; identifying solutions for the economic development of African
countries; analysing the effects of international
initiatives on least developed countries; proposing
solutions for debt restructuring; encouraging SouthSouth trade cooperation; helping commoditydependent countries to diversify their production;
encouraging the inclusion of environment issues in
trade and development policies;
Cooperation with the UN Department for Economic
and Social Affairs (UN/DESA), UNDP, ITC, WTO, UNIDO, UNEP and WIPO, the World Bank, the IMF, regional
economic commissions, OECD, IGOs and NGOs.
Publications Trade and Development Report; The World Investment Report; The Least Developed Countries Report; UNCTAD
Handbook of Statistics; Economic Development in Africa; Information Economy Report; Review of Maritime Transport.
United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Secretary-General:
Supachai Panitchpakdi
Info contact: Information and Communication Unit
Email: news@unctad.org
Tel: (+41 22) 907 12 34
Fax: (+41 22) 907 00 43
Email: news@unctad.org
Website: www.unctad.org
Established: 1964
Staff: 400
14
United Nations Convention to
Combat Desertification
UNCCD
Geneva Liaison Office
What is it? Recognizing the need for a fresh
approach to combating desertification, governments
adopted the UNCCD in 1994. The Convention seeks to
promote effective action against dryland degradation
through innovative local programmes and supportive
international partnerships.
What does it do?The Convention secretariat,
headquartered in Bonn, makes arrangements for official
meetings, transmits documentation and reports, facilitates assistance to affected developing country Parties,
and coordinates its activities with other relevant
intergovernmental bodies. The Geneva Liaison Office
cooperates with the UN Office in Geneva on matters
related to administration and the servicing of conferences. It also responds to queries from the Permanent
Missions.
Cooperation Since the UNCCD secretariat is not
an operational agency, the Convention has to rely on the
comparative advantage of the United Nations and other
institutions for its timely implementation. The secretariat
has developed long-term joint work programmes with
FAO, IFAD, UNIFEM, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNU,
WFP, WMO and other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.
Publications Official documentation; Down to Earth newsletter; national, sub-regional and regional reports; Fact Sheets; Down to
Earth – a simplified guide to the Convention to Combat Desertification; and Lupo Alberto – a comic strip explaining desertification.
15
UN Convention to Combat Desertification
Geneva Liaison Office
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Executive Secretary:
Hama Arba Diallo
Info contact: Nadine Mattana
Tel: (+41 22) 917 84 07
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 32
Email: nmattana@unccd.int
Website: www.unccd.int
Staff: 2 (Geneva Liaison Office);
55 (Headquarters)
United Nations
Development Programme
UNDP
Geneva Office
What is it? The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is globally the most important source of
multilateral funding in the form of donations to development
cooperation. It was created in 1965 by the merger of two
technical cooperation programmes.
What does it do? UNDP is the UN system’s global
development network. It advocates change, and connects
countries to the knowledge, experience and resources their
populations need to improve their lives. UNDP is present
at the grass-roots level in 166 countries, helping them to
identify their own solutions to the national and global challenges facing them in terms of development. To reinforce
their own abilities, these countries are able to rely on UNDP
staff and the organisation’s large range of partners at any
time. The world’s leaders have undertaken to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals, the main aim of which is to
halve poverty, by the year 2015. The UNDP network links
and coordinates the efforts being made at the global and
national levels with a view to achieving these Goals. We are
dedicated to helping countries develop and share solutions
to problems involving the following issues:
•
•
•
•
UNDP helps developing countries to mobilise and use
international aid effectively. In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights and promote the active
participation of women.
UNDP’s liaison office in Geneva has specific responsibility
for ensuring the reinforcement of partnerships and relations
with donors in France and Switzerland. It identifies, reinforces and develops UNDP’s institutional capacity to improve its
strategic partnerships with a wide range of partners, mainly
programme countries and donor countries, the UN system,
non-governmental and civil society organisations, the
private sector, intergovernmental organisations, international
financial institutions, regional banks, university circles and
foundations, as well as the partners participating in the UN’s
campaign for decentralised cooperation.
Democratic governance
Crisis prevention and recovery
Reducing poverty
Environment and energy
A UN agency with an office in Geneva
and headquarters in New York, (UN
Headquarters Agreement)
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Director: Cécile Molinier
Tel: (+41 22) 917 85 38
Info contact: Gisèle Moussalli
Tel: (+41 22) 917 85 36
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 01
Email: registry.ch@undp.org
Website: www.undp.org
Established: 1966
Staff:114 in Geneva,
7253 worldwide
16
United Nations
Development Programme
UNDP/BCPR
Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery
What is it? As part of its broad development
mandate, the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) works in areas where natural disasters and
violent conflicts undermine sustainable develoment. The
Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) supports efforts to reduce the impact of natural disasters,
prevent armed conflicts and assist in recovery from
crises when they occur. BCPR is also responsible for
consolidating UNDP’s knowledge and experience of crisis prevention and recovery, providing a bridge between
humanitarian responses and the development work of
UNDP, and advocating for crisis sensitivity in the context
of development policy.
What does it do? The Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) was created in 2001 to
strengthen the work of UNDP in crisis situations. BCPR
serves as the practice leader for crisis prevention and
recovery within UNDP and provides a repository for
tools, methods, and experience. BCPR supports country
offices and advises UNDP Senior Management on
issues related to conflict prevention and recovery, natural
disaster risk reduction and recovery and cross-cutting
issues such as early recovery and gender equality.
BCPR works closely with UNDP country offices and their
national counterparts, providing technical assistance,
best practices and financial resources in support of
their prevention and recovery activities. BCPR works
to ensure that UNDP’s long-term development policies
and programmes incorporate opportunities for disaster
reduction and conflict prevention. BCPR is also responsible for ensuring that UNDP’s commitment to gender
equality is reflected throughout its crisis prevention and
recovery work.
Cooperation with national governments, local
authorities and civil society; the UN sys- tem, including UN DPKO and DPA, OCHA, UNDG, UNHCR; and
multilateral agencies such as the World Bank.
17
UN Development Programme
Bureau for Crisis Prevention and
Recovery
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
BCPR Geneva Deputy Director:
Miguel Bermeo
Tel: (+41 22) 917 83 50
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 60
Email: bcpr.geneva@undp.org
Website: www.undp.org/bcpr
Established: 1998 (then ERD)
Staff: 40 in Geneva
United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe
UNECE
What is it? The Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE) was created in 1947 by ECOSOC. Its major
aim is to promote pan-European economic integration.
To do so, UNECE brings together 56 countries located
in Europe, Central Asia and North America to work
together on economic and sectoral issues.
The Commission provides analysis, policy advice and
assistance to governments. In cooperation with other stakeholders, notably the business community, it gives focus to
United Nations global economic mandates. It also sets out
norms, standards and conventions to facilitate international
cooperation within and outside the region.
What does it do?
UNECE expertise covers sectors including:
• economic cooperation and integration,
• sustainable energy,
• environment,
• housing and land management,
• population,
•
•
•
•
•
statistics,
technical cooperation,
timber,
trade,
Transport.
Cooperation UNECE activities involve over 70
international organizations.
Publications http://www.unece.org/publications/oes/welcome.html
United Nations
Economic Commission for Europe
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Executive Secretary: Ján Kubiš
Info contact:
Tel: (+41 22) 917 44 44
Fax: (+41 22) 917 05 05
Email: info.ece@unece.org
Website: : www.unece.org
Established: 1947
Staff: 220
18
United Nations Food
and Agriculture Organization
FAO
Geneva Liaison Office with the United Nations
What is it? FAO is one of the largest specialized agencies in the UN system; it takes the lead on
agriculture, forestry, fisheries and rural development.
FAO works to alleviate poverty and hunger by promoting
agricultural development, improved nutrition and food
security. It also encourages sustainable agriculture and
rural development, a long-term strategy for increasing
food production and food security while conserving and
managing natural resources.
What does it do?FAO seeks to achieve more
productive and efficient use of the Earth’s natural resources to meet current and future food and agricultural
needs in a sustainable manner. The Sustainable Development Department advises governments on integrated
policy, planning and management of natural resources.
It coordinates the Organization’s implementation of the
1992 Earth Summit’s Agenda 21, global environmental
Conventions on biological diversity, climate change and
desertification, and parts of the Programme of Action for
the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States. The Liaison Office in Geneva works with the
UN and other intergovernmental and inter-agency
organizations in Geneva and takes a substantive role
in promoting the FAO’s policy positions in the areas of
its competence. It provides technical and policy advice
to country missions in Geneva on issues related to the
multilateral trade negotiations at the WTO.
Cooperation The Rome-based FAO and the Geneva-based UNEP Chemicals Branch jointly administer
the interim secretariat for the Rotterdam Convention on
the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain
Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International
Trade.
PublicationsSee the website at www.fao.org/publishing.
19
FAO Liaison Office with the United
Nations Geneva (LOGE)
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Head of Geneva Liaison Office:
Manzoor Ahmad, Director;
Director-General: Jacques Diouf
Info contact: Carol von Linstow
Tel: (+41 22) 917 36 83
Fax: (+41 22) 917 00 65
Email: FAO-LOGE@fao.org
Website: www.fao.org
Established: 1945
Staff: 3800 worldwide, 8 in Geneva
United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees
UNHCR
What is it? UNHCR’s primary purpose is to safeguard
the rights and well-being of refugees. UNHCR strives to
ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum
and find safe refuge in another state and to return home
voluntarily.
What does it do? UNHCR works to minimize the
environmental impacts of its operations for refugees and internally displaced people. It also coordinates environmental
support activities, including education at schools, reforestation programmes in support of anti-erosion measures and
the introduction of fuel-efficient cooking stoves. During the
different phases of a refugee/IDP crisis (emergency, care
and maintenance, and durable solutions),
UNHCR follows four principles:
• an integrated approach, which integrates environment
concerns into planning;
• prevention before cure, which focuses on taking action
as soon as possible to avert greater problems later on;
• cost-effectiveness, to maximize the efficiency of its assistance programmes;
• local participation, which focuses on involving local
people in the development and management of environmental activities.
Cooperation with UNEP, the World Food Programme,
CARE, the German Development Cooperation Agency,
UNESCO, IRD, UNICEF, IFRC, the World Conservation
Union (IUCN) and more than 500 national and international
non-governmental organizations.
Publications UNHCR Environmental Guidelines (1996, revised in 2005); UNHCR Cooking Options in Refugee Situations: Experiences
in Energy Conservation; UNHCR Livelihood Options in Refugee Situations: Promoting Sound Agricultural Practices; Forest Management in
Refugee and Returnee Situations; Livestock-Keeping and Animal Husbandry; Land Use Design in Refugee Situations; Refugee Operations
and Environmental Management: Selected Lessons learned from the Field; See the website.
United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR)
Case Postale 2500
CH-1211 Geneva 2
High Commissioner:
Antonio Guterres
Info contact:
Valentine Ndibalema,
Operational Solutions & Transition
Section, Division of Operational
Services,
Tel: (+41 22) 739 82 80,
Email: ndibalev@unhcr.org
Tel: (+41 22) 739 81 11
Fax: (+41 22) 739 73 14
Website: www.unhcr.org
Established: 1950
Staff: over 5000 in 121 countries
20
United Nations Human
Settlements Programme
UN-HABITAT
Geneva Office
What is it? Established in 1978, the United Nations
Human Settlements Programme, UN-HABITAT, is the
United Nations agency mandated by the UN General
Assembly to promote socially and environmentally
sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing
adequate shelter for all.
The agency works with countries to achieve sustainable
urban development, including improvement in the lives
of slum dwellers, access to safe water and sanitation,
environmental protection and adequate rights to land
and housing.
What does it do?UN-HABITAT’s main activities
are in the areas of:
• urban planning, development, management and
governance;
• housing policy, housing rights, land and security
of tenure;
• slum upgrading and the provision of low-income
housing through the UN-HABITAT/World Bank
Cities Alliance initiative and the agency’s Slum
Upgrading Facility;
• environmental sustainability;
• access to basic services through the Water and
Sanitation Trust Fund;
• urban infrastructure including energy and transport;
•
•
Cooperation UN-HABITAT works with a wide range
of partners, including governments, intergovernmental
organizations, local authorities and their associations,
non-governmental and community-based organizations,
parliamentarians, and youth, academic, professional
and private-sector organizations.
•
•
•
•
municipal and housing finance;
risk and disaster management including postconflict and disaster reconstruction;
safer cities through policies on crime prevention
and urban safety;
gender-mainstreaming and the inclusion of youth
in human settlements development and
management;
training and capacity-building, particularly for
urban management stakeholders;
advocacy, research and monitoring progress
towards the implementation of the Habitat
Agenda and MDG targets relating to slums and
access to water and sanitation.
Publications See the website at www.unhabitat.org/publications.
21
UN-HABITAT, Geneva Office
International Environment House 2
7-9 chemin de Balexert
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Director a.i., Geneva Office:
Gert Ludeking,
Executive Director: Anna Tibaijuka
Info contact:
infohabitat@unhabitat.org
Tel: (+41 22) 917 86 46/7
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 46
Email: unhabitat@unog.ch
Website: www.unhabitat.org
Established: 1978
Staff: 9 in Geneva, 200 at HQ
+ project staff
United Nations
Institute for Disarmament
Research
UNIDIR
What is it? UNIDIR – an autonomous research institute within the United Nations – conducts research on
disarmament and security with the aim of assisting the
international community with its disarmament thinking,
decisions and efforts.
What does it do? Through its research projects,
publications, meetings and expert networks, UNIDIR
promotes creative thinking and dialogue on the disarmament and security challenges of today and tomorrow.
Proposing new ideas for security thinking, UNIDIR’s
work brings together security, disarmament and devel-
opment so that all forms of security – national, regional,
global – are recognized as true manifestations of human
security. The Institute is a focal point for intergovernmental organizations, the diplomatic disarmament
community, and government ministries.
Cooperation UNIDIR’s reach extends far beyond
Geneva through its partnerships and collaboration with
academic and research institutes, NGOs and civil society, and students from around the world. UNIDIR also
cooperates closely with the UN Department for Disarmament Affairs, as well as with other programmes and
institutions in the UN.
Publications Disarmament Forum/Forum du désarmement – the quarterly journal of UNIDIR (in English and French); books
and reports.
UNIDIR
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Director: Theresa Hitchens,
Tel: (+41 22) 917 42 93
Tel: (+41 22) 917 31 86/42 63
Fax: (+41 22) 917 01 76
Email: unidir@unog.ch
Website: www.unidir.org
Established: 1980
Staff: 20
22
United Nations
Institute for Training and
Research
UNITAR
What is it? UNITAR’s mandate is to enhance the
effectiveness of the UN through training and research. It
provides training to assist countries in meeting the challenges of the 21st century, conducts research on
innovative training and capacity-building approaches
and forms partnerships to develop and implement such
programmes.
What does it do?UNITAR designs and conducts over 150 different training and capacity-building
programmes each year, benefiting more than 80.000
persons annually. Of particular interest to environmental
organizations are its training activities on:
• the application of environmental law, which assists
government officials, academics, lawyers, judges,
planners and NGOs to pursue the goals of sustain
able development more effectively;
• chemicals and waste management, which helps to
support developing countries and countries in
economic transition in their efforts to ensure that
dangerous chemicals and waste are handled safely;
•
•
climate change, the primary goal of which is to
support developing countries in implementing the
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC);
new information and communication technologies
(databases, remote sensing, Geographic Information
Systems, Internet), which now offer new mechanisms
of management and access to information on line.
Cooperation with individuals and institutions in
member States, UN agencies, government representatives and NGOs.
Publications UNITAR’s publications include practice-oriented books, manuals, training materials and distance learning
courses. A list can be found on the website.
23
UNITAR
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Executive Director: Carlos Lopes
Assistant Secretary-General
Info contact: Rebeca Valença
Email: rebeca.valenca@unitar.org
Tel: (+41 22) 917 84 55
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 47
Website: www.unitar.org
Established: 1965
Staff: 91
United Nations
Non-Governmental Liaison
Service
What is it? NGLS is an inter-agency programme of
the United Nations system supported by some 20 UN
agencies, programmes and funds and several external
donors. NGLS promotes dynamic partnerships between
the United Nations and non-governmental organizations.
NGLS
By providing information, advice, expertise and support
services, NGLS is part of the UN’s efforts to strengthen
dialogue and win public support for economic and social
development.
What does it do? NGLS:
• conducts information outreach to NGOs, government
missions, bilateral donors and international organizations;
• provides advice and guidance to NGOs and UN
organizations seeking greater
cooperation; and
• facilitates the participation of NGOs, particularly
those from developing countries,
in the work and activities of the UN system.
Cooperation with the entire UN system and NGOs
active around UN events, fora and issues.
Publications Go Between (newsletter); Roundup (series); the NGLS Handbook; Guide to the UN system for NGOs; Development
Dossier (series); Voices from Africa (series, in English and French). The Civil Society Observer, a bi-monthly electronic bulletin, is a
package of selected articles, reports and other documents; it contains four sections: In the Press, Trends and Debates, CSOs and the
Multilateral System and CSO Research. Publications are available on the website at www.un-ngls.org.
UN Non-Governmental Liaison
Service
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Tel: (+41 22) 917 20 76
Fax: (+41 22) 917 04 32
Email: ngls@unctad.org
Website: www.un-ngls.org
Director: Tony Hill
Established: 1975
Staff: 10 (of whom 4
are in New York)
24
United Nations Office
at Geneva
25
UNOG
What is it? UNOG is the representative office of the
Secretary-General in Switzerland and the largest duty station
outside of United Nations Headquarters. Servicing close to
9,000 meetings annually, UNOG is one of the busiest global
intergovernmental conference centres and a focal point for
multilateral diplomacy. UNOG provides critical support to
a large number of United Nations entities in Geneva and
beyond, including administrative, conference management,
communications, public information and outreach, library and
security services.
What does it do? As a representative office of the
Secretary-General, UNOG works across the following areas:
Representation, liaison and coordination: As the Secretary-General’s representative, the Director-General promotes
the Organization’s priorities among all stakeholder communities. He provides for liaison, coordination and facilitation with
Permanent Missions, the Host Country authorities, research
and academic institutions, non-governmental organizations
and the private sector, facilitates inter-agency cooperation
and collaboration with regional and other intergovernmental
organizations, and represents the Legal Counsel in Geneva.
Disarmament: The Director-General serves as SecretaryGeneral of the Conference on Disarmament and Personal
Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to the
Conference, and promotes the United Nations’ disarmament
agenda.
Conference Management: Through the Division of Conference Management, UNOG coordinates and manages the
provision of conference services for close to 9,000 meetings
annually held at UNOG and at other locations under the
responsibility of UNOG, including planning, documentation,
language services and general meetings servicing, as well
as advising host countries while preparing conference events
serviced by UNOG outside of Geneva.
Administration: Through the Division of Administration,
UNOG provides administrative services and support to many
parts of the United Nations system in Geneva and beyond,
including financial management services to over 30 Genevabased offices and departments as well as to entities located in
Turin and Bonn, human resources management services to
3,500 staff members in more than 30 client departments and
offices located in Europe and in 80 field services worldwide,
information and communications technology support, as well
as buildings and grounds management.
Public Information: The United Nations Information Service
provides information about intergovernmental meetings held
at UNOG and about UN-wide issues to journalists, diplomats,
civil society and the public. It provides for the coordination of
communications, public information and outreach activities
with other United Nations entities in Geneva, as well as organizing special events, briefings on United Nations activities and
managing the Visitors’ Service.
Library: The UNOG Library provides library and archival
services to over 60,000 users annually, including maintenance
of general information and library collections, acquisition and
preservation of library materials and United Nations documentation, records management and management of historical
archives. Through the Library, UNOG also hosts a Cultural
Activities Programme.
Security: As Designated Official for Security for Switzerland,
the Director-General is responsible for ensuring the safety and
security of persons and property at United Nations premises
in Switzerland.
Cooperation UNOG cooperates with all parts of the
United Nations system, regional and other organiza
tions, the research and academic community, non-governmental organizations and the private sector.
Publications All publications are available on the website.
United Nations Office at Geneva
Palais des Nations
Avenue de la Paix 8-14
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Geneva, Switzerland
Director-General:
Sergei A. Ordzhonikidze
E-mail addresses of individual Divisions and Services are available on
the UNOG website
Tel: (+41 22) 917 12 34
Fax: (+41 22) 917 01 23
Email:
Website: http://www.unog.ch
Established: 1946
Staff: 1,600
United Nations
Office for Project Services
UNOPS
Switzerland Operations Centre
What is it? UNOPS is an independent entity of the
United Nations that provides project management services in every field where the UN has a mandate – from
environmental protection to public sector reform, from
informatics solutions to eradicating poverty.
What does it do? UNOPS provides a range of
services varying from human resource and procurement services to turnkey project management. Its
clients are UN organizations, Development Banks, and
the Global Fund.
UNEP and the World Bank. These projects are in the
areas of international waters, biodiversity protection, the
implementation of the Montreal Protocol, energy, climate
change or environmental assessment and clean-up.
Upon request, UNOPS will manage a project from start
to finish or provide specialized services. These services
include selecting and hiring project personnel, procuring
goods and services, organizing training courses, and
administering loans. In 2008, UNOPS delivered services
valued at USD 1 billion to over 2,600 projects. Most
of the environment projects managed by UNOPS are
funded by UN Funds and Programmes, including UNDP,
Cooperation Clients include UN agencies, bilateral
donors, international financial institutions, developing
country governments and the private sector. Services
The UNOPS Switzerland Operations Centre supports UNEP
in the implementation of projects such as the Environmental Capacity Building Programme in Afghanistan, the
rehabilitation of polluted sites in Iraq and the environmental
assessment of Sudan. It also supports the Secretariat of the
Basel Convention in contracting consultants, and contracts
a large number of international and national experts for the
UNEP/GEF Biosafety Clearing House.
are available through any UNOPS office, including the
one in Geneva.
Publications Annual Report. See the website at www.unops.org for a complete listing.
UN Office for Project Services
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Director, Switzerland Operations
Centre: Bernhard Schlachter
Info contact: Agnès C. Lefort
Tel: (+41 22) 917 84 80
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 62
Email: unops.geneva@unops.org
Website: www.unops.org
Established: 1996
Staff: 20
26
United Nations
Population Fund
UNFPA
Geneva Office
What is it? UNFPA is an international development
agency that promotes the right of every woman, man
and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity.
UNFPA supports countries in using population data for
policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to
ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is
safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every
girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.
What does it do? The Fund has three main areas of work: to help ensure universal access to reproductive health, including family planning and sexual health;
to support population and development strategies that
enable capacity-building in population programming;
and to promote women’s empowerment and gender
equality. Increasingly, UNFPA works with environment
and sustainable-development organizations to address
the impact of population growth on the environment.
The Geneva office works on:
• representation with accredited Geneva based
permanent missions, UN organizations and
international organizations
• advocacy and assisting fund raising activities with
12 European countries, working with governments,
parliamentarians, civil society and the media
• technical and operational work on a variety of issues
in collaboration with Geneva-based institutions;
technical approaches on reproductive and maternal
health, gender, human rights and humanitarian work;
backstopping operational humanitarian response.
Publications The State of World Population; UNFPA Annual Report; Programme of Action of the International Conference on
Population and Development; Women are the Fabric. For a full list of publications, see the website.
27
UN Population Fund
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Executive Director (UNFPA
Headquarters, New York):
Thoraya Ahmed Obaid
Info contact:
Leyla Alyanak
Senior External Relations Adviser
Tel: (+41 22) 917 85 71
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 16
Email: alyanak@unfpa.org
Website: www.unfpa.org
Established: 1969
Staff: 1,031 (of which 77% in the field)
UN-REDD
Programme Secretariat
UN-REDD
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation
and forest Degradation
What is it? The UN-REDD Programme supports
countries’ capacity building efforts to get ready for REDD
(reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation). It also provides guidance and standardized
approaches based on sound science, to assist countries in
their REDD activities and at the same time to support the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) process.
What does it do?The UN-REDD Programme:
• provides technical advice on ways to address de
forestation and forest degradation within countries;
• helps countries access financial and technical
assistance;
• provides methods and tools for measuring and moni
toring greenhouse gas emissions and forest carbon
fluxes and development of national measurement,
reporting and verification (MRV) systems;
• facilitates and catalyses broad-ranging consultations
with stakeholders and boosts engagement of stake
holders in the REDD agenda and dialogues;
• Establishes linkages and supports action with related
areas of work such as governance, development,
ecosystem services, poverty reduction and food
security, among other things;
• builds consensus and knowledge about REDD and
raises awareness about the importance of including a
REDD mechanism in a post-2012 climate change
agreement;
• enhancing the analytical and technical framework of
multiple benefits for REDD decision-makers and;
• promotes knowledge management, coordination and
communication, including sharing of experience in
moving forward with REDD
The UN-REDD Programme Secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland and works as a compact interagency team. It serves the Policy Board and liaises with
countries, other REDD initiatives and partner institutions. It provides oversight for the implementation of the
programme, using the capacities and expertise of FAO,
UNDP and UNEP as the participating agencies.
The Secretariat seeks to ensure that strategies and
operational guidance decided by the Policy Board are
implemented and adhered to, and that the UN-REDD
Programme is implemented in a coordinated manner.
The Secretariat manages the programme’s overall monitoring and evaluation functions, including in the delivery
of the support to both National and Global Programmes.
Coordination, communication and knowledge management are at the heart of the Secretariat’s daily activities.
It organizes information events, maintains the website,
and produces a monthly E-Newsletter with up-to-date
information on the Programme and lessons learned on
REDD activities.
Cooperation The UN-REDD Programme is collaborating closely with other relevant actions such as the
UNFCCC Secretariat, Norway’s International Climate
and Forest Initiative, the Global Environment Facility
(GEF), Australia’s International Forest Carbon Initiative,
the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility
(FCPF), among others.
Publications Publications, reports and updates are available on the website (indicated above).
UN-REDD Programme Secretariat
International Environment House
11-13 Ch. des Anémones
CH-1219 Geneva
Tel: +(41 00) 22 917 8946
Fax:+(41 00) 22 917 8027
Email: un-redd@un-redd.org
Website: www.un-redd.org
Head: Yemi Katerere
Established: 2008
Staff:7 plus Members and Associates
28
United Nations
Research Institute for
Social Development
UNRISD
What is it? UNRISD is an autonomous agency
engaging in multidisciplinary research on the social
dimensions of contemporary development issues.
What does it do? UNRISD works through an
extensive global network of researchers and institutes in
order to promote original enquiry, strengthen research
capacity in developing countries and carry out multidisciplinary research on the social dimensions of development challenges in six broad areas: Social Policy and
Development; Democracy, Governance and Well-Being;
Markets, Business and Regulation; Civil Society and
Social Movements; Identities, Conflict and Cohesion;
and Gender and Development.
Through its research, events and publications, UNRISD
provides government agencies, intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations and scholars with a
better understanding of how development policies and
processes affect different social groups; stimulates
dialogue; and contributes to policy debates both within
and outside the United Nations system.
The expertise of the Institute’s staff members is solicited
by a range of organizations in the form of consultancy
and advisory work. This enables UNRISD to contribute
to the programme development and activities of other institutions and groups. UNRISD’s work is funded entirely
by voluntary contributions.
Cooperation with ILO, IOM; UNDESA, UNDP,
UNESCO, UNFPA, UNIFEM, other intergovernmental
agencies, government funding agencies, NGOs and
foundations.
29
Publications include Social Policies and Private Sector Participation in Water Supply: Beyond Regulation; Transnational
Governmentality and Resource Extraction: Indigenous Peoples, Multinational Corporations, Multilateral Institutions and the State;
Natural Gas, Indigenous Mobilization and the Bolivian State; Assessing the Impact of Public-Private Partnerships in the Global South:
The Case of the Kasur Tanneries Pollution Control Project; Corporate Partnerships and Community Development in the Nigerian Oil
Industry: Strengths and Limitations; Perspectives on Corporate Taxation and Social Responsibility in the Chilean Mining Industry.
Full details at www.unrisd.org.
United Nations Research Insitute for
Social Development
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Director: Sarah Cook
Info contact:
Jenifer Freedman
Email: freedman@unrisd.org
Tel: (+41 22) 917 30 20
Fax: (+41 22) 917 06 50
Email: info@unrisd.org
Website: www.unrisd.org
Established: 1963
Staff: 14 plus research assistants
United Nations secretariat
for the International Strategy
for Disaster Reduction
UNISDR
What is it? The UNISDR aims to achieve a substantial
reduction in disaster losses and to build disaster-resilient
communities and nations by facilitating the implementation of
the Hyogo Framework for Action and by promoting increased
awareness of the importance of disaster reduction as an es
sential condition for sustainable development. The UNISDR
secretariat serves as a broker, catalyst, and focal point for
disaster risk reduction within the United Nations and the
wider ISDR system, which comprises numerous partner
organizations, States and civil society worldwide.
What does it do? Recognizing that natural hazards
can threaten any one of us, the UNISDR builds partnerships
and takes a global approach to disaster reduction, seeking
to involve every nation, community and individual in reducing the loss of lives and addressing the socio-economic
setbacks and environmental damage caused by natural
hazards.
The secretariat works to facilitate the implementation of the
Hyogo Framework for Action, the key UN instrument for
implementing disaster risk reduction. The three strategic
goals of the HFA are to:
• integrate risk reduction approaches into emergency
preparedness, response and recovery.
• mainstream disaster risk reduction into sustainable
development processes;
• strengthen institutional capacities for disaster risk
reduction;
Cooperation with UN agencies, governments, NGOs,
international, regional and local organizations, academia,
The secretariat is responsible for the Global Platform for
Disaster Risk Reduction, the main forum of the International
Strategy for Disaster Reduction, on the basis of resolution
61/198 of the United Nations General Assembly. It is a
venue for Member States and other stakeholders to assess
progress made in implementation of the Hyogo Framework
for Action, enhance awareness of disaster risk reduction,
share experience and learn from good practice, identify
remaining gaps and identify actions to accelerate national
and local implementation. It contributes to identifying priority
actions linked to the Hyogo Framework for the ISDR system
partners.
scientific and technical institutions, the media and the private
sector.
Publications Include Words into Action: Implementing the Hyogo Framework; National Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction Guidelines;
Indicators of progress: Guidance on Measuring the Reduction of Disaster Risks and the Implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action;
Biennial awareness campaigns: 2006-07 Education and Safer Schools and 2008-09 Hospitals Safe from Disaster: Reduce Risk, Protect
Health Facilities, Save Lives
UN secretariat for the International
Strategy for Disaster Reduction
International Environment House 2
7-9 Chemin de Balexert
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Director: Assistant Secretary General
Margareta Wahlström
Tel: (+41 22) 917 89 08
Fax: (+41 22) 917 89 64
Email: isdr@un.org
Website: www.unisdr.org
Established: 2000
Staff: 70
30
UNEP
Regional Office for Europe
UNEP/ROE
What is it? ROE supports UNEP programmes
in Europe and ensures that UNEP’s goals of global
sustainable development and environmental protection
are advanced in the region.
What does it do? ROE participates in several
ministerial and high-level processes:
• the UNECE “Environment for Europe” process
– four- or five-year reviews of Europe’s
environment;
• the WHO-led “Environment and Health” process
– five-year reviews of environment and health in
Europe;
• the Protection of Forests in Europe (under the
Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests
in Europe) – three-year reviews of forests in Europe;
• the joint UNECE-WHO Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme, which, among
other things, seeks to integrate environmental and
health aspects into transport policies and decisions.
In addition, ROE works on:
• policy integration, liaison and representation with
governments and regional groupings,
including the European Union and regional intergovernmental meetings;
• outreach, communications and public information;
• advisory services and other forms of assistance to
countries of Central and Eastern
Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia;
• strengthening UNEP’s visibility and constituency in
Europe, including through fundraising, the development and implementation of the Caspian Sea,
Arctic and
Black Sea Environment Programmes, and other
regional initiatives such as ENVSEC;
• the provision of logistical support and services to
UNEP activities in Geneva.
Cooperation with UNEP national committees, NGOs,
UN agencies, news media, industry and labour, scientists,
community groups and prominent individuals.
Publications See the website at www.unep.ch/roe.
31
UNEP Regional Office for Europe
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Director: Jean Christophe Bouvier
Info contact: Isabelle Valentiny
Email: isabelle.valentiny@unep.org
Tel: (+41 22) 917 82 79
Fax: (+41 22) 797 34 20
Email: roe@unep.ch
Website: www.unep.ch/roe
Staff: 20
UNEP Chemicals Branch
What is it? The UNEP Chemicals Branch is the main
driving force in the UN system for activities related to the
sound management of chemicals. The Branch aims to
promote chemical safety and provide countries with access to
information on chemicals including development of guidelines
and methodology. The Branch is a key organization involved
in implementing the Strategic Approach to International
Chemicals Management (SAICM), adopted in early 2006, and
is the seat of the Secretariat for the SAICM.
What does it do? The goals of the Branch are
achieved through activities related to:
• capacity-building for the sound management of chemicals
in developing countries and countries with economies in
transition, including assistance related to the integration of
sound management into development plans and training in
information access;
• specific chemicals such as mercury, lead and cadmium,
including partnerships to reduce risks from releases of
mercury, and support international actions on mercury in
accordance with decisions expected to be taken at the
UNEP Governing Council in February in 2009;
• technical and scientific backstopping and training to
chemicals-related multilateral environmental
agreements such as the Stockholm, Rotterdam, and Basel
Conventions. In cooperation with their secretariats, expert
meetings or workshops are organized and projects jointly
implemented. Current activities include inventories of
dioxins and furans, global monitoring of POPs,
CIEN/ESTIS training, PCB management;
• build country capacities in risk assessment and management for the sound management of chemicals, including
pesticides, through the dissemination of guidance, tools,
and training materials interalia developed in partnerships
with governmental and non-governmental institutions;
• The integration of sound management of chemicals, as
part of the poverty-environment linkage, into national
development planning processes to support sustainable
development in developing countries and countries with
economies in transition. In support of the value added of
SAICM, UNDP and UNEP have developed a Partnership
Initiative for the Sound Management of Chemicals (SMC)
to help countries to:
• Identify specific areas of chemicals management which
are likely to result in concrete environment, health and
economic benefits and put in place a plan to begin
addressing the identified gaps;
• Assess their national development strategies relative to
protecting the environment and human health from
adverse effects through sound management of chemicals,
and,
• Improve where relevant the integration of chemicals
management priorities into the national development
discourse and planning agenda.
Cooperation with governments, IGOs such as the
OECD, NGOs, and UN agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme, the Food and Agriculture
Organization, the World Health Organization and the
United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
Publications See the website at www.chem.unep.ch.
UNEP Chemicals Branch
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Tel: (+41 22) 917 81 92
Fax: (+41 22) 797 34 60
Email: chemicals@unep.ch
Website: www.chem.unep.ch
Head: Per Bakken
Established: 1976
Staff: 30
32
UNEP Division of Early Warning
and Assessment/Global
Resource Information Database
GRID Europe
UNEP/DEWA
What is it? DEWA/GRID-Europe was established as a
pioneering centre of UNEP’s Global Resources Information
database (GRID), which has now grown into a worldwide
network of 15 environmental data centres.
What does it do? GRID-Europe’s main role is to
underpin UNEP’s assessment activities and its efforts to
support global and regional environmental decision-making
by improving access to high-quality data about the state of the
world’s environment. It is also responsible for coordinating the
European programme of UNEP’s Division of Early Warning
and Assessment (DEWA). DEWA/GRID-Europe’s core tasks
are:
• support to UNEP’s assessment processes, including the
Global Environment Outlook (GEO);
• the provision of early warning on emerging environmental problems and threats, especially those of a trans
boundary nature;
•
Cooperation GRID-Europe is supported by UNEP, the
Swiss Federal Office for the Environment and the University
of Geneva. It works with UN agencies, IGOs, NGOs and
regional organizations, as well as the private sector.
GRID-Europe is involved in several European Commission
research projects.
•
•
increasing access to environmental data and
information through new systems and tools;
carrying out case studies using Geographic Information
Systems and remote sensing for the mapping,
monitoring and sustainable use of natural resources;
and
the implementation of capacity-building projects to
develop and strenghten environmental information
systems of partner organizations.
Publications GRID-Europe provides inputs for publications such as the Global Environment Outlook; UNEP Yearbook; One Planet, Many
People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment; Balkans Vital graphics; Our waters: joining hands across borders - first assessment of transboundary rivers, lakes and groundwaters; Vital Waste Graphics; etc. GRID-Europe published: Global Glacier Changes: facts and figures; Carpathians
Environment Outlook (KEO); Environmental Alert Bulletins on emerging environmental threats; Freshwater in Europe: Facts, Figures and Maps;
DEWA/GRID-Europe Information Bulletin. Other publications are available on the website.
33
UNEP/DEWA/GRID-Europe
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Tel: (+41 22) 917 82 94/95
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 29
Email: infogrid@grid.unep.ch
Website: www.grid.unep.ch
Regional Coordinator: Ron Witt
Established: 1985
Staff: 25
UNEP
Economics & Trade Branch
UNEP/ETB
What is it? The Branch examines the ways in which
economics, trade and finance interact with the environment at local, regional and global levels and how these
linkages in turn affect development.
What does it do? The Branch’s primary
mission is to help countries integrate environmental
considerations into development planning and macroeconomic policies, including trade policies. It undertakes activities to:
• increase the recognition of global leaders and policy
makers of the contribution of environmental investment to economic growth, job creation and poverty
reduction;
• support countries and institutions to steer economic
investments in an environmentally and financially
sustainable direction;
•
•
•
•
enhance understanding of the environmental, social
and economic impacts of trade liberalization and
the trade impacts of environmental policies and
agreements;
raise the awareness of policy- and decision-makers
on the relationships between trade, environment
and development;
develop, and assist countries in the use and
application of assessment and incentive tools,
including integrated assessment and economic
instruments;
enhance synergies between MEAs and the WTO.
Cooperation with the WTO, UNCTAD, Multilateral
Environment Agreements (MEAs), NGOs, international
organizations and national governments.
Publications Reforming Energy Subsidies. Opportunities to Contribute to the Climate Change Agenda (2008), Towards Sustainable Fisheries Access Agreements – Issues and Options at the World Trade Organization (2008), Organic Agriculture and Food
Security in Africa (2008) • Training Resource Manual – The Use of Economic Instruments for Environmental and Natural Resource
Management (2008), ETB Information Bulletin • UNEP-UNCTAD CBTF News Bulletin. A full list of publications can be found on the
following URL address: http://www.unep.ch/etb/publications/index.php.
Economics & Trade Branch
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Tel: (+41 22) 917 82 98
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 76
Email: etb@unep.ch
Website: www.unep.ch/etb
Chief: Hussein Abaza
Established: 1992
Staff: 16
34
UNEP Finance Initiative
UNEP/FI
What is it? UNEP/FI is a unit of UNEP’s Economics
and Trade Branch. Its mission is to identify and promote
best practice with regard to the environment and sustainability for financial institutions. The Initiative’s origins
go back to 1991, when UNEP started working with a
small group of commercial banks to catalyse the industry’s response to the environmental agenda. In May
1992, just before the Rio Summit, a number of leading
banks became signatories to the UNEP Statement by
Banks on the Environment and Sustainable Development. In 1995, UNEP joined forces with the insurance
sector to launch the UNEP Statement of Environmental
Commitment by the Insurance Industry. Today UNEP/FI
works closely with approximately 180 commercial
banks, investment banks, insurance and re-insurance
companies, fund managers and venture capital funds to
promote linkages between the respective objectives of
environment and finance.
What does it do? It delivers products ranging
from professional development programmes and actionoriented reports to major international conferences that
bring together financial professionals from around the
globe. UNEP/FI also opens up a vast network of
sustainable development contacts and information and
networking services.
Cooperation UNEP/FI works with numerous
financial institutions at the national, regional and global
levels. It has set up Task Forces in Africa, Asia Pacific,
Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and North
America. UNEP/FI works with governments, academia
and a number of multi-stakeholder groups.
Publications 2 a year; Challenges of Water Scarcity - A Business Case for Financial Institutions; CEO briefing - Finance for
Carbon Solutions; The Materiality of Social, Environmental and Corporate Governance Issues to Equity Pricing. See the website.
35
UNEP Finance Initiative
International Environment House
15 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Head of Unit: Paul Clements-Hunt
Info contact: Ken Maguire
Tel: (+41 22) 917 81 78
Fax: (+41 22) 796 92 40
Email: fi@unep.ch
Website: www.unepfi.org
Established: 1992
Staff: 13
UNEP/GEF Biosafety Projects
What is it? The Unit was established in 2001
within UNEP’s division of GEF Coordination to manage
the Global Project on the Development of National
Biosafety Frameworks. It was expanded in 2003 to run
the Projects on the Implementation of National Biosafety
Frameworks. The Project to Build Capacity for Effective
Participation in the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH) was
initiated in 2004. Currently, in 2009, the Global Project
on the Development of National Biosafety Frameworks
and Project to Build Capacity for Effective Participation
in the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH) are closing,
whilst a number of countries are continuing with Projects
on the Implementation of National Biosafety Frameworks and a second phase of the BCH project will be
developed.
What does it do? The Unit helps developing
countries and countries with economies in transition to
build national capacity and strengthen institutions for the
safe management of living modified organisms resulting
from modern biotechnology. Main activities include:
•
•
the dissemination of biosafety-related information
and promotion of regional and subregional cooperation and exchange of experience.
support in implementing regulatory regimes for
biosafety, including systems for handling requests
for permits and for monitoring, inspections and
public awareness; and
Cooperation with the participating countries, the
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity,
the Secretariat of the Global Environment Fund, FAO,
ISAAA, ISNAR, IUCN, OECD, UNIDO, UNDP, WHO,
the World Bank and other international, regional and
subregional organizations involved in biosafety and
biotechnology issues, NGOs and the private sector.
Publications See http://www.unep.org/biosafety/Publications.aspx
UNEP-GEF Biosafety
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Contact: biosafety-info@unep.ch
Tel: (+41 22) 917 84 10
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 70
Email: biosafety-info@unep.ch
Website: www.unep.org/biosafety
Established: 2001
Staff: 10, Geneva HQ: 2
36
Geneva Environment Network
GEN
What is it? The Geneva Environment Network
(GEN) is a cooperative partnership of over 50 environment and sustainable development organizations based
in the International Environment House and elsewhere in
Geneva, Switzerland. The GEN is administered by UNEP.
What does it do? GEN actively promotes increased
cooperation and networking amongst relevant organizations by:
• maintaining an information centre and Internet café
and providing conference services and support to
the Environment House;
• promoting the dissemination of information and
public awareness of environmental issues;
• publishing Environment House News, a round-up of
topical essays on the environment and sustainable
development, and The Geneva Green Guide; and
• organizing international workshops jointly with its
members.
• organizing and hosting meetings on the environment
and sustainable development. “GEN Roundtables”
have explored such themes as international environmental governance, climate change and natural disasters, the GEF, human rights and the environment,
the relationship between the Biosafety Protocol and
the WTO, the environmental
impacts of war, the freshwater crisis, climate change
and natural disasters, among others;
Cooperation GEN works to foster synergies and
encourage partnerships between the different organizations, secretariats and other environmental institutions
resident in the Geneva area.
Publications Environment House News; The Geneva Green Guide; Precaution: From Rio to Johannesburg; Human Rights
and the Environment.
37
Geneva Environment Network
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Tel: (+41 22) 917 83 26
Fax: (+41 22) 797 34 64
Email: gen.secretary@unep.ch
Website: www.environmenthouse.ch
Programme manager: Diana Rizzolio
Established: 1997
Staff: 2
UNEP/GPA Wastewater
Management Training
Programme
What is it? An inter-agency capacity building partnership that provides training on wastewater management in coastal cities.
What does it do?The programme provides
training to municipal managers and decision makers to
strengthen capacity at the local level towards:
• achieving the Johannesburg Plan of Implementa
tion target on sanitation;
• improving environmental conditions in coastal
regions; and
• improving human health.
Cooperation Lead by the Nairobi-based UNEP
Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the
Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA),
the UNEP/GPA training programme is funded by UNDPGEF and the EU-ACP Water Facility, accredited by the
UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea
Train-Sea-Coast Programme (UNDOALOS/TSC) and
implemented in partnership with the UNESCO-IHE
Institute for Water Education.
Publications UNEP/WHO/UN-Habitat/WSSCC Guidelines on Municipal Wastewater Management. UNEP/GPA – UNDOALOS
– UNESCO-IHE Improving Municipal Wastewater Management in Coast Cities – Training Manual (in 7 languages).
International Environment House
Chemin des Anémones 11-13
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Coordinator: David Osborn (UNEP/
GPA Coordination Office, Nairobi)
Info contact: Robert Bechtloff
Tel.: (+41 22) 917 84 86
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 64
Website: www.training.gpa.unep.org
Email: robert.bechtloff@unep.ch
Established: 1995
Staff: 4
38
Joint UNEP/OCHA
Environment Unit
What is it? The Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment
Unit is a collaborative arrangement between the United
Nations Environment Programme and the UN Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. It serves as the
integrated United Nations emergency response mechanism to activate and provide international assistance to
countries facing environmental emergencies.
What does it do?The Unit is able to provide assistance in emergencies such as chemical and oil spills,
industrial accidents, forest fires, and other sudden crises
with the potential for significant damage to the environment and human health and welfare, including natural
disasters such as earthquakes and floods. The Joint
UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit has a number of key
functions that it undertakes to ensure a timely and
coordinated response to emergencies: monitoring,
notification, brokerage, an information clearing house,
mobilization of assistance, assessment and financial
assistance.
Cooperation UN agencies and NGOs, including
UNDP, OPCW, WFP, UNHCR, UNICEF, FAO, WHO,
UNV and IAEA. At the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in August 2002, OCHA and
UNEP launched a new global Partnership on Environ
mental Emergencies. This Partnership brings together
governments, UN agencies, NGOs and industrial associations with the aim of improving prevention, preparedness for and response to environmental emergencies at
different levels.
Publications Guidelines for the Development of a National Environmental Contingency Plan; Guidelines for Environmental Assessment following Chemical Emergencies; A Sample National Environmental Contingency Plan; Guidelines for Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment in Disasters; Establishing a National Environmental Emergency Response Mechanism; Sample Environmental Emergency Operating Procedures; Flash Environment Assessment Tool (FEAT).
39
Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit
Emergency Services Branch
OCHA-Geneva
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Chief: Vladimir Sakharov
Info contact: Vladimir Sakharov
Tel: (+41 22) 917 11 42
Fax: (+41 22) 907 02 57
Email: ochaunep@un.org
Website:
ochaonline.un.org/ochaunep
Established: 1992
Staff: 5
UNEP Post-Conflict and
Disaster Management
Branch
UNEP/PCDMB
What is it? The Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch (PCDMB) seeks to minimize environmental
threats to human well-being from the environmental causes
and consequences of conflicts and disasters. The Branch
aims for a greater integration of environmental considerations into humanitarian assistance and for more sustainable
forms of recovery. From Kosovo to Afghanistan, Lebanon,
Sudan and China, PCDMB has responded to crisis
situations in more than 25 countries since 1999. In 2007,
“Disasters and Conflicts” was identified as one of the
organization’s six priority areas of work. The Post-Conflict
and Disaster Management Branch is tasked with
coordinating the theme across UNEP.
What does it do? In the area of disaster and conflict
management, UNEP provides the following core services:
• Environmental Assessments: At the request of national
governments, UNEP conducts detailed field- based
environmental assessments to identify major environmental risks to human health, livelihoods and security.
• Environmental Recovery: Following an assessment,
UNEP is available to assist national governments
to address identified environmental needs and priorities and develop post-crisis recovery programmes.
Recovery programmes are designed to strengthen the
hand of national and local authorities, rehabilitate
damaged ecosystems, mitigate risks and ensure that
resources are used sustainably within recovery and
development processes.
•
Cooperation PCDMB builds on the work conducted
by the Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit, which assesses acute environmental risks in the days following an
emergency. PCDMB has also effectively partnered with a
wide range of international and national stakeholders including NGOs, UN agencies, scientific laboratories and research
institutions.
•
Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding:
UNEP’s environmental cooperation work aims to
use shared environmental resources as a platform
for renewed cooperation between parties. Acting as a
neutral broker, UNEP provides sound environmental
information and expertise, and coordinates technical meetings, bringing parties together to find
common solutions.
Disaster Risk Reduction: UNEP provides decisionsmakers with sound information about disaster risk
reduction and works to catalyse a broad range of
actors to further reduce risks. The Branch also
extends its work to Climate Change and
Environmentally Induced Migration.
Publications All publications are available on the website.
UNEP Post-Conflict and Disaster
Management Branch
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Head of Office: Henrik Slotte
Info contact: postconflict@unep.ch
Tel: (+41 22) 917 85 30
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 64
Email: postconflict@unep.ch
Website:http://postconflict.unep.ch
Established: 2001
Staff: 30 including country-based
project offices
40
UNEP/UNCTAD
Capacity Building
Task Force on Trade,
Environment and Development
CBTF
What is it? The UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building
Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development
(CBTF) is a collaborative initiative between the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) that was launched in 2000 in response to
the expressed needs and demands of governments.
The aim of the CBTF is to strengthen the capacities of
developing countries and countries with economies in
transition to address issues at the interface of trade,
environment and development effectively.
What does it do? Conceived to provide a
dynamic mechanism to respond to the diverse needs of
countries for technical assistance, the CBTF employs
a collaborative partnership-based approach to capacity-building comprising the following integrated and
complementary activities:
• Country projects based on practical learning-by-doing exercises involving teams of national stakeholders to enhance countries’ capacities to develop
mutually supportive trade, environment and development policies;
• Thematic research on major issues in the tradeenvironment-development domain and on practical
approaches to address them sustainably;
• Training to enhance the understanding of countries
of the relationship and complementarities between
trade, environment and development;
• Policy dialogues and information exchange to
facilitate awareness-raising, consultations and the
exchange of perspectives between experts, practitioners and negotiators at the national, regional and
international levels.
Cooperation with the WTO, FAO, Secretariats of
MEAs, regional economic commissions, IGOs, NGOs,
regional and national organizations and trade agreements.
Publications See the website at www.unep-unctad.org/cbtf.
41
UNEP Economics and Trade Branch
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Tel: (+41 22) 917 82 98
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 76
Email: cbtf@unep.ch
Website: www.unep-unctad.org/cbtf
Info contact:
Hussein Abaza (UNEP):
(+41 22) 917 81 79;
hussein.abaza@unep.ch
Ulrich Hoffmann (UNCTAD):
(+41 22) 917 57 80;
ulrich.hoffmann@unctad.org
UNCTAD Trade, Environment
and Development Section
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Tel: (+41 22) 917 57 80
Fax: (+41 22) 917 02 47
Email: cbtf@unctad.org
Basel Convention
on the Control of Transboundary Movements
of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal
What is it? The Basel Convention, with 170 Parties
(as of January 2009), is the broadest and most significant treaty on hazardous wastes currently in effect. It
was set up to address problems arising from the indiscriminate dumping of hazardous wastes in developing
countries by developed countries.
During its first decade (1989-1999), the Convention
set up a framework for controlling the international
movements of hazardous wastes and developed the
criteria for the classification and environmentally sound
management of these wastes.
What does it do? The Secretariat facilitates the
implementation of the Convention and related agreements. It also provides assistance on legal and technical
issues, gathers statistical data submitted by parties in
accordance with the reporting obligations under the
Convention and conducts training on the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes.
In its second decade, the Secretariat is focusing on:
• promoting the minimization of hazardous wastes;
• further reducing the movements of hazardous wastes;
• preventing and monitoring illegal traffic;
• improving institutional and technical capabilities; and
• further developing regional centres for training and
technology transfer.
Cooperation The Secretariat collaborates with
other UN organizations, intergovernmental organizations, NGOs and industry on such issues as the
disposal of used oils, PCBs, biomedical and health care
wastes, electronic wastes, or the stockpiling of obsolete
pesticides.
Publications Text of the Convention; Technical Guidelines; Guidance Manuals on technical, legal and capacity building issues;
newsletters; public information material. See the website.
Secretariat of the Basel Convention
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Executive Secretary:
Katharina Kummer Peiry
Info contact: Nalimi Basavaraj
Information Officer
Tel: (+41 22) 917 82 20
Tel: (+41 22) 917 82 18
Fax: (+41 22) 797 34 54
Email: sbc@unep.ch
Website: www.basel.int
Established: 1992
Staff: 23
42
Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species
of Wild Fauna and Flora
CITES
What is it? CITES is a multilateral environmental
agreement regulating the international trade in specimens
of wild animals and plants through a licensing system. For
35 years, CITES ensure that trade in specimens of wild
animals and plants does not threaten their survival in their
natural environment.
What does it do? 1. The Convention regulates
and controls the import, export, reexport or introduction
from the sea of specimens alive or dead, products or
by-products of species covered by the Convention. 2.
It establishes the scientific basis for the authorization
of this trade. 3. It fights fraud. 4. It trains the authorities
responsible for the implementation of the Convention.
• Appendix II includes species not necessarily threat
ened with extinction, but for which trade must be
controlled. (i.e. sturgeon, mahogany, etc.)
• Appendix III contains species that are protected in at
least one country, which has asked other CITES
Parties for assistance in controlling the trade.
The species covered by CITES are listed in three
Appendices of the Convention, according to the degree
of protection they need.
• Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction.
(i,e. tigers, sea turtles, whales, etc.) Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
Each Party to the Convention must designate at least
one Management Authority in charge of administering the licensing system and at least one Scientific
Authoritiy to advise them on the effects of the trade on
the status of the species. As of 31 December 2008, 174
States are members of CITES.
Cooperation with UNEP, other MEAs, UNEP-WCMC,
WTO, Interpol, WCO, IUCN, TRAFFIC.
Publications CITES Handbook; Checklist of CITES Species; CITES Identification Guide; CITES World; etc. See the website
at www.cites.org.
43
CITES Secretariat
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Secretary-General:
Willem Wijnstekers
Info contact: Juan Carlos Vasquez
Tel: (+41 22) 917 81 56
Email: juan.vasquez@cites.org
Tel: (+41 22) 917 81 39/40
Fax: (+41 22) 797 34 17
Email: info@cites.org
Website: www.cites.org
Established: 1973 (in force 1975)
Staff: 23
Rotterdam Convention
on the Prior Informed Consent
PIC
Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides
in International Trade (UNEP and FAO)
What is it? The Rotterdam Convention provides Parties
with a first line of defense against toxic chemicals. It promotes
international efforts to protect human health and the environment
by enabling importing countries to decide if they wish to allow
imports of hazardous chemicals and pesticides listed in the
Convention. As the world’s developing countries and those with
economies in transition strive to industrialize and raise farming
yields, they often use chemicals that need special technology
to be handled safely. An adequate infrastructure to monitor their
production, use, import and export is also required. Countries
lacking these mechanisms are particularly vulnerable to the effects of such chemicals on health and the environment. In 1998,
the world’s governments adopted the Rotterdam Convention on
the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous
Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade as a response to
this challenge. The Convention entered into force on 24 February
2004. The agreement’s objective is to promote shared responsibility and cooperative effort between exporting and importing
countries in the management of hazardous chemicals. The
Convention encourages environmentally sound management
when such use is permitted. It also provides information on the
characteristics, potential dangers, and safe handling of hazardous chemicals. The Convention is an early warning system that
empowers nations to take informed decisions on importing toxic
chemical and to stop those that are unwanted.
What does it do?The Convention covers
pesticides and industrial chemicals that have been
banned or severely restricted for health or environmental reasons by Parties and which have been notified for
inclusion in the PIC procedure, which is an integral part
of the Rotterdam Convention. This enables countries to
assess the risks associated with their use and to decide
on future imports for chemicals listed in Annex III of the
Convention. It also provides a means of formally obtaining and disseminating countries’ decisions on future
imports of these chemicals. Exporting Parties must
ensure that exports do not occur contrary to these decisions. The Convention deals with the trade of chemicals
that are banned or severely restricted mainly in
developed countries and which are still exported to
others, particularly developing nations. The Convention enables Parties to make informed decisions on
toxic chemical imports by providing information on: 1)
countries’ decisions to ban or severely restrict certain
chemicals; 2) countries’ experiences with severely
hazardous pesticide formulations; 3) bans/restrictions of
other Parties and announcing these internationally; 4)
the means to stop unwanted imports; 5) a requirement
that exporting countries respect decisions on imports
and that importing and exporting Parties implement
appropriate legislative and administrative measures in a
timely manner on the trade of Annex III chemicals.
Cooperation Joint administration by the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UNEP
Chemicals Branch; cooperation with WCO, WTO, WHO,
UNITAR and others.
Publications Decision Guidance Documents (DGDS); PIC Circulars; PIC database; Resource Kit.
Secretariat for the Rotterdam
Convention
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Exec. secretary, UNEP: Donald Cooper
Exec. secretary, FAO: Peter Kenmore
Tel: (+41 22) 917 82 96
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 82
Email: pic@pic.int
Website: www.pic.int
Established: 1998
Staff: 12.5 in UNEP, and 8.75 in FAO
44
Stockholm Convention on
Persistent Organic Pollutants
POPs
What is it? The ‘POPs’ treaty sets up measures
controlling the production, import, export, disposal, and use
of POPs. The first substances identified as POPs under the
treaty are eight pesticides (aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin,
endrin, heptachlor, mirex, and toxaphene), two industrial
chemicals (PCBs and hexachlorobenzene, which is also a
pesticide), and two unwanted by-products of combustion
and industrial processes (dioxins and furans).
The Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Stockholm
Convention will consider the addition of nine chemicals
to the Convention at its meeting in May 2009.
What does it do? Parties to the Convention are
obligated to eliminate the production and use of listed pesticides, with the exception of DDT, the use of which is limited
to vector control only; eliminate the production of PCBs
immediately and their use by 2025 subject to the provisions;
prevent the introduction of new chemicals with POPs
characteristics; prevent and minimize releases of unintentionally produced POPs; take measures to ensure
that POPs wastes are managed and disposed of in an
environmentally sound manner.
Cooperation with WHO on DDT use; FAO and the
Basel Convention Secretariat on management and disposal
of POPs stockpiles and waste; and the World Bank, Global
Environment Facility and UNDP on Convention implementation issues. An ad hoc joint working group on enhancing
cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam
and Stockholm Conventions among the three Conventions
made its recommendations which were adopted by the
Basel and Rotterdam COPs in 2008 and will be considered
for adoption at the Stockholm Convention COP at its
upcoming meeting.
Publications Ridding the World of POPs: A Guide to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants; Guidelines on best
available techniques and best environmental practices relevant to Article 5 (unintentional production); Guidelines for developing national
implementation plans for the Stockholm Convention; Standardized Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Dioxin and Furan Release,
etc. See the website.
45
Secretariat for the Stockholm
Convention on Persistent Organic
Pollutants
International Environment House
11-13 chemin des Anémones,
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Executive Secretary: Donald Cooper
Info contact: David Ogden
Tel: (+41 22) 917 81 90
Email: dogden@pops.int
Tel: (+41 22) 917 81 91
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 98
Email: ssc@pops.int
Website: www.pops.int
Established: 2001
Staff: 18
Water Supply and Sanitation
Collaborative Council
WSSCC
What is it? The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) is a global multi-stakeholder
partnership organization that works to improve the lives of
poor people. WSSCC enhances collaboration among sector
agencies and professionals around sanitation and water supply and contributes to the broader goals of poverty eradication,
health and environmental improvement, gender equality and
long-term social and economic development. WSSCC was
created in 1990 through a United Nations General Assembly
resolution and is hosted by the World Health Organization
(WHO). With members in more than 80 countries, WSSCC
has the legitimacy and flexibility of a non-governmental organization. Through Networking & Knowledge Management,
Advocacy & Communications and the Global Sanitation Fund,
WSSCC is at the forefront of knowledge, debate and influence
on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for all.
What does it do? Through its networking and
knowledge management programme, WSSCC helps sector
professionals to share their concerns, knowledge and experience. It provides opportunities for problem solving, access
to combined expertise, continuous dialogue on key issues.
WSSCC also produces publications setting out guidelines,
procedures and codes of conduct which are developed by
experts working together over several years. In addition to its
working groups, task forces and networks, WSSCC is responsible, via its advocacy programme, for the Water, Sanitation
and Hygiene for All campaign (‘WASH’). The WASH
campaign was launched globally in 2001, and more than 20
national campaigns have since been established. National
level activities are organized by National Coordinators and
National WASH Coalitions, sector professionals working with
WSSCC on a voluntary basis. Through the Global Sanitation
Fund (GSF), the first international financing mechanism solely
for sanitation and hygiene, WSSCC supports national efforts
to help larger numbers of poor people to attain sustainable access to basic sanitation and to adopt good hygiene practices.
Cooperation with UN-HABITAT, UNEP, the World
Bank, the Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP), regional
Development Banks, and various research organizations,
knowledge centres and implementation organizations in over
30 developing countries. The WSSCC has partnership agreements with a variety of organizations and networks, including
UNICEF, WHO and the Global Water Partnership.
Publications are available either on the WSSCC website at www.wsscc.org or from the WSSCC Secretariat.
Water Supply and Sanition
Collaborative Council(WSSCC)
International Environment House
9 chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Interim Executive Director: Jon Lane
Info contact:
David Trouba
Email: troubad@who.int
Tel: (+41 22) 917 86 57
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 84
Email: wsscc@who.int
Website: www.wsscc.org
Established: 1990
Staff: 12
46
World Bank
Geneva Office
What is it? The World Bank Group’s mission is to
fight poverty and help people to help themselves and
their environment. It provides resources, shares knowledge, builds capabilities, and forges partnerships
in the public and private sectors. It is the world’s
largest source of development assistance, providing
US$24.7 billion (in FY 2008).
What does it do? Among its wide array of
projects, which range from health and
education to economic reform, climate change and
the environment are considered key priority areas. Its
environment programme areas include:
• Energy and Environment, which includes work on
Fuel for Thought;
• Pollution, including pollution management and New
Ideas in Pollution Regulation;
• Global Commitments, which includes work on the
Global Environment Facility
Operations, climate change, the Montreal Protocol and a
Prototype Carbon Fund.
• Natural Resources Management, which includes
biodiversity conservation, drylands management,
forests and forestry and water resources
management;
• Policy and Economics, which includes environmental
economics and indicators and environmental
assessment;
In addition, the Environment group of the Environmentally & Socially Sustainable Development Network’s
Advisory Service aims to ensure that the environment is
taken into account in Bank projects and programmes.
Cooperation with UNEP, UNDP, WWF, NGOs,
governments, foundations and the private sector.
Publications See the website.
47
World Bank
3 chemin Louis Dunant
Case Postale 66
CH-1211 Geneva 20
President: Richard Newfarmer,
Special Representative to the UN and
the WTO
Info contact:
Patrick Reichenmiller, Policy Analyst
Tel: (+41 22) 748 10 00
Fax: (+41 22) 748 10 30
Website: www.worldbank.org
Established: 1944
Staff: 5 in Geneva
World Food Programme
WFP
Geneva Office
What is it? WFP is the UN’s front-line agency in
the fight against global hunger. It is the world’s largest
international food aid organization. In 2009, WFP aims
to feed some 100 million people in 77 countries,
irrespective of race, religion or political sympathies,
distributing between 4 and 5 million metric tons of food.
All contributions to WFP are voluntary and come for the
most part from donor countries.
What does it do? WFP works principally to save
people from dying of hunger and malnutrition. WFP is
also a big investor in environmental protection. It invests
in forest and pasture land renewal, soil conservation and
sustainable agricultural production. WFP has planted
more than 5 billion trees in 56 countries around the
world. WFP also takes steps to counter degradation to
the environment caused by displacements of refugees
and internal populations. The Food-for-Work programmes consist in paying a salary in the form of food
for employment in an array of land management projects:
planting trees, developing pasture land, repairing coastal
embankments, etc. In addition, WFP recycles the packaging from its food aid whenever possible, avoids using
potentially hazardous chemicals (particularly ozonedamaging substances), substitutes soya-fortified foods
for beans in its food baskets to reduce the need for
cooking, and promotes cooking technologies based on
the minimal use of vegetation as fuel and on community
kitchens as another fuel-conservation method.
Cooperation with other UN agencies, governments
and NGOs.
Publications Hunger Map; Annual Reports; Annual Report on School Feeding; WFP’s 40 years of fighting hunger;
WFP in Statistics.
World Food Programme
International Environment House
11-13 Chemin des Anémones
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Geneva Office Director:
Charles Vincent
Executive Director: Josette Sheeran
Info contact:
Emilia Casella
Tel: (+41 22) 917 85 64
Email: emilia.casella@wfp.org
Tel: (+41 22) 917 85 68
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 18
Email: heidi.findlay@wfp.org
Website: www.wfp.org
Established: 1963
Staff: 10’520 in 82 countries
48
World Health Organization
WHO
What is it? WHO is the directing and coordinating
authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters,
shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and
standards, articulating evidence-based policy options,
providing technical support to countries and monitoring and
assessing health trends.
What does it do? In matters of health, WHO
provides guidance, sets global standards, cooperates with
governments in strengthening national programmes, and
develops and transfers appropriate technology, information
and standards. Through its Public Health and Environment
Department, WHO aims to promote a healthier environment, intensify primary prevention and influence public
policies in all sectors so as to address the root causes of
environmental threats to health. The following activities are
undertaken:
• evidence-based assessments and the formulation and
updating of norms and guidance on major environmental
hazards to health (poor air quality, chemical substances,
electromagnetic fields, radon, poor-quality drinking water
and wastewater reuse);
• the provision of technical support and guidance to
Member States for the implementation of primary prevention interventions that reduce environmental hazards
to health, enhance safety and promote public health,
including in specific settings and among vulnerable
population groups;
• the provision of technical assistance and support to
Member States for strengthening occupational and
environmental health policy making, planning of preventive interventions, service delivery and surveillance;
• the provision of guidance, tools and initiatives created
in order to support the health sector to influence policies
in priority sectors, assess health impacts, determine
costs and benefits of policy alternatives in those sectors
that improve health, the environment and safety.
• the provision of health-sector leadership enhanced for
creating a healthier environment and changing policies
in sectors so as to tackle the root causes of environmental threats to health, through means such as
responding to emerging and re-emerging consequences
of development on environmental health, climate change,
and altered patterns of consumption.
Cooperation with UNEP, FAO, UNICEF, IAEA, ILO
and others.
Publications Visit the website at www.who.int/phe.
49
World Health Organization
20 avenue Appia
CH-1211 Geneva 27
Director-General: Margaret Chan
Info contact:
Maria Neira
Tel: (+41 22) 791 55 26
Fax: (+41 22) 791 41 27
Email: neiram@who.int
Tel: (+41 22) 791 21 11
Fax: (+41 22) 791 31 11
Email: info@who.int
Website: www.who.int/phe
Established: 1948
Member States: 193
World Intellectual Property
Organization
WIPO
What is it? WIPO works to promote an integrated
approach so that the intellectual property system serves
both to advance public policy interests, including protection of the environment and transfer of technology
related to environmental protection, and to ensure that
inventors and authors are recognized and rewarded for
their ingenuity and creativity.
What does it do? Recent work has included
studies of the role of intellectual property in technology
transfer under multilateral environmental agreements,
the relationship between the intellectual property system
and the conservation and sustainable and equitable
use of genetic resources, protection of traditional
knowledge(TK) for the benefit of indigenous peoples
and local communities, including biodiversity-related
knowledge, the recognition of customary law in the intel
lectual property system, and intellectual property questions relevant to climate change. WIPO has developed
draft provisions for protection of TK and draft guidelines
on the equitable sharing of benefits resulting from the
access and use of genetic resources. The Organization
is also developing tools to ensure that patent information
relevant to environmental issues can be used to inform
and support policy processes.
Cooperation WIPO cooperates closely with many
partners within the United Nations system, on policy
dialogue and on practical capacity building, as well as
with member States, civil society and industry NGOs,
and representatives of indigenous peoples and local
communities.
Publications Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources - An Overview; Issues for Proposed WIPO Work Program on
Biotechnology; Essential Elements of Intellectual Property (CD-ROM).
World Intellectual
Property Organization
34 chemin des Colombettes
CH-1211 Geneva 20
Director General: Francis Gurry
Info contact:
Samar Shamoon , Public Relations,
Tel: (+41 22) 338 81 61
Email: publicinf.mail@wipo.int
Tel: (+41 22) 338 91 11
Fax: (+41 22) 733 54 28
Email: wipo.mail@wipo.int
Website: www.wipo.int
Established: 1970
Staff: 915
50
World Meteorological
Organization
WMO
What is it? The 188-member organization provides
scientific information on and projections of the state and
behaviour of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with
the oceans, the climate it produces and the resulting
distribution of water resources.
What does it do? WMO facilitates international
cooperation on the establishment of networks of stations for making meteorological, hydrological and other
geophysical observations. It promotes the rapid and
free exchange of weather, water and climate data, the
standardization of meteorological observations and
the uniform publication of observations and statistics.
Its activities are centred on the following ten major
programmes:
•
•
•
•
the Applications of Meteorology Programme;
the Hydrology and Water Resources Programme;
the Education and Training Programme;
Technical Cooperation (including a programme for
Least Developed Countries);
• the WMO Regional Programme;
• the Space Programme; and
• the Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation
Programme.
• World Weather Watch;
• the World Climate Programme;
• the Atmospheric Research and Environment Programme;
Cooperation with organizations inside and outside
the UN family, including NGOs such as the International
Council for Science (ICSU) and regional IGOs. Cooperation with UNEP includes the Montreal Protocol on
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Publications WMO Bulletin; World Climate News; Radiation processes in the atmosphere; Dispersion and forecasting of
air pollution; WMO and global warming.
51
World Meteorological Organization
7 bis Avenue de la Paix
CH-1211 Geneva 2
Secretary-General: Michel Jarraud
Info contact:
Carine VanMaele
Email: cvanmaele@wmo.int
Tel: (+41 22) 730 83 14/15
Fax: (+41 22) 730 81 11/ 81 81
Email: cpa@wmo.int
Website: www.wmo.int
Established: 1950
Staff: approximately 250
World Trade Organization
WTO
What is it? The Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) was established in 1995. Since the Doha
Ministerial Conference, in November 2001, work on
trade and environment within the WTO has split into two
separate tracks: the negotiating track, conducted in the
CTE Special Session (CTESS), and the regular work of
the CTE conducted in the CTE Regular Session.
What does it do? The terms of reference of the
CTE can be found in the Marrakesh Mi-nisterial Decision
on Trade and Environment of April 1994. The CTE’s
mandate is twofold:
• “to identifiy the relationship between trade measures
and environmental measures in order to promote
sustainable development” and
• “to make appropriate recommendations on whether
any modifications of the provisions of the multilateral
trading system are required, compatible with the
open, equitable and non-discriminatory nature of the
system”.
Its work plan includes, inter alia, the relationship
between Multilateral Environmental Agreements
(MEAs) and the WTO, market access, eco-labelling,
transparency, export of domestically prohibited goods,
trade in services, intellectual property, and relations
with NGOs and IGOs. The Doha Ministerial Declaration
reaffirmed the commitment to sustainable development
stated in the Preamble to the Marrakesh Agreement.
Several paragraphs deal specifically with trade and the
environment.
Cooperation with UNEP, UNCTAD, and the secretariats of MEAs.
Publications All CTE documents are available on the WTO website at www.wto.org. Documents from the CTE Regular Session begin with the reference number WT/CTE/... and those from the CTESS with TN/TE/...
World Trade Organization
Centre William Rappard
154 rue de Lausanne
CH-1211 Geneva 21
Director-General: Pascal Lamy
Info contact:
Vivien Liu, CTE
Email: vivien.liu@wto.org
Tel: (+41 22) 739 54 55
Tel: (+41 22) 739 51 11
Fax: (+41 22) 739 42 06
Email: enquiries@wto.org
Website: www.wto.org
Established: 1995
Staff: 640
52
Aga Khan Development
Network
AKDN
What is it? The Network brings together nine
agencies that focus on the social, cultural and economic
development of some of the least developed parts of
Asia and Africa.
What does it do? The AKDN operates through
nine agencies:
• the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance, which provides
micro-insurance, loans, savings, education and health
accounts in poor communities;
• the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), including the Prince
Sadruddin Aga Khan Fund for the Environment, the Aga
Khan Rural Support Programmes and the Mountain
Societies Development Support Programme;
• the Aga Khan University (AKU), Pakistan’s first
private, autonomous university;
• Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS), which provide
primary and curative health care in India, Pakistan,
Kenya, Tanzania, and Syria;
• Aga Khan Education Services (AKES), which operate
more than 300 schools and advanced educational
programmes at the pre-school, primary, secondary
and higher secondary levels in Pakistan, India,
Bangladesh, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Tajikistan;
• Aga Khan Planning and Building Services (AKPBS),
which provide material, technical assistance and
construction management services for rural and
urban areas;
• the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development
(AKFED), which strengthens the role of the private
sector in developing countries by supporting private
sector initiatives;
• the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), which coordinates
cultural activities, including the Aga Khan Award for
Architecture, the Historic Cities Programme and
the Music Initiative for Central Asia;
• the University of Central Asia, which has three
campuses in Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and
Kazakhstan, and is intended to serve the educational
and development needs of people across the vast
mountain zones of Central Asia.
Cooperation with international aid agencies, the UN,
NGOs, universities, institutes and other organizations
involved in sustainable development.
Publications See the website at www.akdn.org
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The Aga Khan Development Network
1-3 avenue de la Paix
CH-1202 Geneva
Founder: His Highness the Aga Khan
Info contact: Information Department
Tel: (+41 22) 909 72 00
Email: info@akdn.org
Established: several agencies established at various dates since 1967; the
origins of the others date to the early
1900s.
Tel: (+41 22) 909 72 00
Fax: (+41 22) 909 72 91
Email: info@akdn.org
Website: www.akdn.org
Staff: 50 in Geneva, over 70,000
worldwide
Association for the Protection
of Lake Geneva
ASL
What is it? The Association for the Protection of
Lake Geneva (Association pour la Sauvegarde du Léman
in French) is a non-profit, apolitical, scientific and stateapproved Franco-Swiss association. With a present
membership of 6,000 in the Swiss cantons of Geneva,
Vaud and Valais, and in the French departments of Ain
and Haute-Savoie, the ASL aims to save the long-term
biological and chemical quality of the water of Lake
Geneva.
What does it do? The Association for the Protection
of Lake Geneva:
• informs, through its quarterly Lémaniques, and
raises awareness among residents of the Geneva
basin residents through numerous events, meetings,
exhibitions, corporate events, etc.;
• raises awareness, particularly among young people,
by organizing vacation camps;
• carries out research projects, including the
“Lemano” study which assess the water management durability on the whole watershed level;
• acts in the field through the “Clean Rivers Action”
and the “Clean Lake Action”, which identify, list and
evaluate pollutant discharges that spill into the rivers
of the Lake Geneva basin;
• calls on the local population to adhere to the “Lake
Geneva Region Water Charter” for a sustainable
management of the water resource;
• encourages local governments to adopt appropriate
sanitation measures and to apply the principles of
the “Lake Geneva Region Water Charter”.
Cooperation with a broad range of regional institutions and organizations, including “Contrats Rivières
Transfrontaliers” and “Coordination Rivières”, schools,
municipalities, cantons, and federal and local authorities.
Publications Lémaniques (quarterly); Sauvons le Léman; Les Algues d’Abaddon (comic); Naviguer sans divaguer (a navigator’s
guide), and various leaflets and brochures. For a complete list, see the website at www.asleman.org.
Association pour
la Sauvegarde du Léman
2 rue des Cordiers
Case Postale 6146
CH-1211 Geneva 6
President: Jean-Bernard Lachavanne
Secretary-General: Gabrielle Chikhi-Jans
Tel: (+41 22) 736 86 20
Fax: (+41 22) 736 86 82
Email: asl@asleman.org
Website: www.asleman.org
Established: 1980
Staff: 6, plus volunteers
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Borneo Tropical Rainforest
Foundation
BTRF
What is it? BTRF’s core mission is the long-term
protection and management of Borneo’s critically threatened rainforests. It is committed to working closely at
every level with the Governments and regional authorities of Borneo to identify, promote and facilitate new and
innovative strategies for protecting rainforest
reserves. Furthermore it is dedicated to instigating constructive links and partnerships with key institutions and
interests so that initiatives may serve as living models
of international “best practice” in the field of protected
area management, as well as examples of regional and
international cooperation at the highest level.
What does it do? In order to achieve its mission
BTRF has the following objectives:
• to establish and safeguard large protected areas in
order to foster conservation of the tropical rainforests
of Borneo and other threatened regions;
• to provide efficient management, finance and infrastructure for the strict preservation of these protected
areas as reservoirs of biological diversity for ecological, genetic, economic, scientific and educational
purposes;
• to raise awareness of the planetary importance of
rainforest protection and its positive impacts for
humanity.
BTRF acts as an independent interface between the
international conservation and financial communities
which work on those global sustainable development
issues which have been accorded priority status by the
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the
Convention on Biological Diversity, Agenda 21 and other
international instruments.
It particularly focuses on identifying and implementing
new strategies and financial mechanisms to optimize
the marketing and investment opportunities offered by
emerging biodiversity and carbon markets.
Cooperation with governments and local organizations and its sister organization Global Eco Rescue.
BTRF has observer status with the UNFCCC. BTRF is a
Member of the IUCN.
Publications See the website at www.greenrenaissance.org.
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Borneo Tropical Rainforest
Foundation
International Environment House 2
9 chemin de Balexert
CH-1219 Châtelaine, Geneva
President: Marinah Embiricos
Info contact: Marinah Embiricos
Tel: (+41 22) 797 33 93
Fax: (+41 22) 797 33 91
Email: contact@btrf.com
Website: www.btrf.com
Established: 2004
Staff: 2 (Geneva office),
3 (Jakarta office)
CARE International
What is it? Non-political and non-sectarian, CARE
International is a confederation made of 12 national
members fighting poverty in over 65 countries. Each
year we implement more than 1,000 projects around the
world, reaching 55 million people in the most vulnerable
communities. The CARE International Secretariat is
based in Geneva
What does it do? CARE tackles underlying
causes of poverty so that people can become self-sufficient. We seek lasting solutions and improvements by
working closely with local communities and partners.
•
•
•
•
CARE’s projects focus on the underlying roots of poverty
and discrimination. They cover a wide range of social
and economic issues, including:
CARE also responds in emergencies such as natural disasters and civil conflict and helps survivors through immediate
relief and longer-term community rehabilitation.
economic activity development;
agriculture and natural resource management;
water and sanitation;
HIV/AIDS.
• health;
• education;
• food security;
Cooperation CARE works with over a million individuals, private foundations, corporations, national governments and multilateral organizations worldwide.
Publications See the complete list on our website www.care-international.org and on our Members’ websites.
CARE International
International Environment House 2
7-9 chemin de Balexert
1219 Châtelaine, Geneva
President/Head: Robert Glasser
Contact: Laurent Sauveur
Tel: (+41 22) 795 10 20
Fax: (+41 22) 795 10 29
Email:
cisecretariat@careinternational.org
Website: www.care-international.org
Established: 1946
Staff: 14,000 employees worldwide
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Center for International
Environment Law
CIEL
What is it? CIEL is a public-interest environmental law
organization. Its mission is to protect the global environment
and human health while promoting sustainable development. CIEL envisions a just and sustainable society that
is based on the rule of law, honors local communities and
exists within the limits of global ecosystems.
What does it do? CIEL provides legal services in
international and comparative national law, including policy
research and publications, advice and advocacy, education
and training, and institution building. CIEL’s programmes
include biodiversity, climate change, persistent organic pollutants, law and communities, human rights and the environment, trade and sustainable development, and international
financial institutions and export credit agencies.
Organization, with a view to reform the global framework of
economic law, policy and institutions. CIEL also focuses on
developments at the regional levels, including the negotiation
and implementation of regional and bilateral trade and investment agreements. Additionally, CIEL’s Geneva office works
on various issues relating to climate change, including its
relationship to human rights, trade, and technology transfer.
Besides providing support to national missions and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, CIEL
also has a strong tradition of educating public-spirited lawyers
and building institutional capacity through its teaching and
training programmes, including its internship and fellowship
programme.
CIEL’s Geneva office has a strong focus on the interrelationship between trade, investment, environment and development. Particular attention is given to developments at the
World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property
Cooperation CIEL works with NGOs, governments
and international organizations from its offices in
Washington D.C., USA, and Geneva, Switzerland.
Publications A list of publications, including the IP Quarterly Update, various legal briefs, articles and material relating to trade and
sustainable development, is available on the website.
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Center for International
Environmental Law (Switzerland)
15 rue des Savoises
CH-1205 Geneva
President: Daniel B. Magraw
Info contact (Geneva):
Johanna Borcic
Email: jborcic@ciel.org
Tel: (+41 22) 789 05 00
Fax: (+41 22) 789 07 39
Email: geneva@ciel.org
Website: www.ciel.org
Established: 1989
Staff: 4 in Geneva, 23 worldwide
Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic
Development
CSEND
What is it? The Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development (CSEND) is an independent, project-financed,
non-profit foundation which specializes in organizational
reform and institutional development worldwide.
CSEND works to strengthen public administrations and
public-sector enterprises through the use of an interdisciplinary and socio-economic approach.
What does it do? CSEND designs and implements comprehensive institutional development and
capacity-building projects leading to the adoption of best
managerial practices in the public sector. CSEND is
committed to promoting the concept and practice of sustainable development in its development programmes.
Together with its members, the CSEND team promotes
social responsibility and the obligation to maximize positive impacts on society and on the environment.
CSEND focuses on the following research areas:
Environmental Conflict and Mediation, the Public Sector
and Governance, Poverty Alleviation, Quality in Higher
Education, Trade Negotiation and Diplomacy Dialogue.
Cooperation with governments and international
organizations, including UNDP, ILO, UNCTAD, UNICEF,
HCR, WTO, World Bank, EBRD and bilateral develop-
ment cooperation agencies such as the Swiss Agency
for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Publications include Designing a Strategy to Improve the Functioning of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto
Protocol; Governing the Use of Landscape and Habitats in Alpine Areas: Negotiations as a Means to co-ordinate Stakeholder Interests.
Consult the website at www.csend.org for a complete list.
CSEND
Case Postale 1498
Mont Blanc
CH-1211 Geneva 1
President: Lichia Yiu
Info contact: Nicolas Velebit
velebit@csend.org
Tel: (+41 22) 906 17 20
Fax: (+41 22) 738 17 37
Email: yiu@csend.org
Website: www.csend.org
Established: 1993
Staff: 4
58
Conference of NGOs in
Consultative Relationship with
the United Nations
CONGO
What is it? CONGO is an independent, international,
non-profit membership association of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs). At present, some 500 organizations are
CONGO members.
What does it do? CONGO facilitates NGO participation in UN debates and decision-making. It is most active in
the major UN centres of Geneva, New York and Vienna, but
its work stretches out to all regions of the world. Members
represent a large range of vital interests in areas such as
human rights, gender, peace and disarmament, social justice,
governance, environment and sustainable development. Its
broad-based membership, linked via an e-mail network, is a
major source of information for NGOs active within the UN
system and seeking collaboration or partnerships with other
NGOs. CONGO itself does not take positions on substantive
matters. However, its committees in New York, Geneva and
Vienna offer fora for CONGO members, UN system staff,
government delegations and other experts to discuss substantive matters.
The (sub)committees based in Geneva focus on:
• ageing;
• development;
• disarmament;
• freedom of religion and belief;
• human rights;
• health
• spirituality, values and global concerns;
• the status of women;
• racism, racial discrimination and decolonization;
• youth
Cooperation CONGO’s membership comprises national, regional and international NGOs in consultative status with
the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
CONGO associate membership is open to NGOs
associated with the UN system but not holding consultative
status. CONGO and its members collaborate with other NGOs
through standing NGO committees
Publications CONGO’s website offers access to a large range of publications.
59
Conference of NGOs in Consultative
Relationship with the United Nations
11 avenue de la Paix
Case Postale 50
CH-1211 Geneva 20
President: Liberato C. Bautista
(based in New York)
Info contact: Werner Schleiffer,
Senior Executive Coordinator
Beatrice Schulthess, Senior Associate
for Administration
Tel: (+41 22) 301 10 00
Fax: (+41 22) 301 20 00
Email: congo@ngocongo.org
Website: www.ngocongo.org
Established: 1948
Staff: 3 in Geneva, 3 in New York
Earth Council Geneva
What is it? The Earth Council is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 1992 on the initiative of Maurice Strong to support and empower people
in building a more secure, equitable and sustainable
future. The Earth Council in Geneva was established
in 2001 as a vehicle for the Earth Council’s mandate
to partner in developing the capacity of governments,
business and civil societies in the practice of sustainable
development.
What does it do?The Earth Council Geneva
spearheads the e-Learning Centre for Sustainable Development. At the online e-Learning Centre, people can
take interactive courses on climate change, global trade,
biodiversity, desertification and sustainability. Most of the
courses are instructor-led and are offered in conjunction
with partner organizations such as UNFCCC, UNCTAD,
GVU, York University, LEAD International, EcoMarket
Solutions and others. In the area of climate change,
online courses range from the science and impacts of
climate change to understanding the various market
mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol. The Global Trade
programme offers WTO Literacy Courses that enable
significant numbers of stakeholders to understand the
ramifications and significance of global trade talks.
The Earth Council e-Learning Centre also allows other
organizations working on sustainable development to
share its facilities and services.
Cooperation with UNCTAD, UNFCCC, UNEP/UNU
Virtual Global University, IATP, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH-Zurich), York University,
Wesley & Clark College, St. Lawrence University, LEAD
International, EcoMarket Solutions.
Publications Clean Development Mechanism: Challenges and Opportunities in the Rubber Sector; A Guide to the Clean Development Mechanism; A Guide to Joint Implementation; A Guide to Emissions Trading.
The Earth Council
Maison des Associations
15 rue des Savoises
CH-1205 Geneva
Chairman of the Board: Reto Braun
Info contact: Gao Pronove
Email: gao.pronove@earthcouncil.com
Tel: (+41 22) 320 21 21
Fax: (+41 22) 320 69 48
Email: info@earthcouncil.com
Website: www.earthcouncil.com
Established: 1992
Staff: 12
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Earth Focus Foundation
What is it? The first Earth Focus project was started
at The International School of Geneva in 1992. Following a debate, a newspaper was created to share with
others the experiences and concerns discussed. The
project was initially supported by the Bellerive Foundation.
In 2003, Princess Catherine Aga Khan founded the
Earth Focus Foundation to support the ongoing publication of the Earth Focus magazine and the extension of
its debates, roundtables and programmes for visits and
visiting students.
What does it do? The Foundation aims to
promote and disseminate young people’s understanding
of the environment and sustainable development and to
encourage them to feel that they have a role in helping
to create a better, sustainable and more peaceful world.
Earth Focus allows them to research, prepare and
express opinions orally and in writing on global topics.
It inspires them to raise awareness, influence and communicate with others (with their peers and with professionals) worldwide by sharing their experiences through
a published magazine, the website forum and group
projects. Finally, it encourages them to take action and
responsibility locally and internationally.
The activities of the Earth Focus Foundation include:
• The professionally published and internationally circulated magazine Earth Focus;
• The local magazine for Suisse Romande named Objectif Terre (published since end of 2007)
• Earth Focus Debates that allow students to role-play,
tackle key world issues and situations, take part in decisions and learn debating skills;
• Roundtables with presentations that teach students to
discuss, question and increase their confidence;
• Visits to international organizations and welcoming
international students to Geneva;
• Update interactive website and discussions forum;
• Charting Green Map® in French-speaking Switzerland.
Cooperation with young people, schools, students
and teachers worldwide, others NGOs.
Publications Earth Focus Magazine, Objectif Terre and Green Maps.
61
Earth Focus Foundation
c/o Fondation Ecole Internationale
62, route de Chêne
CH-1208 Geneva
President: Nicholas Tate, Director
General of the International School
of Geneva
Info contact: Nicola Furey
Email: nicola@earthfocus.org
Tel: (+41 22) 704 35 00
Fax: (+41 22) 704 35 01
Email: nicola@earthfocus.org
Websites:
www.earthfocusfoundation.org
www.earthfocus.info
Established: 1992
Staff: 2-3 plus students
GAIA-Movement Trust Living
Earth Green World Action
What is it? The GAIA-Movement is a Swiss environmental non-profit association established in 1998.
Since its creation, the GAIA-Movement has worked with
organizations carrying out clothes-recycling activities in
the US and UK, thereby supporting the promotion of recycling and earning funds to pay for other environmental
projects. The mission of the GAIA-Movement is to
support, promote and implement activities that protect,
preserve and restore the environment and
simultaneously improve living conditions for the people
involved. Activities that mobilize communities to reduce
land degradation, deforestation and carbon emissions
and improve water balances and biodiversity are carried
out with local NGOs, along with information dissemination. Through efficient monitoring and consultancy, the
GAIA-Movement enables other funding partners to
ensure environmental results.
What does it do? The GAIA-Movement develops
environmental projects and currently assists local NGOs
to implement these in Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Mozambique, Malawi and India. The projects mobilize
community members and give them the tools to improve
their lives while preserving natural resources such as
tree cover, soil and water. These tools include assistance
and training in systems to supply safe water (e.g. rope
pumps), sanitation (composting latrines), water-efficient
and sustainable farming systems, groundwater recharge
systems, erosion control, the increase of tree cover
(tree planting, firewood saving stoves), carbon neutral
energy production by using jatropha oil instead of diesel,
the restoration of degraded areas and the allocation of
areas for preservation.
Cooperation with Development Aid from People
to People (DAPP/ADPP) in Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Angola, Humana People to People
India, Practica Foundation, FACT Foundation (Fuels
from Agriculture in Communal Technology), The GAIAMovement Living Earth Green World Action USA Inc.,
Green World Recycling Ltd (UK), UN Online Volunteers.
Publications The GAIA-Movement Newsletter; the book 40 Green World Actions containing a number of manuals on appropriate
technologies (available on the website in English and Portuguese); and the book The Environmental Factory Jatoba.
The GAIA-Movement
International Environment House 2
9 chemin de Balexert
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
General Manager: Christian Fenger
Contact: Christian Fenger,
Email: chrf@gaia-movement.org
Tel: (+41 22) 917 87 83
Tel: (+41 76) 421 01 54
Fax: (+41 22) 797 17 68
Email: chrf@gaia-movement.org
Website: www.gaia-movement.org
Established: 1998
Staff: 1
62
Geneva Institute for Water
Environment and Health
63
GIWEH
What is it? The Geneva Institute for Water Environment and Health (GIWEH) is committed to building
strategic partnerships with civil society, international
institutions, universities, private sector and governments
working on areas of water and environment. GIWEH’s
objectives are oriented towards promoting research,
collaboration and training focused on the vital interrelationship between Water, Environment and Health. This
indivisible nexus has positive and negative impacts not
only on the health of human beings, but all other life on
Earth, the survival of which is becoming more dependent on humanity’s decisions. GIWEH aims to stimulate
interest in the scientific and applied aspects to the
challenges of our common future such as climate
change and anthropogenic factors. Towards achieving
this goal, the Institute is planning several initiatives to
promote strong interaction, and long-term collaboration
between decision makers, the private sector, academic
and scientific community, through a series of open
dialogues, and leadership training programs focusing
on specific themes. These events should help prepare
future leaders to improve capabilities toward meeting
current challenges and emerging trends in water and
environment sectors. It also serves as an information
clearing house for agencies whose mandates are to
oversee water and environment–related problems.
What does it do?It also serves as an information
clearing house for agencies whose mandates are to oversee
water and environment–related problems.
GIWEH is exploring and proposing potential environmental
solutions that satisfy human needs while preserving water,
environment and health.
Taking proactive steps, GIWEH helps developing public
awareness to protect, develop and manage our limited
natural resources from a range of different environmental
challenges.
Current projects include:
• GIWEH Water series program: 2009–2012: Sustainable
water use and management, Leadership for positive
change
• International Climate change adaptation programme
(leadership and capacity building),
Cooperation GIWEH cooperates with national, regional and international NGOs; universities such as University of Geneva, EPFL-Lausanne and Neuchatel University,
governments, International organizations such
as UNEP, WMO and WHO, private–sector and the public, to
identify key water and environmental issues.
Geneva Institute for
Water Environment and Health
P.O Box 301
1224 Chêne-Bougeries
Director: nidal.salim@giweh.ch
Info contact: yunjoo.lee@giweh.ch
Tel: (+41 22) 348 26 26
Fax: (+41 22) 348 08 75
Email: info@giweh.ch
Website: www.giweh.ch
Established: March 2007
Staff: 3 + 5 volunteers
+ 6 students
Geneva International Peace
Research Institute
GIPRI
Fondation GIPRI
What is it? The Geneva International Peace
Research Institute (GIPRI) is an independent foundation
without political or religious affiliation which aims to promote
the study, teaching and interdisciplinary discussion of
peace-related problems. In 1988, GIPRI was recognized
as a United Nations “Peace Messenger” and it was granted
ECOSOC special consultative status in November 1996.
What does it do? GIPRI’s most prominent
activity is the organisation, with the assistance of
UNIDIR and the Bernheim Hub for Peace and Citizenship at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, of Frenchlanguage courses on major peace issues which take
place every summer. GIPRI studies, among others, the
topic Arms Control and Disarmament.
association with the political science and geography departments of the University of Geneva, the Geneva Environment
Network and the IPCRI (the Israel/Palestine Center for
Research and Information). The project, entitled “IsraeliPalestinian Water Studies: An Assessment of Twelve Years
of Cooperation Efforts”, aims to evaluate the impact of these
studies in order to provide recommendations to improve
future cooperation between the two parties. The summer
courses 2006 and 2007 have dealt with the causes of the
wars and their relations to business. The course 2008 was
devoted to the future of Iraq.
With the help of its network and members, GIPRI also
organises conferences on essential issues in order to try to
provide answers to major peace-related problems. These
conferences have included “Water for Peace: Water in the
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”, meetings between senior officials from India and Pakistan and a 2006 conference on Iran.
In 2006, GIPRI launched its first research project supported
by the Geneva International Academic Network (GIAN), in
In 2012, GIPRI will hold a conference “Rousseau, la
République, la paix” to commemorate the tercentenary
of Rousseau’s birth in Geneva, with the support of the
City of Geneva.
Cooperation with international organizations, other
international centres for peace and academic research
centres (universities, GIAN), among others.
Publications The electronic Lettre du GIPRI ( 5 times a year) and the biannual Cahiers du GIPRI. See the GIPRI website for more
information on the Research Institute’s work.
Fondation GIPRI
Voie Creuse 16
CH-1202 Geneva
President: Jacques Diezi
Director : Gabriel Galice
Info contact: Yvonne Jaenchen,
Email: y.jaenchen@gipri.ch
Tel: (+41 22) 919 79 42
Fax: (+41 22) 919 79 43
Email: gipri@gipri.ch
Website: www.gipri.ch
Established: 1980
Staff: 3
64
Global Humanitarian Forum
What is it? The Global Humanitarian Forum (the
Forum) is an independent and impartial global platform
where different members of the global society collaborate in order to overcome key humanitarian concerns.
Alongside this broad vision, the Forum’s initial strategic
focus is the human impact of climate change, rather
than the purely energy-based or environmental aspects
of the issue.
What does it do? The Forum engages people
and institutions from across the global society through
awareness raising, debate and practical action to tackle key
humanitarian concerns, starting with climate change.
• The Weather Info for All Initiative is an innovative
public-private partnership that supports adaptation to
climate change worldwide by filling the existing ground
level weather observation gap. Through the deployment
of automatic weather stations and the delivery of
accurate weather forecasts and early warnings via
mobile short message service (SMS) it aims at helping
those worst affected by, and most vulnerable to, the
effects of climate change.
• The tck tck tck Time for Climate Justice Campaign,
a global campaign targeted at the UN Climate Change
Conference in Copenhagen (COP-15), December 2009.
It aims to mobilize public awareness and commitment
for a strong and just global climate agreement to be
reached in Copenhagen.
The Forum’s main activities include:
• The Annual Forum is a unique international platform
with a mission to engage and inspire pioneering leaders
to become part of a global humanitarian community.
This yearly two-day conference, chaired by Kofi Annan,
gathers high-level participants from the private, public
and non-profit sectors around thematic related to
climate change.
• The Youth Forum brings together young adults from
around the world and provides them with an opportunity
to develop collaborative solutions and responses to issues
concerning the Forum’s focus area of climate change.
Cooperation with National governments, the UN,
international aid agencies, NGOs, universities, corporations,
institutes and foundations involved in climate change and
the human dimension thereof.
Publications Human Face of Climate Change Human Impact Report: Climate Change - The Anatomy of A Silent Crisis
See: www.ghf-ge.org
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Global Humanitarian Forum
Villa Rigot
Avenue de la Paix 9
CH-1202 Geneva
President: Kofi Annan
CEO: Walter Fust
Info contact: info@ghf-ge.org
Tel: (+41 22) 919 75 00
Fax : (+41 22) 919 75 19
Website: www.ghf-ge.org
Established: 2007
Staff:20
GLOBE Switzerland
What is it? GLOBE Switzerland is part of the international GLOBE Global Learning and Observations to
Benefit the Environment) programme, an internet-based
communications network of over 19,000 schools in
109 countries. Derived from a 1994 initiative by former
US Vice President Al Gore, this global environmental
programme engages school students, teaching staff
and scientists in understanding, through long-term
observations and measurements, important developments occurring in the Earth’s environment. Under the
programme, 97 schools from all over Switzerland have
gathered more than 200,000 environmental measurements since 1998.
What does it do? GLOBE Switzerland is part of
the international GLOBE Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) programme, an
internet-based communications network of over 19,000
schools in 109 countries. Derived from a 1994 initiative
by former US Vice President Al Gore, this global environmental programme engages school students,
teaching staff and scientists in understanding, through
long-term observations and measurements, important
developments occurring in the Earth’s environment.
Under the programme, 97 schools from all over Switzerland have gathered more than 200,000 environmental
measurements since 1998.
Cooperation with schools, environmental agencies
and research institutions. In Switzerland, GLOBE cooperates with the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment
(FOEN), Swiss unitersities, Science foudations and
many NGO’s.
Publications See the GLOBE Switzerland website at www.globe-swiss.ch and the online database available at www.globe.gov.
GLOBE Switzerland
Henri Bossert
15 A chemin des Landes
CH-1299 Crans (Vaud)
Info contact: Henri Bossert,
Country Coordinator
Tel: (+41 76) 367 48 59
Email: hbossert@globe-swiss.ch
Website: www.globe-swiss.ch
Established: 1998
Staff: 3
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G.R.A.F.E. Association
(Generation Research Action & Training
for the Environment)
What is it? GRAFE association is a non-profit organism. Its mission is to fight poverty in West Africa (Senegal,
Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast), improve the living conditions
and limit rural depopulation. Microcredit helps local populations to set up and manage projects by themselves, which
will generate income and create jobs. From time to time, the
GRAFE undertakes specific actions (the launch of a water
filter project expected to become operational in 2009).
What does it do? The association sets up projects
with the aim of:
• making the public aware of the project management in
order to generate employment and/or training.
• developing professional training (support of formative
workshop).
• highlighting local resources: artisanal and food products
(by the creation of higher
quality products such as paddy rice).
• launching new ideas for the improvement in hygene,
in particular concerning drinking water
(e.g. water-filter project).
Some examples of projects realized through the association:
creation of a data-processing center, a taxi station, a sewing
workshop (integrated training center).
Cooperation • Participation in the World Summit on
Development in Johannesburg in 2002.
• Participation in the Global Microcredit Summit in Halifax/
Canada (November 2006)
• GRAFE is taking part in several conferences and seminars
suggested by the UN and its partners; targeted subjects:
microfinance, sustainable development, management of
projects related to the improving of woman and child living
conditions.
Statistics related to our activities are regularly updated on
the association’s website.
Publications annual activity reports (1999 to 2008).
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Association G.R.A.F.E.
Case Postale 568
CH-1180 Rolle (VD)
President and director : Marie Graf
Info contact: : Anne-Lise Montandon
Tél. (+41 21) 323 65 34
Fax: (+41 21) 323 25 60
Email : info@assografe.ch
Tel: (+41 21) 826 02 77
Fax: (+41 21) 826 02 34
Website: www.assografe.ch
Established: 1994
Staff: 60 (in Switzerland + network
of partners abroad)
Green Cross International
GCI
What is it? The mission of Green Cross International, founded by Mikhail Gorbachev, is to help secure
a future for all by fostering a shift in values and cultivating
a new sense of global interdependence and shared
responsibility in humanity’s relationship with nature.
What does it do? Green Cross International:
• promotes legal, ethical and behavioural norms to
ensure the basic changes in the values, actions and
attitudes of government, the private sector and civil
society that are necessary for building a sustainable
global community;
• prevents and resolves conflicts arising from
environmental degradation;
• provides assistance to people affected by the
environmental consequences of wars and
conflicts.
Green Cross International conducts projects in three
main areas:
• preventing and resolving conflicts over natural
resources;
• addressing the environmental consequences of
wars and conflicts;
• promoting legal and ethical norms for a
sustainable future.
Cooperation GCI has been granted consultative
status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
of the United Nations and with UNESCO. It also cooperates
directly with the UNEP/OCHA Environmental
Emergencies Section, UN-HABITAT and other international organisations.
Publications GCI publishes a quarterly magazine, The Green Cross Optimist (see www.optimistmag.org); other publications
include: Water for Peace, Between Conflict and Cooperation: the Role of Civil Society; Water for Peace in the Middle East and
Southern Africa; National Sovereignty and International Watercourses; Greening Affordable Housing; and numerous works on nuclear
and chemical weapons.
Green Cross International
160a route de Florissant
Case Postale 80
CH-1231 Conches (Geneva)
President: Alexander Likhotal
Tel: (+41 22) 789 16 62
Fax: (+41 22) 789 16 95
Email: gcinternational@gci.ch
Website:
www.greencrossinternational.net
Established: 1993
Staff: 9
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International Centre for Trade
and Sustainable Development
ICTSD
What is it? ICTSD is a non-profit civil-society
organization which engages a broad range of actors in
ongoing dialogue aimed at contributing to a better
understanding of sustainable development concerns in
the context of international trade.
What does it do? By empowering stakeholders
in trade policy through information, dialogue, well-targeted
research and capacity-building, ICTSD seeks to influence the
international trade system in ways that advance the goal of
sustainable development.
Its programmes include:
• a Research Programme, encompassing training,
research and services. This programme and its various
issue areas (Environment, Agriculture, Services, Africa
and Intellectual Property) focuses on raising and supporting a high level of interaction among stakeholders
by drawing on the best human and academic resources
to factor sustainable development into trade policy-making. It involves capacity-building and training initiatives
for trade and sustainable development, and provides
a Resource Centre, which offers a regularly updated
online document search service containing the latest
acquisitions in trade and sustainable development.
• a Communications and Information Programme,
including the BRIDGES series of monthly and weekly
publications;
• a Dialogues Programme, consisting of formal and
informal meetings held in Geneva or at regional sites
that convene representatives from governments, civil
society, intergovernmental organizations and academia
to exchange ideas and information on topics relevant to
current discussions in the field;
Cooperation with a large number of NGOs, as well
as with UN organizations.
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Publications ICTSD is the publisher of BRIDGES Between Trade and Sustainable Development© and BRIDGES Weekly Trade News Digest©
and Trade Negotiations Insights - News, analysis and views on Economic Partnership Agreements and the WTO from a sustainable development
perspective. It co-publishes PUENTES entre el Comercio y el Desarollo Sostenible©, PASSERELLES entre le commerce et le développement
durable© and PONTES Entre o Comércio e o Desenvolvimento Sustentável©, Мосты между торговлей и устойчивым развитием, as well as
commissioned studies on subjects ranging from the trade-related aspects of development concerns and agriculture to services, intellectual property
rights and the environment.
International Centre for Trade and
Sustainable Development (ICTSD)
International Environment House 2
7 chemin de Balexert
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Executive Director:
Ricardo Meléndez-Ortiz
Info contact: Oscar Fornoza,
General Coordinator
Tel: (+41 22) 917 84 92
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 93
Email: ictsd@ictsd.ch
Website: www.ictsd.org
Established: 1996
Staff: 40
International Electrotechnical
Commission
IEC
What is it? The IEC prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related
technologies – collectively known as “electrotechnology”. IEC standards cover a vast range of technologies
from power generation, transmission and distribution to
home appliances and office equipment, semiconductors, fibre optics, batteries, flat panel displays and solar
energy, among many others.
What does it do? Wherever you find electricity and electronics, you find the IEC supporting safety
and performance, the environment, electrical energy
efficiency and renewable energies. IEC International
Standards:
• refer to the Advisory Committee on Environmental
Aspects (ACEA), that advises the IEC’s
technical management committee on the
coordination of technical work in relation to
environmental issues.
• help foster sustainable development by removing
barriers to trade and commerce;
• take account of the environmental impact;
• are continually improved and new standards
developed paying attention to the adverse
environmental impacts of design;
• consider the entire life cycle of a product from its
conception and use to its disposal;
The IEC also administers three global international
conformity assessment systems in the areas of electrical
equipment and components (IECEE), the quality assessment of electronic components (IECQ) and the certification
of electrical equipment operated in explosive atmospheres
(IECEx).
Cooperation with the International Organization for
Standardization, the International Telecommunication Union
and regional standards development organizations to
establish standards that foster sustainable development.
Publications For up-to-date information about renewable energy standards, the Commission’s conformity assessment activities and
ACEA, see the IEC website, www.iec.ch. For individual participation on questions of electrical energy efficiency, see www.wattwatt.com.
International Electrotechnical
Commission
Central Office
3 rue de Varembé
Case Postale 131
CH-1211 Geneva 20
President: Jacques Régis
Info contact: Tel: (+41 22) 919 02 45
Tel: (+41 22) 919 02 11
Fax: (+41 22) 919 03 00
Email: info@iec.ch
Website: www.iec.ch
Established: 1906
Staff: 80
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International Emissions
Trading Association
IETA
What is it? IETA is a non-profit organization created
in June 1999 by UNCTAD and the World Business
Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Its aim
is to establish a functional international framework for
trading greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions.
What does it do? IETA is dedicated to ensuring
that the objectives of the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change and of climate protection are met through the establishment of effective systems for the trading by businesses
in greenhouse gas emissions. IETA
strives to ensure that any such system functions in an
economically efficient manner
while maintaining social equity and environmental
integrity. IETA works to:
• advocate and promote emissions trading as an
important element of addressing future carbon-constrained regimes;
• develop standards in the GHG market, including for
contracts in carbon trading, the financial accounting
of greenhouse gases, and the validation and verification of emission reduction projects;
• assist in global capacity-building through the organization of workshops and conferences with local
stakeholders, governments and international experts;
• provide a website to serve as the main information
centre on emissions trading, project mechanisms
and related issues; and
• organize a structured feedback process between
IETA members and regulators such as the Kyoto
Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism executive
board.
Cooperation IETA’s diverse membership includes
emitters, solution providers, brokers, verifiers and those
involved in legal compliance. IETA also cooperates with
the WBCSD.
Publications IETA Discussion Papers, IETA Position Papers and several IETA workshops and memos.
See the website at www.ieta.org
71
International Emissions Trading
Association
Geneva Office
24 rue Merle d’Aubigné
CH-1207 Geneva
President and CEO: Henry Derwent
Info Contact: Cédric Ammann
Email: ammann@ieta.org
Tel: (+41 22) 737 05 00
Fax: (+41 22) 737 05 08
Email: info@ieta.org
Website: www.ieta.org
Established: 1999
Staff: 8
International Environmental
Law Research Centre
IELRC
What is it? The International Environmental Law
Research Centre (IELRC) is an independent research
organization established in 1995. It has offices in
Geneva, Nairobi and New Delhi, as well as a liaison
office in London. IELRC provides a unique platform
for collaborative research between researchers in
developed and developing countries. Given its strong
network of competence in two significant regions of the
world, it is uniquely positioned to provide policy-relevant
research at the international level.
What does it do? IELRC undertakes policyrelated academic research relating to the environment in
a North-South context. It specifically seeks to contribute
to the development of legal and institutional frameworks
that foster equitable and sustainable environmental
management at the local, national and international
levels by promoting links between research communities and policy-makers in the North and South.
IELRC’s main areas of work are biodiversity, biosafety,
intellectual property, climate change, human rights,
governance and water.
Cooperation IELRC has a consultative status
with ECOSOC, accredited to the Governing Council of
UNEP, observer to the Conference of the Parties of
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change, observer status to UNCTAD and observer
status with WIPO
Publications Policy-relevant publications, academic publications, legal opinions, briefing papers and the IELRC Newsletter. Recent
books include Water Law for the Twenty-first Century: National and International Aspects of Water Law Reforms in India (2009) and
The Sardar Sarovar Dam Project: Selected Documents (2007). A full list of publications by IELRC researchers can be found at www.
ielrc.org/activities_publications.htm.
International Environmental Law
Research Centre (IELRC)
International Environment House 2
7 chemin de Balexert
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Info contact: Philippe Cullet
European Director
Email: pcullet@ielrc.org
Tel: (+41 22) 797 26 23
Fax: (+41 22) 797 26 23
Email: geneva@ielrc.org
Website: www.ielrc.org
Established: 1995
Staff: 10
72
International Federation of
Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies
IFRC
What is it? The International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies is the world’s largest humanitarian network. Its mission is to provide assistance to vulnerable communities without discrimination as to nationality,
race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. The IFRC is
made up of 186 member Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies. Its Secretariat is located in Geneva, with seven
regional Zone Offices in different parts of the world and
country representatives working directly with National
Societies in more than 60 countries.
What does it do? The IFRC carries out relief
operations to assist victims of disasters, and combines this
with development and risk-reduction activities designed
to help make vulnerable communities stronger and more
resilient in the face of future emergencies. The organization
also works to strengthen the capacity of its member National
Societies to respond to disasters and carry out their other
mandate functions.
IFRC to devote more attention to disaster preparedness and
risk-reduction activities worldwide. Health and community
care are also cornerstones of humanitarian assistance and
account for a large part of Red Cross and Red Crescent
action. These programmes are aimed at helping communities to reduce their vulnerability to disease, and to prepare
for and respond to public health emergencies. IFRC’s Global
Agenda supports the UN’s Millennium Development Goals
by aiming to reduce the number of deaths and injuries
caused by disasters and disease, while increasing the capacity of communities to address vulnerability. It also aims to
promote respect for diversity and human dignity, and reduce
intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion.
IFRC’s work focuses on four core areas: promoting humanitarian values, disaster response, disaster preparedness,
and health and community care. The sharp increase in the
frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as
cyclones and droughts, in recent years has prompted
Cooperation IFRC represents its 186 National Societies to UN agencies, international organizations and NGOs.
This is important, for as National Societies are formed by
legislation in their own countries they cannot register as
NGOs and hence utilise IFRC’s status as an international
organisation to gain their own access. National Societies, as
auxiliaries to the public authorities in their own countries, do
however often work closely with some of these organizations at the national level. IFRC, together with National
Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross,
make up the International Red Cross and Red Crescent
Movement.
Publications World Disasters Report; Annual Report; RCRC Magazine; Sphere Project; Many others are listed at http://www.
ifrc.org/publicat/index.asp
73
International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies
Case Postale 372
CH-1211 Geneva 19
Tel: (+41 22) 730 42 22
Fax: (+41 22) 733 03 95
Email: secretariat@ifrc.org
Website: www.ifrc.org
Secretary-General: Bekele Geleta
Established: 1919
Staff: 250
International Institute for
Sustainable Development
IISD
European Office
What is it? The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) contributes to sustainable
development by formulating policy recommendations
on international trade and investment, economic policy,
climate change, measurements and indicators, and
natural resources management. Using the Internet,
IISD reports on international negotiations and brokers
knowledge gained through collaborative projects with
global partners, resulting in more rigorous research,
capacity-building in developing countries and improved
dialogue between North and South.
IISD’s vision is better living for all – sustainably. Its
mission is to champion innovation, enabling societies to
live sustainably. IISD receives operating grant support
from the Government of Canada, provided through the
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
and Environment Canada, and from the Province of
Manitoba. The Institute receives project funding from the
Government of Canada, the Province of Manitoba, other
national governments, UN agencies, foundations and the
private sector. IISD is registered as a charitable organization in Canada and has 501(c) (3) status in the US.
What does it do?The European Office was established in 1999 as the base for IISD’s programme on
international trade and investment, and for building links
with European institutions and the business sector.
Its research in Geneva focuses on trade, investment,
environmental security, climate change, civil society and
IISD’s relations with international organizations.
Cooperation IISD’s partners include UNEP, IUCN,
ICTSD, CASIN and many others in Europe and globally.
Publications Trade, Aid and Security: An Agenda for Peace and Development; Conserving the Peace: Resources, Livelihoods and
Security; Private Rights, Public Problems: A Guide to NAFTA’s Chapter on Investor Rights; Lessons Learned on Trade and Sustainable
Development; The State of Trade Environmental Law 2003; etc.
International Institute for Sustainable
Development - European Office
International Environment House 2
9 chemin de Balexert
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
European Representative: Mark Halle
Tel: (+41 22) 917 83 73
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 54
Email: geneva@iisd.org
Website: www.iisd.org
Established: 1999 (European Office), 1990 (Headquarters)
Staff: 16 in the European Office,
200 worldwide
74
International Ocean Institute
IOI
What is it? Founded by the late Professor Elisabeth
Mann Borghese, the International Ocean Institute is a
network of 25 regional operational centres with headquarters in Malta. Its mission is to promote education,
training and research to enhance the peaceful uses of
ocean space and its resources, their management and
regulation, as well as the protection and conservation of
the marine environment, guided by the concept of the
Common Heritage of Mankind.
What does it do? IOI’s activities and services
include:
• the training of hundreds of decision-makers and
professionals, mainly from developing countries and
countries in transition, through short and long duration interdisciplinary courses on ocean governance
and on ocean and coastal management ;
• development work among coastal communities with
the objective of improving livelihoods while restoring
and preserving coastal ecology;
• the implementation of IOI Ocean Learn, a systemwide programme for the coordination, delivery,
quality assurance and development of the global
partnership of IOI capacity-building activities, so as
to provide for an interdisciplinary and comprehensive
coverage of the subject areas;
• information dissemination to NGOs and coastal communities through the global IOI networks and the IOI
websites;
• the organization of the bi-annual Pacem in Maribus
(Peace in the Oceans) conference and other seminars and workshops;
• research on a variety of ocean-related subjects such
as international and regional agreements on oceans
and the coastal zone, on regional and sub-regional
cooperation and on scientific and technological
approaches to the sustainable management of living
and non-living marine resources.
Cooperation with UNEP, UNDP, IMO, UN/DOALOS, WMO, IUCN, UNITAR, UNU, the Intergovern
mental Oceanographic Commission, the UN Economic
Commission for Africa, etc.
Publications Annual Ocean Yearbook; IOInforma, a regular electronic IOI Operational Bulletin; reports of the Leadership
Seminars and the Pacem in Maribus proceedings; research papers; promotional materials; IOI Annual Reports; Women, Youth and
the Sea. For a complete list, see the website at www.ioinst.org.
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International Ocean Institute (IOI)
International Environment House 2
9 chemin de Balexert
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Tel: (+41 22) 917 87 82
Fax: (+41 22) 797 23 25
Email: awni.behnam@ioihq.org.mt
Website: www.ioinst.org
President: Dr Awni Behnam
Executive Director:
Cherdsak Virapat
Established: 1972
Staff: 7 (headquarters & regional
offices)
International Organization
for Standardization
What is it? ISO is a worldwide federation of national
standards bodies from some 157 countries. ISO’s central
mission is to promote the development of standardization
What does it do? The technical work of ISO
is carried out by some 3,093 technical committees,
subcommittees and working groups in which qualified
representatives of industry, research institutes, government authorities, consumer bodies, and international
organizations meet to resolve global standardization
problems. Various committees work directly on environmental issues, including:
• ISO Technical Committee 207 on Environmental
Management, the committee responsible for developing the ISO 14000 series of standards and
guidance documents. Its subcommittees consist of:
Environmental Management Systems, Environmental Auditing & Related Environmental Investiga
tions, Environmental Labeling, Environmental
ISO
with a view to facilitating the international exchange of goods
and services.
Performance Evaluation and Life Cycle Assessment.
Questions of climate change, greenhouse gas
validation and verification bodies and integrating
environmental aspects into product design and development are also discussed;
• ISO Technical Committee 146 on Air Quality, which has
developed over 100 international standards on air
quality, the definition of terms, air sampling, the
measurement and reporting of the characteristics of
stationary source emissions, indoor air, workspace air,
ambient air, and meteorological instrumentation.
Cooperation with the International Electrotechnical
Commission, the International Telecommunication Union, the World Trade Organization and 600 international
and regional organizations.
Publications See the website at www.iso.org.
ISO Central Secretariat
1 chemin de la Voie-Creuse
Case Postale 56
CH-1211 Geneva 20
Tel: (+41 22) 749 01 11
Fax: (+41 22) 733 34 30
Email: central@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Secretary-General: Robert Steele
Established: 1947
Staff: 153
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International
Peacebuilding Alliance
INTERPEACE
What is it? Interpeace is an international peacebuilding organization. Interpeace was created to continue the
pioneering peacebuilding work of the United Nations pilot
project, the War-torn Societies Project which was initiated in
1994 that then became WSP International.
What does it do?Help societies build lasting
peace. It has 15 peacebuilding programmes in conflict and
post-conflict zones in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America
and the Middle East in addition to a thematic programme on
constitution building.
•
The success of Interpeace over the last 15 years has been
based on how the peacebuilding process is approached:
• Ensuring peace is locally owned – selecting and
supporting 300 local peacebuilders that make up the
Interpeace Alliance
• Involving all groups of society - including government
and opposition, those groups normally left out of peace
discussions, civil society leaders, minorities, women,
young people and the diaspora
Cooperation The JPU supports the field operations of
the UN by: designing joint peacebuilding strategies with UN
local offices identifying and training key local capacities
implementing field initiatives through local teams
•
Building secure and long-lasting trust - between all
parties by understanding their historical socio-political
tensions, finding a common vision for the future, and
removing violence in their mindset
Ensuring the process is viewed as a long-term and
sustainable effort rather than as a quick fix.
Building peace takes time.
bringing the expertise from the Interpeace programmes.
For more information on how the JPU can support your peacebuilding initiatives please contact
bernardoa@unops.org
Publications See the website at www.interpeace.org.
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Interpeace
International Environment House 2
7-9 chemin de Balexert
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Tel: (+41 22) 917 85 93
Fax: (+41 22) 917 80 39
info@interpeace.org
Website: www.interpeace.org
Chairman: John A. Kufuor
Director-General: Scott M. Weber
Established: 2000
Staff: 300 peacebuilders around
the world
International Rainwater
Harvesting Alliance
IRHA
What is it? The International Rainwater Harvesting
Alliance (IRHA) was created during the World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in
response to the continued water crisis facing the 1.2
billion people without access to safe drinking water. The
Alliance’s mission is to promote rainwater harvesting
within the context of integrated water resources
management, linking local social and economic
development with the protection of ecosystems. IRHA’s
members are international rainwater networks, national
associations, other NGOs working in the fields of water,
development and the environment, research centres,
small and medium enterprises, and individuals who
support the cause.
What does it do? IRHA works to unify different
actors involved in water management working at the
local, national, regional and international levels. The
Alliance promotes the merits of rainwater harvesting,
aiming to influence development agendas and to ensure
the inclusion of rainwater harvesting in these agendas.
IRHA is involved in the implementation of projects in
the field which aim to exchange knowledge between
members, to raise awareness about rainwater and to
build a worldwide network of rainwater harvesters. IRHA
activities cover the use of rainwater in households, in
the technology cycles of small and medium enterprises
(in both the industrial and farming sectors), in watershed development, in aquifer recharge and in disaster
prevention and reconstruction.
Cooperation with UNEP, UN-HABITAT, WHO,
WSSCC, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the State of Geneva and the WMO.
Publications bRAINstorming, the IRHA Newsletter.
International Rainwater Harvesting
Alliance (IRHA)
International Environment House 2
7 chemin de Balexert
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Director: Vessela Monta
Info contact: Vessela Monta
Email: vessela@irha-h2o.org
Tel: (+41 22) 797 41 57
Fax: (+41 22) 320 88 57
Email: secretariat@irha-h2o.org
Website: www.irha-h2o.org
Established: 2002
Staff: 3 1/2
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International Road Transport
Union
IRU
What is it? The IRU, through its national associations,
represents the entire road transport industry worldwide. It
speaks for the operators of coaches, taxis and trucks, from large
transport fleets to owner-drivers. The IRU acts as the industry’s
advocate to all international bodies that make decisions affecting
road transport. The IRU has 180 members in 74 countries.
What does it do? The IRU’s priority issues are Sustainable Development and the Facilitation of Trade, Tourism
and Road Transport. The IRU provides industry leadership on
sustainable development. It has obtained the road transport
sector’s commitment to achieving the economic, social and
environmental goals set out in the UN’s Agenda 21. The IRU
has developed a 3”i” strategy, based on Innovation, Incentives
and Infrastructure, as the most effective way to achieve
sustainable development.
The IRU’s core activities include several objectives related to
sustainable development, namely:
• ensuring that vehicles are increasingly safer, greener
and fuel-efficient;
• encouraging sound fleet management, strict vehicle
maintenance and good working conditions for drivers;
• enhancing road safety and developing better rather than
more road transport;
• ensuring high-quality driver and manager training,
through the IRU Academy.
Cooperation The IRU, based on its slogan “working
together for a better future”, works in partnership with relevant
IGOs, NGOs, as well as with national authorities.
Publications RU Charter for Sustainable Development; IRU Guide to Sustainable Development; IRU Report on Road Transport Best
Industry Practices (I & II); IRU initiative: “Driving towards Sustainable Development”, Bus/Coach, Taxi and Truck driver’s checklists, This is the IRU
2009. See the website.
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International Road Transport Union
3 rue de Varembé
Case Postale 44
CH-1211 Geneva 20
President: Janusz Lacny
Secretary General: Martin Marmy
Info contact: Jens Hügel
Head - Sustainable Development
Email: jens.huegel@iru.org
Tel: (+41 22) 917 85 30
Fax: (+41 22)917 80 64
Email: postconflict@unep.ch
Website: http://postconflict.unep.ch
Established: 2001
Staff: 30 including country-based
offices
International Touring Alliance
and the International
Automobile Federation
AIT & FIA
What is it? The International Touring Alliance (AIT)
and the International Automobile Federation (FIA) comprise over 230 affiliated touring clubs, automobile clubs,
motor sport federations and national tourism offices
operating in 124 countries. The AIT & FIA represent the
interests of these associations and their members at the
United Nations, the European Union and the World
Tourism Organization. The AIT & FIA encourage the
development of international travel and tourism. They
provide numerous services to their members including
assistance, information and customs documents. The
AIT & FIA represent the interests of the motorist through
their joint secretariat in Geneva.
What does it do?The AIT & FIA recognize the
important role they can have in promoting a better
respect for and understanding of the environment. The
AIT & FIA promote a framework for reducing CO2 emissions, including the development of more efficient ehicle
technology and fuel and engine systems, the adoption of
fiscal measures which reward users of cleaner vehicles,
investment in public transport, consumer information
and carbon sequestration.
Cooperation with over 230 affiliated associations.
AIT & FIA hold consultative status with ECOSOC and
contribute to the work of the UNECE Inland Transport
Committee.
Publications A Global Strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from passenger cars and im- prove fuel efficiency; Turning down the
heat: How trees and Formula One are tackling global warming; Climate for Change: Global Warming and the Automobile.
AIT & FIA Secretariat
2 chemin de Blandonnet
CH-1215 Geneva 15
President (AIT): Werner Kraus
President (FIA): Jean Todt
Info contact: Peter Meyer
Email: pmeyer@fia.com
Tel: (+41 22) 544 45 00
Fax: (+41 22) 544 45 50
Website: www.aitgva.ch
and
www.fia.com
Established: 1898 (AIT), 1904 (FIA)
Staff: 60
80
International Union
for Conservation of Nature
IUCN
What is it? IUCN is a unique Union with 1,063
members from some 160 countries, including 83 states.
More than 10,000 internationally recognized scientists
and experts from more than 180 countries volunteer
their services to its six global commissions. Its 1,000
staff members in offices around the world are working
on some 500 projects.
What does it do? The Union’s mission is to
influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the
world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature
and ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. The Union focuses its
activities in 12 areas:
• Environmental Law – using the law to strengthen
conservation efforts;
• Forests – forest ecosystems and the equitable
distribution of forest goods and services;
• Monitoring and Evaluation – improving methods and
tools assessment;
• Protected Areas – establishing and managing terrestrial and marine protected areas;
• Social Policy – conservation strategies based on a
better understanding of the complex
inter-linkages between the environment and people;
• Species Survival – mobilizing action for species
conservation;
• Sustainable Use – social and biological factors affecting wild renewable resources; and
• Water Resources – sustainable use of wetlands and
water resources.
• Biodiversity Policy – species, protected areas and
sustainable use concerns together with their social,
economic and political dimensions;
• Climate Change – forests, wetlands/water, marine
and coastal areas, desertification, species, protected
areas, social policy, and environmental law;
• Economics – encouraging the private sector and
using markets to conserve biodiversity;
• Education and Communication – integrating communication and education;
Cooperation with 83 State Members, 110 government agencies, 749 NGOs, 82 international NGOs and
32 affiliate members.
Publications Over 80 titles a year worldwide; see the website at www.iucn.org.
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IUCN – International Union
for Conservation of Nature
28 rue Mauverney
CH-1196 Gland (Vaud)
Director General:
Julia Marton-Lefèvre
Info contact:
Mario Laguë
Email: mario.lague@iucn.org
Tel: (+41 22) 999 00 00
Tel: (+41 22) 999 00 00
Fax: (+41 22) 999 00 02
Email: mail@iucn.org
Website: www.iucn.org
Established: 1948
Staff: approx. 135 at headquarters;
1,000 worldwide
Lutheran World Federation
LWF
What is it? The LWF has 140 member churches
in 78 countries all over the world representing nearly
66.7 million Christians. It acts on behalf of its member
churches in areas of common interest such as ecumeni-
cal and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the various
aspects of mission and development work.
What does it do? The Department for World
Service (DWS) serves as the international relief,
rehabilitation and development agency of the LWF.
The DWS operates service programmes in more than
thirty-five countries. Its work includes issues such as the
environment, human rights, land mines, refugees, training, evaluation, development education and migration
and resettlement. The DWS responds to emergencies in
collaboration with Action by Churches Together (ACT), a
worldwide network of churches and agencies.
Current activities of the Sustainable Development and
the Environment desk of the DWS focus on key areas
such as food security; adaptation to climate change; water and soil conservation; the interrelation of trade and
development; the impact of HIV/AIDS on the sustainability of communities; and the promotion of communitybased competencies such as micro-finance. This work is
carried out in close coordination and consultation with all
interested stakeholders, mainly LWF field offices, related
agencies, grassroots organizations and LWF member
churches
Cooperation with Action by Churches Together
(ACT), the World Council of Churches and other Christian world communions, as well as with international
secular organizations.
Publications LWF Guiding Principles for Sustainable Development. See the website for a full list.
Lutheran World Federation
150 route de Ferney
Case Postale 2100
CH-1211 Geneva 2
General Secretary:
Rev. Ishmael Noko
Info contact: Duane Poppe
Email: dpo@lutheranworld.org
Staff: 71 staff in the Geneva secretariat and around 5000 international
and national staff in 26 country and
regional programmes in Africa, Asia,
the Balkans and Latin America
Tel: (+41 22) 791 61 11
Fax: (+41 22) 791 66 30
Email: info@lutheranworld.org
Website: www.lutheranworld.org
Established: 1947
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Mandat International
MI
What is it? Mandat International is a non-governmental
organization whos’ aims are to:
• promote international dialogue and cooperation;
•
What does it do? MI offers different kind of supports
to delegates and conference’s hosts :
MI runs a Welcome Centre for Non-Governmental Organizations and Delegations where delegates from different regions
and fields can meet and share ideas.
The Welcome Centre provides:
• Low cost accommodation: 25 to 35 Swiss francs per
night with breakfast, depending on the delegate’s country
of residence (priority is given to delegates from developing
countries or representatives of indigenous peoples).
• Work infrastructure: meeting rooms, computers, internet
access, etc.
• Support services to inform and help delegates, including
information on international public law and assistance
with developing contacts with other NGOs and interna
tional organizations.
• Documentation centre: gathering of main documentations
relating to legal conventions, reports, journals and databases
• Hosting of meetings, seminars, receptions and exhibitions
A Legal Search Engine on international law which covers
environmental law, human rights and humanitarian law.
A dozen of multilingual websites on Internet : Calendar of
International Conferences, Geneva International Portal,
information guides, information platforms, etc. A NGO
Welcome Desk to welcome and inform delegates, notably
during the Human Rights Council. MI supports the organization of international conferences and is planning a new
centre to welcome, inform and provide delegates with
work infrastructure near the UN. MI also manages several
trilingual information websites: a calendar of international
conferences; guides and manuals; a portal with more than
1,000 useful links; an information platform; etc. (see the
website). MI supports the organization of international
conferences and is planning a new centre to welcome,
inform and provide delegates with work infrastructure
near the UN.
•
welcome, inform and facilitate the participation of nongovernmental representatives in international conferences;
support and host delegates from developing countries.
Cooperation with numerous local, regional and
international organizations, academic institutions and private
foundations
PublicationsVisit www.mandint.org.
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Mandat International
31 chemin William Rappard
CH-1293 Bellevue (Geneva)
President: Sébastien Ziegler
Info contact: Sébastien Ziegler
Tel: (+41 22) 959 88 55
Fax: (+41 22) 959 88 51
Email: admin@mandint.org
Website: www.mandint.org
Established: 1995
Staff: 20 plus volunteers
Oak Foundation
What is it? Oak Foundation is a group of charitable
and philanthropic organisations established in various
countries. Oak Foundation commits its resources – primarily to not-for-profit associations – to address
issues of global social and environmental concern,
particularly those that have a major impact on the lives
of the disadvantaged.
What does it do?Oak Foundation’s Environment
Programme focuses on marine conservation and climate
change issues in geographically distinct areas.
Oak Foundation’s Marine Conservation goals are:
• In Europe, to ensure that European fishing fleet practices, in both European waters and abroad, become
sustainable and reflect the intent of the European
Common Fisheries policy by 2015;
• In the Mesoamerican Reef Eco-Region, to develop
an ecologically representative network of marine
reserves that maintain the health of the barrier reef
ecosystem and its wildlife, and that support the food
security and sustainable economic development of
local coastal communities;
• In the Bering Sea and North Pacific, to enact,
implement and enforce policies and agreements that
compel and facilitate ecosystem management of
coastal and marine living resources.
Oak Foundation’s Climate Change goals are:
• In Europe, to ensure that the European Union (EU)
achieves its Kyoto target of 8 per cent reduction
in greenhouse gas emissions by 2012, including
agreeing to stronger targets beyond 2012, with the
ultimate aim of reducing global warming pollution by
at least 75 per cent by 2050;
• In North America, to enact and implement state,
provincial and national policies in the United States
and Canada that put both countries on the path to
reducing global warming pollution by at least 75 per
cent by 2050.
Cooperation With a few exceptions, all grantees
in the environmental programme are not-for-profit
organisations.
Publications Annual Reports are available upon request.
Oak Philanthropy Limited
Case Postal 115
58 Avenue Louis Casaï
1216 Cointrin, Geneva
President:
Kathleen Cravero-Kristoffersson
Info contact: Leonardo Lacerda Environment Programme Director
Email: eep@oakfnd.ch
Tel: (+41 22) 318 86 40
Fax: (+41 22) 318 86 41
Email: eep@oakfnd.ch
Website: www.oakfnd.org
Established: 1998
Staff: 25
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ProAct Network
Environmental Partnerships for Community Resilience
What is it? ProAct Network helps vulnerable communities improve resilience to disasters, climate change,
and humanitarian crises through sustainable environmental management.
• Adaptation to climate change, in particular through
applying sound environmental management practices.
• Disaster risk reduction and environmental disaster
response.
Key thematic areas of the ProAct Network include:
• Environmental management and rehabilitation
related to population displacement following natural
disasters, conflict and/or migration caused by
environmental change.
ProAct strongly advocates and supports communitybased initiatives and local capacity building.
What does it do?These thematic areas are
supported, when appropriate, through a number of
cross-cutting services, which include:
• Institutional support.
• Environmental assessment, monitoring and evaluation.
• Development of environmental demonstration projects
through community-based partnerships.
• Training and capacity building, focused on national
and international organisations, including support for
the development of local environmental non-govern
mental organisations.
• Policy research and development including tools and
guidance.
• Knowledge management services including dissemi
nation of lessons learned, publications and information
updates, workshops and webcasts.
Cooperation Most of our projects are jointly developed and implemented with international organisations
(donors, UN agencies, multinationals, non-governmental
organisations), in order to integrate sound and proven
environmental management practices into major emer-
gency response programming and large-scale environmental planning. We also collaborate with national and
local organisations so that local communities develop
real ownership of projects and programmes.
PublicationsThe role of environmental management and eco-engineering in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. Assessing the effectiveness of fuel-efficient stove programming - A Darfur-wide review Disaster waste management assessment,
South Ossetia, Georgia. The ecological impact of refugee/returnee programmes supported by the Norwegian Refugee Council in
Burundi
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ProAct Network
av. Alfred-Cortot 7d
CH-1260 Nyon
Director: David Stone
Info contact: David Stone
Tel: (+41 22) 362 53 84
Fax: (+41 22) 362 53 85
Email: info@proactnetwork.org
Website: www.proactnetwork.org
Established: 2007
Staff: 7 plus Members and Associates
Programme for the Endorsement
of Forest Certification schemes
PEFC
What is it? PEFC is a framework for the assessment and endorsement of national forest certification
systems that are developed and based on internationally
recognised requirements for sustainable forest management. PEFC has world’s largest forest certification system
with members in 34 countries from all over the world. Currently, in excess of 215 million hectares of forests, an area
that is larger than the combined forest area of all the
European Union member states, are certified to the strict
sustainability benchmarks set by PEFC.
PEFC has strong grass roots support from many
stakeholders including non-governmental organizations, governments, trade associations, unions and the
forestry sector.
What does it do? PEFC’s activities aim at
improving forest management globally:
• Raise awareness of the benefits of sustainable forest
management and its certification
• Work in partnership on issues optimizing the potential
impact sustainable forest management in tackling
societal challenges such as climate change;
• Definition of sustainability benchmarks for sustainable
forest management;
• Assessment and endorsement (mutual recognition)
of certification schemes;
Cooperation Cooperation with international organizations, institutions, NGOs , as well as the private sector and
academic institutions.
PublicationsAnnual Reviews, Newsletters, Forestry related news articles, Technical documentation. For further information,
please see the PEFC website.
PEFC Council
World Trade Center 1
Route de l’Aéroport 10
CH-1215 Geneva
Director: Ben Gunneberg
Info contact: info@pefc.org
Tel: (+41 22) 918 27 00
Fax: (+41 22) 918 27 41
Email: iru@iru.org
Website: www.iru.org
Established: 1948
Staff: 140
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Tropical Forest Trust
TFT
What is it? The TFT works to conserve threatened
tropical forests through sustainable management. Its vision
is a world in which threatened tropical forests are conserved,
providing livelihoods for over 800 million people and habitat
for half of all terrestrial animal and plant species, and storing
billions of tonnes of carbon that would otherwise fuel global
warming.
What does it do? TFT has been working to transform the trade of tropical timber and timber products
into an agent for forest conservation and sustainable
development. By working in partnership with both the
producers and consumers of tropical wood, TFT focuses
on making trade in timber from sustainable managed
forests standard practice.
Amongst member businesses – retailers and suppliers of
tropical wood products, we work to identify and exclude
illegal and undesirable wood from their supply chains and to
develop systems for sourcing responsibly produced wood.
By working at all points in the supply chain – the forest, the
factories, and the retail outlets, we simultaneously leverage
demand and supply to promote sustainable forestry and by
doing so give value to tropical forests. Creating this value
in standing forests is essential, especially in the tropics
- otherwise financial incentives promote forests to be cleared
for alternative uses.
In the tropics, TFT works with forest companies, local communities and other stakeholders to provide expert advice,
capacity development, and ongoing guidance to help
improve forest management practices towards the achievement of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.
Cooperation with retailers and suppliers of tropical
wood products, local communities and with local forest
managers/companies.
Publications Reports on TFT forest projects and supply chain activities are available on the website.
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Tropical Forest Trust
Chemin des Brumes 4
CH-1263 Crassier (VD)
Executive Director: Scott Poynton
Staff: 8 in Crassier (CH), 3 in the UK
15 in Crassier (CH), 3 in the UK, 2 in
the US and 65 in the regional offices
in SE Asia, China, Africa, and South
America
Tel: (+41 22) 367 94 40
Fax: (+41 22) 367 94 41
Email: tft@tropicalforesttrust.com
Website:
www.tropicalforesttrust.com
Established: 1999
World Business Council for
Sustainable Development
WBCSD
What is it? The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a CEO-led, global association of some 190 companies dealing exclusively with
business and sustainable development. Its members
are drawn from more than 30 countries and 20 major
industrial sectors.
What does it do? Its mission is to provide
business leadership as a catalyst for change towards
sustainable development, and to support the business
license to operate, innovate and grow in a world increasingly shaped by sustainable development issues.The
WBCSD’s objectives and strategic directions include:
• demonstrating the business contribution to sustainable development solutions and sharing leading
edge practices among members;
• contributing to a sustainable future for developing
nations and nations in transition.
• being a leading business advocate on sustainable
development;
• participating in policy development to create the right
framework conditions for business to make an effective contribution to sustainable human progress;
• developing and promoting the business case for
sustainable development;
The Council works in the areas of energy and climate,
development, ecosystems and the role of business.
Projects have considered sustainability in water, mining
and minerals, cement, mobility, finance, forestry, electricity utilities, tires and energy-efficiency in buildings.
Cooperation The WBSCD is a partner of choice for
significant intergovernmental organizations and is recognized as the business voice on sustainable development
issues by NGOs.
Publications Annual Review; Sustain: The quarterly newsletter of the WBCSD. Recent reports include: Policy Directions to
2050; Ecosystem Challenges and Business Implications; Powering a Sustainable Future. For a list of WBCSD publications, see
the website at www.wbcsd.org.
World Business Council for Sustainable Development
4 chemin de Conches
CH-1231 Conches (Geneva)
President: Björn Stigson
Info contact: Advocacy
Tel: (+41 22) 839 31 00
Fax: (+41 22) 839 31 31
Email: info@wbcsd.org
Website: www.wbcsd.org
Established: 1995
Staff: 50
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World Council on Churches
WCC
What is it? The World Council of Churches (WCC) is
the broadest and most inclusive among the many organized
expressions of the modern ecumenical movement, a movement whose goal is Christian unity. The WCC brings together
about 350 churches, denominations and church fellowships in
more than 110 countries and territories throughout the world,
representing over 560 million Christians and including most
of the world’s Orthodox churches, scores of Anglican, Baptist,
Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed churches, as well as
many United and Independent churches. While the bulk of the
WCC’s founding churches were European and North American, today most member churches are located in Africa, Asia,
the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East and the Pacific.
What does it do? The ecumenical commitment to
justice and enabling people to transform their own lives involves
meeting immediate human need, enabling churches to work
together to address the structural roots of injustice, and also
helping them to identify and combat threats to creation itself.
The WCC’s programme “Justice, Diakonia and Responsibility
for Creation” includes the project called “Climate change and
water: caring for creation”. This project holds together the
concerns for climate change and water, thus emphasizing the
links between ecological and social concerns, emergencies
and development, global threats and local experiences, local
engagement and national and international advocacy. The
project includes an Ecumenical Water Network (EWN) that
focuses on the right to water and community-based initiatives,
and a study on energy supply and production (including a link
to security concerns). The Ecumenical Water Network accompanies regional processes and engages in advocacy for
the right to water. Youth engages with church representatives,
scientists, artists and activists to explore the sacred and lifegiving dimensions of water. The project participates with other
networks in a public campaign to strengthen the post-Kyoto
mandate of states to control the impact of global warming
through setting emission targets and processes to achieve
them. This includes yearly participation in appropriate UN bodies and the facilitation of dialogues towards an inter-faith statement on water and climate change. Other WCC programmes
relate to theology, mission and education, public policy, peace
and human security, uprooted people and development.
Cooperation The WCC cooperates with UN offices
in Geneva and New York and has established consultative
relations with many UN-related agencies.
Publications Visit www.wcc-coe.org.
89
World Council of Churches
150 route de Ferney
P.O. Box 2100
1211 Geneva 2
General Secretary, Chief Executive
of the WCC: Rev. Samuel Kobia
Info contact:
info@wcc-coe.org
Tel: (+41 22) 791 61 11
Tel: (+41 22) 791 61 11
Fax: (+41 22) 791 03 61
Email: info@wcc-coe.org
Website: www.oikoumene.org
Established: 1948
Staff: approximately120
World Economic Forum
What is it? The World Economic Forum (the
Forum) is an independent international organization
committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and
industry agendas. The World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit; it is tied to no political, partisan or
national interests.
What does it do? Through task forces and initiatives, the Forum involves Members, Partners and other
constituents in joint efforts to achieve tangible outcomes
on key global, regional and industry challenges. The
Forum uses a number of events, including its Annual
Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Regional Meetings,
Competitiveness Meetings and Reports, to further its
work. These events gather key global players from all
sectors of society including governments, business,
academia, religion, NGOs and the media.
to environmental challenges and to contribute to identifying and implementing practical solutions. The Forum’s
environmental projects currently include:
The Forum’s environment work is part of its Centre for
Public-Private Partnerships and aims to engage private,
public and non-governmental actors to respond collectively
Cooperation The Forum works with a wide range
of UN agencies (e.g. WHO, UNEP, UNAIDS, UNICEF),
NGOs (e.g. WWF, Pew Center for Climate Change), the
• The Climate Change Initiative, under the umbrella of
the G8 +5 Gleneagles Dialogue on Climate Change,
Clean Energy and Sustainable Development;
• The Water Initiative, launched to build multistakeholder partnerships to improve the management and
governance of water for communities, businesses
and the environment;
• The Carbon Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB).
World Business Council for Sustainable Development
(WBCSD) and other international organizations.
Publications Consult the website at www.weforum.org/publications.
World Economic Forum
91-93 route de la Capite
CH-1223 Cologny (Geneva)
Executive Chairman: Klaus Schwab
Info contact:
Dominic Waughray
Director, Head of Environment
Initiatives
Tel: (+41 22) 869 12 12
Fax: (+41 22) 786 27 44
Email: environment@weforum.org
Website: www.weforum.org
Established: 1971
Staff: 293
90
World Organization
of the Scout Movement
WOSM
What is it? The World Organization of the Scout
Movement (WOSM) is an international, non-governmental
organization composed of recognized National Scout
Organizations. There are more than 28 million Scouts,
young people and adults, male and female, in 216 countries
and territories. Its governing body is the World Conference,
which meets every three years, and its executive body is the
World Committee, composed of elected volunteers.
What does it do?The World Scout Bureau is the
secretariat of the Movement. It serves National Scout Organizations from its headquarters in Geneva and its six regional
offices in Geneva and Brussels; Cairo; Manila; Nairobi,
Dakar and Capetown; Santiago de Chile; and Yalta-Gurzuf.
The Scout Movement has the following priorities: actively
protecting nature and the environment; improving child health;
helping marginalized youth; urban areas and addressing
illiteracy and unemployment; job skills training; assisting in the
development of Scouting in newly emerging countries; and
helping Scouts to address community needs in developing
and industrialized countries.
• people and natural systems have clean water and
clean air
• sufficient natural habitat exists to support native species
• the risk of harmful substances to people and the
environment are minimised
• the most suitable environmental practices are used
• people are prepared to respond to environmental
hazards and natural disasters
The World Scout Environment Programme focuses
Scouting’s members on the environment at the local and
global level. There are five aims for environment education
in Scouting:
Cooperation with UNDP, UNEP, UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA, FAO, UNHCR, UN-HABITAT, UNAIDS, ILO, WWF, Clean
Up the World, Volvo Adventure, Alcoa Foundation, Jane Goodall
Institute, as well as the World Association of Girl Guides and
In addition, the Scout Centres of Excellence for Nature and
Environment (SCENES) programme is aimed at establishing a network of locations throughout the world to strengthen
the delivery of the World Scout Environment Programme.
Girl Scouts, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement,
YWCA, YMCA and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award International Association.
Publications WorldINFO (electronic bulletin); SCENES, links to official Scout Centres of Excellence for Nature and Environment; International Show-and-Do Conservation Project Kit (the Scout Association of Australia/WSB/WWF); Help To Save the World
(WSB/WWF); Conservation Information (WSB/WWF); A series of conservational activities (WSB/IUCN/WWF/Japan Expo 70); Scouting:
Action for the Environment (WSB/UNEP); The Global Scout; Journey to the Heart of Nature.
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World Scout Bureau
5 rue du Pré-Jérôme
Case Postale 91
CH-1211 Geneva 4
Acting Secretary-General:
Luc Panissod
Tel: (+41 22) 705 10 10
Fax: (+41 22) 705 10 20
Email: worldbureau@scout.org
Website: www.scout.org
Established: 1922
Staff: 30
WWF International
WWF
What is it? One of the world’s largest NGOs,
WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s
natural environment and to build a future in which
humans live in harmony with nature by:
• conserving the world’s biological diversity;
• ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources
is sustainable; and
• promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful
consumption.
What does it do? WWF International actively
supports and operates conservation programmes on the
ground in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin
America. Worldwide, WWF funds close to 2,000 projects
and employs more than 4,000 people. It has a global
income of about CHF 600 million.
identified as the Earth’s most biologically outstanding
terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats – and global
thematic programmes. These programmes address
key biomes (forest, freshwater and marine) and global
threats (climate change), as well as priority endangered
species. Finally, the delivery of conservation results is
assisted by WWF’s high-visibility international campaigns, which help to spotlight crucial environmental
issues and influence national and international policy
decisions.
WWF’s Global Conservation Programme covers the full
spectrum of conservation activities, at both the field and
policy levels. It encompasses ecoregion conservation in
the “Global 200” – areas that WWF scientists have
Cooperation with UN organizations and the IUCN (the
World Conservation Union), as well as development agencies such as government aid agencies or the World Bank.
Publications include WWF’s Annual Report and Living Planet Report.
WWF International
Avenue du Mont Blanc
CH-1196 Gland (Vaud)
Tel: (+41 22) 364 91 11
Fax: (+41 22) 364 53 58
Website: www.panda.org
Director General: James P. Leape
Established: 1961
Staff: 130
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City of Geneva
What is it? The City of Geneva (pop. 185,000) is the
largest commune of the Canton of Geneva and the second largest city in Switzerland. Starting in 2001, the City
has developed a municipal Agenda 21. Through ICLEI,
Geneva also promotes the view that cities have a key
role to play in promoting sustainable development. The
City’s Administrative Council ensures that all its divisions
implement environmentally sound practices and that they
actively raise public awareness. It also supports cooperation programmes with cities in developing countries.
What does it do? The City’s partnerships and
priorities are guided by sustainable development principles.
Key offices are:
• the General Directorate: external relations etc;
• the Department of Finance and General Administration:
sustainable development, procurement policy,
employment, working conditions, etc;
• the Department of Town Planning, Construction and
Roads: urban management, transport and mobility,
studies on noise, sound water use and energy efficiency,
ecobuildings, maintenance of public buildings and public
areas, waste collection;
• the Department of Cultural Affairs: conservation of
biodiversity, environmental protection, broad access to
culture, support for creativity, maintenance of heritage,
support for cultural diversity in the city, literacy campaigns,
awareness-raising about sustainable development,
North-South and South-South cooperation;
• the Department of Sports and Security: promotion of
health, risk management, intervention in the event of
major ecological accidents;
• the Department of Social Affairs, Schools and the Environment: promotion of sports, community assistance to
improve quality of life, linking generations and cultures
and encouraging solidarity with those in greatest need to
improve social cohesion, upkeep of green spaces and
the use of environmentally sound practices as part of the
City’s self-improvement policy.
Cooperation with numerous local, regional and
international organizations as well as with academic
institutions, UNEP and ICLEI.
Publications See the Arcade d’information municipale (1 pont de la Machine) and the website at www.ville-ge-ch/agenda21.
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City of Geneva
Unité Agenda 21,
5, rue de l’Hôtel-de-Ville
Case Postale
CH-1211 Geneva 3
Info contact: Unité Agenda 21
Tel: (+41 22) 418 22 96
Email: etienne.lezat@ville-ge.ch
Tel: (+41 22) 418 29 00
Fax: (+41 22) 418 29 01
Website: www.ville-ge.ch/agenda21
Staff: 4,000
City of Vernier
What is it? With a population of 33’000, Vernier is the
second commune in Canton Geneva, and the 17th largest
city in Switzerland. First suburban city in the Geneva
area, Vernier is a contrasted commune mixing residential,
industrial and commercial areas, with leisure and natural
areas. The commune is structured into four main sectors:
the village of Vernier, Châtelaine - Balexert, Aïre - Le
Lignon - Libellules and Avanchets - Cointrin.
What does it do? All communal services apply the
principles of sustainable growth into their decision-making
and activities. The commune motivates the population and
corporations with concrete actions and public awareness
programs such as:
Mobility: In the field of public transportation, Vernier was one
of the first communes to propose to the Geneva State Council and the Public Transportation board, a global vision of public transport on their territory. With the aim to substantiate the
modality of transportation transfer and the lowering of CO2
emissions caused by road traffic on its territory, Vernier is in
constant discussion with its partners in view to improve the
coverage of public transportation. Furthermore, Vernier has
undertaken numerous public actions to promote car sharing
and the use of bicycles (creation of bike lanes, financing the
purchase of electric bicycles, daily bicycle ride cards).
Energy Program: With an ambitious energy program,
Vernier is the first Geneva commune to be recognized with
the European Label Energy City Gold 2009. During the nineties, Vernier pioneered a cantonal educational project called
Energy Classes. Some recent examples: the communal
installations are provided with electricity fully produced by
renewable resources; in collaboration with Meyrin, an aerial
thermography map was taken to localize the thermic loss
in buildings; communal staff took part in weekly activities to
stimulate consumption reduction.
Cooperation Observatoire Verniolan du Développement Durable (OVDD : Vernier’s Sustainable Growth
Observatory) : a unique initiative in Switzerland. In order to
stimulate sustainable growth in the Commune and integrate
civil society into their process, the authorities of Vernier have
created in 2003 an Observatory, a permanent structure of
councel and incentive. This consultative entity is made of 6
experts and its mission is to guide political and administrative
Responsable consumption. Vernier is also one of the first
communes to have allocated a budget for its 9 school restaurants, (providing up to 700 meals a day) to serve dishes only
based on local and seasonal produces.
decision-making, to suggest concrete actions to the authorities, counsel authorities and services, upon their request,
during project elaboration. The group meets twice a month
and emits an opinion in the form of a recommendation, a
note, commentary or remark.
The International Environment House and the WWF Switzerland are located in the commune.
Publications Go to www.vernier.ch
Head/Director:
Administrative council (executive
power 2007 – 2011: Thierry Apothéloz,
Thierry Cerutti, Yvan Rochat
Website: www.vernier.ch
Telephone: (+41 22) 306 06 06
Fax: (41 22) 306 06 60
Email: mairie@vernier.ch
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Federal Office
of the Environment
FOEN
What is it? The FOEN, which is part of the Swiss
Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and
Communication, is the official Swiss body in charge of
environmental policy at the national and international
levels. It is responsible for ensuring that natural resources
are used sustainably, that the public is protected against
natural hazards, and that the environment is protected
from adverse impacts.
What does it do? The Office manages Switzerland’s environmental issues in collaboration with agencies
at the federal, cantonal and communal levels. Its international affairs division is responsible for Switzerland’s
international environmental policy. The Office also draws
on private and public associations active in the environmental field and collaborates closely with the private
sector. Its portfolio includes climate change, air pollution
and electromagnetic non-ionising radiation, soil protection,
contaminated land, biotechnology, waste management,
noise abatement, water protection, energy efficiency, biodiversity, fisheries, forests and the security of installations
(excluding nuclear plants).
Cooperation with UNEP and other UN and international bodies, the secretariats of the Environmental
Conventions, the Global Environment Facility and
foreign environment ministries.
The Office also handles issues in the fields of law,
economics and research that have implications for the
environment.
Publications The quarterly magazine ENVIRONMENT (in German and French) and publications in the following series: Environment in practice; Environmental studies; State of the environment. See the website at www.environment-switzerland.ch/publications.
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Federal Office for the Environment
CH-3003 Bern
Director: Bruno Oberle, who represents
Switzerland as State Secretary in international environmental negotiations
Info Contact: Media Office FOEN
Tel: (+41 31) 322 90 00
Email: info@bafu.admin.ch
Fax: (+41 31) 322 99 81
Email: info@bafu.admin.ch
Website: www.environment-switzerland.ch
Established: 1971
(name changed in 2006)
Staff: 376
Republic and Canton of Geneva
DT
Department of Territory
What is it? The DT is responsible for the Canton of
Geneva’s public policies on the environment, nature, agriculture, transport and mobility and land management.
In terms of environmental affairs, the Department is in
charge of areas relating to the natural environment,
water, energy, air, waste and transport. Finally, the DT
is in charge of the SME of the state of Geneva and
establish a carbon dioxide assessement.
What does it do? The DT prepares and
implements the canton’s environmental legislation. It
is particularly involved in issues of air quality and air
pollution control; energy efficiency; water management
and protection; waste management; ground, indoor and
noise pollution; non-ionizing radiation; impact assessments; biodiversity; and protection against natural
dangers. Among its priorities are:
• improving the management of water resources, and
in particular protecting and rehabilitating rivers and
improving wastewater treatment;
• a significant reduction in the production of waste and
an increase in recycling;
• the promotion of “soft” mobility (walking and cycling);
• the reduction of noise pollution.
• the efficient use of energy;
• the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions;
Cooperation The canton cooperates with a wide
range of local, regional and international organizations.
Publications Concept cantonal de l’environnement; Bilan de l’environnement; Plan de gestion des déchets; Plan de mesures de
l’air 2003-2010, revised in 2008; Plan directeur cantonal de l’énergie; Fiches Rivières; guides pratiques divers.
Visit www.geneve.ch/dt
Département du territoire (DT)
Rue de l’Hôtel-de-Ville 2
Case Postale 3918
1211 Geneva 3
State Counselor: Robert Cramer
Info contact: Info-Service
4 chemin de la Gravière
CH-1227 Les Acacias (Geneva)
Tel: (+41 22) 327 47 11
Email: info-service-dt@etat.ge.ch
Tel: (+41 22) 327 47 11
Fax: (+41 22) 327 01 00
Email: info-service-dt@etat.ge.ch
Website: www.geneve.ch/dt
Staff: 640
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Republic and Canton of Geneva
DES/SCDD
Department of Economy and Health
What is it? The Cantonal Service for Sustainable
Development (SCDD) pilots the cantonal Agenda 21
and coordinates the implementation of the law on public
action for sustainable development (Loi sur l’action
publique en vue d’un développement durable).
What does it do? The SCDD publishes practical
guides designed in partnership with target audiences;
advises and supports businesses, communes and individuals; offers training and information for the general
public.
Cooperation To carry out its mission, the SCDD
works closely with Geneva’s communes, federal and
cantonal administrations, interest groups, international
organisations and various associations.
Publications Guide pratique de l’Agenda 21 communal; Agenda 21 du canton de Genève - de l’idée à l’action; Guide PME
et développement durable; Quelques propositions d’actions pour les PME; Les PME passent à l’action; Porter un autre regard sur
notre quotidien : les gestes d’aujourd’hui qui font le monde de demain ; Fiches pour une consommation responsable; Bourse et prix
cantonaux du développement durable (annually since 2002).
97
Service cantonal du développement
durable (SCDD)
53 avenue Blanc
CH-1202 Geneva
Director: Alexandre Epalle
Info contact: Alexandre Epalle
Email: agenda21@etat.ge.ch
Tel: (+41 22) 388 19 40
Fax:(+41 22) 388 19 49
Email: agenda21@etat.ge.ch
Website: www.ge.ch/agenda21
Establishment: 2001
Staff: 6
Centre d’études juridiques
européennes
CEJE
Centre for European Legal Studies
What is it? The CEJE was founded in 1964. It is
attached to the University of Geneva’s Faculty of Law
and focuses its activities on European law and on the
relations between Switzerland and the European Union.
What does it do? The objective of the CEJE is
the promotion of teaching and academic research on
European law, including themes related to the protection
of the environment and sustainable development.
The goals of the CEJE include:
• the development and coordination of the teaching of
European law, as well as continuing education
programmes in the field of European integration;
• the provision of intellectual and logistical frameworks
for the organization of colloquiums and conferences;
• the promotion of research on European law;
• the publication of the findings of colloquiums and
conferences, as well as of individual or collective
research papers;
• the administration of a library and a European
documentation centre;
• being available to provide legal opinions and
expertise and to undertake consultancies on the
subject of European law or its impacts on Swiss
legislation.
Cooperation The CEJE organize a yearly training
programme with the Forschungsstelle für Internationalisiertes und Europäisiertes Privatrecht of the University
of Lucerne in the field of European integration for executives of the Federal Administration and the Cantons (see
www.formation-europe.ch).
Publications The CEJE publishes the results of its research, symposiums and conferences. It works closely with the “Dossiers de
droit européen” Collection (DDE), co-published by Helbing & Lichtenhahn (Basel), Bruylant (Brussels) and LGDJ (Paris) and publishes
an annual list of Swiss publications on European law. Regular updates on issues relating to new developments in the European Union
can be found on the CEJE website at www.unige.ch/ceje.
Centre d’études juridiques
européennes (CEJE)
Faculty of Law
Uni Mail
40 boulevard du Pont d’Arve
CH-1211 Geneva 4
Director: Christine Kaddous
Tel: (+41 22) 379 84 90
Fax: (+41 22) 379 86 62
Email: ceje@unige.ch
Website: www.unige.ch/ceje
Established: 1964
Staff: 15
98
Federal Institute of Technology
Lausanne
EPFL
What is it? At EPFL, 6900 students, close to 1620
doctoral candidates, 300 professors, 2500 scientists and 1280
technical and administrative staff members work and conduct
research in the following fields: civil engineering, environmental
sciences and engineering, physics, electricity, chemistry, mathematics, material sciences, architecture, computer science,
micro-engineering, life sciences and communication systems..
What does it do?The environment is an important
area of study and research at both the undergraduate and the
postgraduate levels at EPFL. The School of Architecture, Civil
and Environmental Engineering (http://enac.epfl.ch/) is EPFL’s
main centre for tuition and research in this field through the Environmental Sciences and Engineering Section (http://ssie.epfl.
ch/), the Environmental Sciences and Technologies Institute
(http://iste.epfl.ch/) and the doctoral program in Environment
(http://phd.epfl.ch/page55510.html/). Education and research
are specifically focused on the understanding of environmental
phenomena, processes and interactions, along three main
interdisciplinary avenues: atmosphere & climate, soils & water,
and waste & pollution, including research areas such as air pollution, air chemistry, fluid mechanics, rainfalls, water resources
and ecosystems management, eco-hydrology, waste and
wastewater treatment and management. Treating the environment in a broader sense, other ENAC units are also involved.
Among them, the following are to be mentionned:
• The Institute of Urban and Regional Planning and Design
(http://inter.epfl.ch/), focusing on the dynamics of inhabited
areas, transport and mobility, urban development,
geomatics, and more generally, on the interfaces between
environment and society.
• The Institute of Infrastructures, Resources and Environment
(http://icare.epfl.ch/), dealing with renewable energy in the
built environment, management of the underground spaces
and resources, natural hazards, and water supply.
At the EPFL level, several laboratories are working together
on specific projects related to the environment :
• The Energy Center and the associated Energy Systems
Management Chair (http://cgse.epfl.ch/), which fosters
multidisciplinary research projects and networks for the
development of sustainable energy production, storage,
transportation, distribution, and end-use systems and
technologies, in collaboration with industrial as well as
institutional partners;
• The newly created Transportation Center (http://transport
.epfl.ch/), which focuses on mobility and planning of trans
portation systems;
• Cooperation@epfl (http://cooperation.epfl.ch/), which contributes to tackling development issues through the
promotion and strengthening of scientific cooperation with
academic and research institutions in emerging and
developing countries; major activities of this unit are
currently focused on environment and sustainable
development.
Cooperation with organizations worldwide through
some 170 European research and development projects and
40 international student-exchange programmes.
Publications See the website at www.epfl.ch.
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Ecole polytechnique fédérale de
Lausanne
CH-1015 Lausanne (Vaud)
President: Patrick Aebischer
Info contact:
EPFL Media & Communications
Tel: (+41 21) 693 22 22
Fax: (+41 21) 693 64 00
Email: mediacom@epfl.ch
Tel: (+41 21) 693 11 11
Fax: (+41 21) 693 43 80
Website: www.epfl.ch
Established: 1853
Staff: 4070
Graduate Institute of
International and Development
Studies
IHEID
What is it? The Graduate Institute of International and
Development Studies is a new Institute generated by the merger
of the Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI) with the
Graduate Institute of Development Studies (IUED), established
respectively in 1927 and 1961. It is a private foundation, receiving
financial support from the Swiss Confederation and the Canton
of Geneva.
The Institute’s mission as an institution of higher education and research is to provide independent and rigorous
analyses of current and emerging world issues with a double
emphasis on international relations and development studies. It has a particular concern for promoting international
cooperation and bringing an academic contribution to less
advanced nations.
What does it do?The Institute gives selected
students from all over the world the opportunity for graduate
(Masters and Ph.D), bilingual (English - French), disciplinary and multidisciplinary studies, which will endow them
with high-level skills and will allow them to play a significant
role in international cooperation and development.
Ph.D. Programmes
Ph.D. in Development Studies
Under the umbrella of the Ph.D.
in International Studies:
• Ph.D. in International Law
• Ph.D. in International Economics
• Ph.D. in International History and Politics
• Ph.D. in Political Science
Masters
Master in International Affairs (MIA)
Master en Etudes du développement (Mdev)
Under the umbrella of the Masters in International
Studies (MIS):
• Master in International Economics
• Masters in International History and Politics
• Master in International Law
• Masters in Political Science
The Institute is active at theoretical and applied levels of
research and brings policy-relevant expertise to contemporary
world issues. It also offers executive education aiming at meeting in a flexible manner the demands of public and private international actors for professional development. Ideally located
in Geneva, it benefits from the environment of international,
governmental and non-governmental organisations as well as
diplomatic missions and contributes to intellectual debate and
prospective reflection on all international and global issues.
Cooperation With universities through exchange
agreements.
Publications See the website
Graduate Institute of International Studies
132 rue de Lausanne
Case Postale 136
CH-1211 Geneva 21
Tel: (+41 22) 908 57 00
Fax: (+41 22) 908 57 10
Email:info@graduateinstitute.ch
Website: http://graduateinstitute.ch
Director: Philippe Burrin
Established: 2008
Staff: 380
100
Swiss Network for
International Studies
SNIS
What is it? Successor to the Geneva International
Academic Network (GIAN), the SNIS promotes academic
research in the interdisciplinary area of international studies.
Thematic areas of interest include the environment, development, health, human rights, and education, among others,
as well as topics such as international and civil wars, sustainable development, public health, migration and refugees,
gender issues, globalisation, trade and financial markets,
human and cultural rights, and European politics.
The organisational structure of the SNIS includes the Governing Committee, the Scientific Committee and the Academic
Council of International Geneva. A Secretariat and its Director
manage SNIS day-to-day operations. The SNIS is funded by
the State Secretariat for Education and Research of the Swiss
Confederation, and the Department of Public Instruction of the
Republic and Canton of Geneva.
What does it do?
• SNIS research grants: through an annual tender and on a
competitive basis, project proposals are evaluated and
selected based on academic excellence, policy-relevance,
financial viability and feasibility. Projects must be under
the direction of a Swiss-based organisation of higher
education; links between Swiss universities and universities abroad, as well as the involvement of international
organisations/NGOs, are seen as assets.
• SNIS conferences & workshops on issues related to
international studies.
• Development of synergies between academic disciplines,
as well as collaboration between Swiss organisations of
higher education and with international organisations/
NGOs, with the aim of building a network.
• International conferences organised by Swiss universities
and academic organisations.
Cooperation With academic institutions, international
organisations, NGOs and the private sector.
Publications The history of the GIAN “Les liaisons fructueuses. Des rencontres insolites de disciplines et d’institutions : l’aventure du
Réseau universitaire international de Genève à l’aube du XXIe siècle”, edited by Randall Harbour and Edouard Dommen (texts in English and
French) has been published. See also the website of the GIAN (http://www.ruig-gian.org) for information concerning projects supported by the
GIAN and the research results.
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Swiss Network
for International Studies (SNIS)
9-11 rue de Varembé
CH - 1202 Geneva
Tel: +(41 22) 733 26 92
Fax: +(41 22) 734 87 66
Email: info@snis.ch
Website: www.snis.ch
Info contact:
Tobias Haller, Director
Established: 2008
Staff: 4
University for Peace
Geneva Office
What is it? The University for Peace was established as a Treaty Organization, with a Charter set out in
an International Agreement specifically approved by the
UN General Assembly in Resolution 35/55 of 5 December 1980. It was established “with a clear determination
to provide humanity with an international institution of
higher education for peace and with the aim of
promoting among all human beings the spirit of
understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, to
stimulate cooperation among peoples and to help lessen
obstacles and threats to world peace and progress, in
keeping with the noble aspirations proclaimed in the
Charter of the United Nations”.
What does it do? The strategy adopted by the
Council of the University is aimed at gradually meeting the worldwide need for education for peace on a
significant scale through Master’s Degree programmes.
It also develops course materials and methodologies,
and disseminates them in collaboration with universities throughout the world. Nine MA degree courses are
currently offered, including an MA Programme in Natural
Resources and Peace. The University is also renowned
for short-term courses designed for mid-career professionals wishing to enhance their knowledge and competency. The academic programmes of the University are
developed in close collaboration with long-established
institutions of higher learning in both the Northern and
Southern hemispheres. Research activities concentrate
on new forms of conflict management.
Cooperation with UN departments, agencies and
organizations as well as with universities (particularly in
developing countries), research institutions, agencies
and NGOs
Publications A full list of publications can be obtained from the Head Librarian at the University’s Headquarters in Costa Rica.
University for Peace
7-9 chemin de Balexert
CH-1219 Châtelaine (Geneva)
Rector: John J. Maresca
President of the Council:
Julio María Sanguinetti
Contact: info@upeace.ch
Established: 1980
1980 (Geneva Office est. in April 2000)
3 in the Geneva Office, 5 in Addis
Ababa, 2 in New York and 80 at Headquarters (San José, Costa Rica).
Tel: (+41 22) 737 30 80
Fax: (+41 22) 737 30 90
Email: info@upeace.ch
Website: www.upeace.org
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University of Applied Sciences
of Western Switzerland
HEPIA
School of landscape, engineering and architecture
What is it? HEPIA within HES-SO//Geneva brings
together 6 higher technical schools offering 24 BA courses in total. It trains professionals in the following fields:
engineering, economics, the service industry, design
and the visual arts, health, social work and music. The
University’s diverse campuses hosts 4 000 students,
450 teachers and 250 technical and administrative staff.
Engineering, architecture and environmental-oriented
fields are grouped into HEPIA, Haute école du paysage,
d’ingénierie et d’architecture de Genève
What does it do? The BA courses in engineering
and architecture are provided by the HEPIA, training architects and landscape architects, civil engineers, mechanical and micro-technic engineers, computer science and
telecomunication, agronomy and nature management. In all
9 fields leading to a BA. A Masters degree in architecture is
also available in association with the Fribourg and Berthoud
Universities of Applied Sciences.
HEPIA has a total staff of 270, (191 teachers, 79 admin.
and technical staff), with over 700 students and a budget
of approx. CHF 38 millions. Its activities are set within a
new strategy based on the notion of technologies suporting
optimal management of means and resources.
Cooperation HEPIA has built solid relations
linked to its missions, based on professional skills and
technology transfer. Its main partners are corporations,
research labs and service providers. HEPIA also has
strong relationships with professional associations in
order to ensure that its training meets market demands
and needs.
Publications See the website www.hesge.ch/hepia
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HEPIA
A branch of HES-SO//Geneva
Rue de la Prairie 4
1202 Geneva
Director General: Yves Leuzinger
Info contact:
Albena Basset
Tel: (+41 22) 546 24 00
Fax: (+41 22) 546 24 10
Email: hepia@hesge.ch
Website: www.hesge.ch/hepia
Established: EIG-1997/EIL-1997
merged into HEPIA in Jan. 2009
Staff: 720 students
University Of Geneva
Institute of Environmental
Sciences
What is it? The University of Geneva’s Institute of Environmental Scienses is a new transdisciplinary programme
that benefits from the expertise and world-class reach of
natural and social scientists. It offers a systemic approach to
the research, teaching, capacity-building and policy needed
to respond to the growing and ever more complex interdependencies between cities and global environmental
challenges.
What does it do? The Institute of Environmental
Scienses aims to close the gap between theoretical debates
and the empirical application of environmental information
in the context of the complexity of global change and the
individual risk contexts of social and economic drivers. It
innovates, creating new competence and knowledge, and
builds capacity by questioning established assumptions. It
educates and expands the knowledge base of academic
and professional communities by conducting debates,
organizing the professional field of environmental studies
and developing outreach to the community and stakeholder
groups. It creates and produces the new models, networks,
relationships, resources, information and tools necessary for
environmental decision-making in political, social and
economic contexts. It leads through cooperation, by coordinating and collaborating with partners and customers
to mobilise resources and to help anticipate and address
environmental issues in real time.
Cooperation The Institute established cooperative
agreements with renowned international universities, including with the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), the
University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM), the Colegio de la
Frontera Norte (Mexico) and York University
(Toronto, Canada). Numerous contacts are maintained
through participation in EU FP6 and FP7 programmes.
Future collaboration is planned with universities in Latin
America, Singapore and Australia.
The Institute of Environmental Scienses is led by Prof
Martin Beniston. Five main research areas are represented
within the Programme: climate change (Prof. Martin Beniston); globalization, urban planning, security and governance
(Prof. Rémi Baudoui); natural sciences of the environment
and biodiversity (Prof. Walter Wildi); human ecology (Prof.
Roderick Lawrence); and health impact assessment (Dr
Jean Simos).
Publications Academic policy papers. See the groups’ web pages for full publications lists (via www.unige.ch/environnement) Outlook
University Of Geneva
Institute of Environmental Sciences
7 rue de Drize
Site Batelle, Bat “D”
1227 Carouge, Geneva
Director: Martin Beniston
Contact:
Martin Beniston
Tel: (+41 22) 379 07 99
Email: Francisco.Marzoa@unige.ch
Website:
www.unige.ch/environnement
Established: 2007
Staff: 70
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University of Geneva
Faculty of Economic
and Social Sciences
What is it? The SES brings together the faculties
of the social and economic science departments at the
University of Geneva to tackle issues using an interdisiplinary approach. It awards bachelors, masters, post
graduate certificates, masters of advanced studies and
doctorates in all faculty fields. It also provides on-going
training.
What does it do? In addition to their teaching duties, the faculty develop research activities in its related
areas such as: social structures, political processes,
economic mechanisms, and the economic and social
impacts of trade and industry. The main sections of the
SES are the:
• Section des hautes études commerciales, for business studies;
• Section des sciences économiques, for the study of
economics and econometrics;
• Section des sciences sociales, for the study of political science and international relations, sociology,
geography and social and economic history.
Cooperation The Faculty’s seminars and syposiums benefit from the participation of both the local and
the international community concerned with social and
economic issues.
Publications See the website at www.unige.ch/ses.
105
Faculté des sciences économiques et
sociales (SES) de l’Université de Genève
Uni Mail
40 boulevard Carl-Vogt
CH-1211 Genève 4
Dean: Bernard Morard
Info contact:
Faculty Secretariat
Uni Mail, 3rd floor, bureau 3287A
Tel: (+41 22) 379 80 16/17/18/19
Tel: (+41 22) 379 81 11
Fax: (+41 22) 379 99 19
Website: www.unige.ch/ses
Established: 1915
Staff: approx. 450, including
professors, research assistants
and other staff
University of Geneva
Faculty of Law
What is it? The Faculty of Law, the University of
Geneva’s law school, awards the Swiss “Baccalauréat”,
(Bachelor), “Maîtrise”, (Master) and “Doctorat” of law.
What does it do? In conjunction with their teaching duties, professors conduct research into a variety of
aspects of the law, including constitutional, environmental and sustainable development law:
• ENVIR - Centre (of gravity) for environmental law
Contact: Nicole Crausaz, Tel: (+41 22) 739 84 73;
Fax: (+41 22) 739 84 67
Nicole.Crausaz@unige.ch;
www.unige.ch/droit/?centres/gravite.php
• INPUB - Department of Public International Law and
International Organization
Contact: Edith Muerrle or Sibylle Attia,
Tel: (+41 22) 379 85 42;
Fax: (+41 22) 739 85 43; Edith.Muerrle@unige.ch or
sibylle.attia@unige.ch; www.unige.droit
• CETEL – Centre for research, techniques and evaluation of the law
Contact: www.unige.ch/droit/cetel
• CEJE – Centre for the study of European justice
systems
Contact: Tel: (+41 22) 379 84 70;
Fax: (+41 22) 379 86 62
ceje@unige.ch; www.unige.ch/ceje (see page 4)
• C2D – Centre for the study and documentation of
direct democracy
Contact: Prof. Andreas Auer, Director;
http://c2d.unige.ch
Cooperation Participants in the Faculty’s seminars
and colloquiums include members of the local and international communities who are interested in the law.
Publications Please consult the library at www.unige.ch/bfd; Tel: (+41 22) 379 84 46; Fax: (+ 41 22) 379 99 16;
email: biblio@unige.ch. For questions and comments: Martine.Jacquerioz@unige.ch.
Faculty of Law, University of Geneva
Uni Mail
40 boulevard du Pont d’Arve
CH-1211 Geneva 4
Dean: Christian Bovet
Info contact: see details above
Tel (general): (+41 22) 379 71 11
Fax: see details above
Email: see details above
Website: www.unige.ch/droit
Established: 1820
Staff: approximately 180
106
University of Geneva
Faculty of Law
Department of Public International Law
and International Organization
What is it? The Department of Public International
Law and International Organization (INPUB) is one of
the Departments of the University of Geneva’s Faculty
of Law.
What does it do? INPUB provides education and
guidance to its students, and its professors, assistants
and graduate students carry out research in various
areas of public international law and policy. Key areas
of the Department include research and teaching on
international environmental law, international sustainable development law and WTO law, with an emphasis
on trade and environment policy and law.
Cooperation The researchers of INPUB have
established a track record of cooperation with several
universities in Europe and North America.
Publications Please consult the Department’s website at www.unige.ch/droit.
107
Department of Public International
Law and International Organization
(INPUB), Faculty of Law
Uni Mail
40 boulevard du Pont d’Arve
CH-1211 Geneva 4
Director: Laurence Boisson de
Chazournes
Info contact:
Sibylle Attia
Email: sibylle.attia@unige.ch
and Edith Muerrle
Email: edith.muerrle@unige.ch
Tel: (+41 22) 379 85 42
Fax: (+41 22) 379 85 43
Email: sibylle.attia@unige.ch
edith.muerrle@unige.ch
Website: www.unige.ch/droit
Staff: approximately 20
International Air Transport
Association
IATA
ENCOM
Environment Committee
What is it? IATA is a worldwide trade association
comprising some 230 airlines. Its member airlines represent 93 percent of all international scheduled air traffic.
IATA’s headquarters are in Montreal, its executive offices
are in Geneva, and it has offices all over the world.
What does it do? As the airlines’ trade association, IATA focuses on safety, infrastructure, distribution,
e-commerce, regulations, economics and the environment. The Environment Committee comprises 12 member airlines. Its role is to develop strategic responses
to environmental challenges facing the air transport
industry and assess their implications, to develop com
mon airline positions, to promote the role of aviation in
a sustainable global economy and to assist its members
in managing the effects of airline operations on the
environment. It also promotes the airlines’ commitment
to managing their environmental impacts, building on air
transportation’s environmental achievements and on the
economic and social benefits that the industry provides.
Cooperation IATA supports the International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) as the appropriate intergovernmental forum for developing global environmental
standards and worldwide policies. ICAO is the agency of
the United Nations in charge of aviation. It has 190
Member States and its headquarters are in Montreal.
Publications Building a Greener Future http://www.iata.org/NR/rdonlyres/C5840ACD-71AC-4FAA-8FEE-00B21E9961B3/0/
building_greener_future_oct08.pdf The Economic and Social Benefits of Air Transport http://www.atag.org/files/ATAG%20brochure124015A.pdf
IATA Centre
33 route de l’Aéroport
Case Postale 416
CH-1215 Geneva 15
Director General & CEO:
Giovanni Bisignani
Info contact: Paul Steele
Email: steelep@iata.org
Tel: (+41 22) 770 26 70
Tel: (+41 22) 770 20 61
Fax: (+41 22) 770 26 86
Website:
www.iata.org/whatwedo/environment
Established: 1945
Staff: 1,400 worldwide, 320 in
Geneva
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International Committee
of the Red Cross
ICRC
What is it? The International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent
organization dedicated to protecting the lives and dignity
of the victims of war and internal violence. The ICRC
is at the origin of both the International Red Cross and
Red Crescent Movement and of international humanitarian law, notably the Geneva Conventions.
What does it do? In situations of armed conflict,
the ICRC focuses its activities on:
While carrying out its activities the ICRC pays close
attention to environmental factors and their impacts
on people affected by armed conflict. The ICRC is
concerned by the possible negative impacts of armed
conflict on the environment and works to raise awareness of the relevant provisions of international humanitarian law.
•
•
•
•
•
health and relief;
restoring and maintaining family links;
visits to people deprived of their freedom;
the protection of the civilian population;
the promotion of international humanitarian law and
preventive action;
• humanitarian diplomacy;
• legal work;
• the provision of an advisory service on International
Humanitarian Law.
Cooperation The ICRC cooperates closely with the
Geneva-based International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies and with National Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide. It also
maintains close contacts with UN agencies and NGOs.
Publications relating to the ICRC and international humanitarian law can be found on the website at www.icrc.org.
109
International Committee
of the Red Cross
19 avenue de la Paix
CH-1202 Geneva
President: Jakob Kellenberger
Info contact: press.gva@icrc.org or
cid.gva@icrc.org
Tel: (+41 22) 734 60 01
Fax: (+41 22) 733 20 57
Email: press.gva@icrc.org
Website: www.icrc.org
Established: 1863
Staff: over 800 at headquarters;
over 11,000 worldwide; presence
in almost 80 countries
International Olympic
Committee
IOC
What is it? The IOC is an international non-governmental, non-profit organization that leads the Olympic
Movement in accordance with the Olympic Charter and
its core values of excellence, respect and friendship.
Its roles include ensuring the regular celebration of the
Olympic Games and participating in actions to promote
peace, sports ethics, women in sport and Olympic
education. The IOC has made environmental conservation one of the three dimensions of the Olympic Movement (along with culture and sport) and has enshrined
concern for environmental issues in the Fundamental
Principles of the Olympic Charter.
What does it do? The IOC, along with the
Organizing Committees of the Olympics, promotes
the environmentally sound organization of the Games.
Among its initiatives are:
• the promotion of the environmentally sound organization of other sporting events at local, regional and
national levels;
• organizing a World Conference on Sport and the
Environment every two years to assess the progress
made by the Olympic Movement in environmental
matters;
• organizing regional seminars to promote environmental awareness and Agenda 21.
• the establishment of a Sport and Environment
Comission, chaired by Pál Schmitt, IOC Member,
which advises the IOC on environmental protection
matters and conducts educational campaigns to
promote respect for the environment;
• ensuring that environmental protection and, more
importantly, sustainability, are fundamental elements
of Games planning and operations throughout the
process, from a city’s initial desire to host an Olympic
Games to the long-term impact of those Games;
Cooperation The IOC works in cooperation with
UNEP to implement the Olympic Movement’s Agenda 21
Publications Manual on Sport and the Environment; Olympic Movement’s Agenda 21 and the IOC Guide to Sport, Environment
and Sustainable Development.
International Olympic Committee
Château de Vidy
Case Postale 356
CH-1007 Lausanne (Vaud)
President: Jacques Rogge
Info contact: Sport and Environment
Commission
Tel: (+41 21) 621 61 11
Fax: (+41 21) 621 62 16
Website: www.olympic.org
Established: 1894
Staff: about 400
110
Alphabetical index
Foreword
Foreword
Introduction
Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)
53
Association for the Protection of Lake Geneva (ASL)
54
Basel Convention
42
Borneo Tropical Rainforest Foundation
55
CARE International
56
Center for International Environment Law (CIEL)
57
Centre d’études juridiques européennes (CEJE)
98
Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development (CSEND)
58
City of Geneva
93
City of Vernier
94
Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO)
59
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild fauna and Flora (CITES)
43
Earth Council Geneva
60
Earth Focus Foundation
61
Environment Management Group (EMG)
1
Federal Institute of Technology - Lausanne (EPFL)
99
Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)
95
GAIA-Movement Trust Living Earth Green World Action
62
Geneva Environment Network (GEN)
37
Geneva Institute for Water Environment and Health
63
Geneva International Peace Research Institute (Fondation GIPRI)
64
Global Humanitarian Forum
65
GLOBE Switzerland
Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID)
66
100
G.R.A.F.E. Association (Generation Research Action & Training for the Environment)
67
Green Cross International (GCI)
68
Group on Earth Observations (GEO)
2
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS)
3
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
4
International Air Transport Association (IATA), Environment Committee (ENCOM)
International Centre for Migration Health and Development
International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD)
108
5
69
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
109
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
70
International Emissions Trading Association (IETA)
71
International Environmental Law Research Centre (IELRC)
72
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
73
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
74
International Labour Organization (ILO)
International Ocean Institute (IOI)
International Olympic Committee (IOC)
6
75
110
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
76
International Peacebuilding Alliance (Interpeace)
77
International Programme for Chemical Safety (IPCS)
7
International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (IRHA)
78
International Road Transport Union (IRU)
79
International Touring Alliance and International Automobile Federation (AIT & FIA)
80
International Trade Centre (ITC)
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
8
81
International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
9
Joint Programme for United Nations and Interpeace Initiatives (JPU)
10
Lutheran World Federation (LWF)
82
Mandat International (MI)
83
Oak Foundation
84
ProAct Network
85
Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes
86
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
11
Republic and Canton of Geneva (DET)
96
Republic and Canton of Geneva, Department of Economy & Health (DES)
97
Rotterdam Convention (PIC)
44
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
45
South Centre
12
Swiss Network for International Studies
101
Tropical Forest Trust (TFT)
87
UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Regional Office for Europe
13
UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
14
UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Geneva Liaison Office
15
UN Development Programme (UNDP), Geneva Office
16
UN Development Programme (UNDP/BCPR), Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery
17
UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
18
UNEP Chemicals Branch
32
UNEP Division of Early Warning and Assessment/Global Resource Information Database (GRID)
33
UNEP Economics & Trade Branch (UNEP/ETB)
34
UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP/FI)
35
UNEP/GEF Biosafety Projects
36
UNEP/GPA Wastewater Management Training Programme
38
UNEP/OCHA Environmental Emergencies Section
39
UNEP Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch (UNEP/PCDMB)
40
UNEP Regional Office for Europe (UNEP/ROE
31
UNEP/UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development (CBTF)
41
UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Geneva Liaison Office with the UN
19
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
20
UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), Geneva Office
21
UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)
22
UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
23
UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS)
24
UN Office at Geneva
25
UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Switzerland Operations Centre
26
UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Geneva Office
27
UN REDD Programme Secretariat (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest degradation)
28
UN Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
29
UN secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR)
30
University for Peace
102
University of Applied Science of Switzerland (HEPIA)
103
University of Geneva Faculty of Economic and Social Science
105
University of Geneva Faculty of Law
106
University of Geneva Faculty of Law Department of Public International Law and International Organization
107
University of Geneva Institute of Environmental Science
104
Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC)
46
World Bank, Geneva Office
47
World Buisiness Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
88
World Council on Churches (WCC)
89
World Economic forum (WEF)
90
World Food Programme (WFP), Geneva Office
48
World Health Organization (WHO)
49
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
50
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
51
World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM)
91
World Trade Organization (WTO), Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE)
52
WWF International (WWF)
92
Intergovernmental organizations
Environment Management Group (EMG)
Group on Earth Observations (GEO)
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS)
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
International Centre for Migration Health and Development (ICMHD)
International Labour Organization (ILO), Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment
International Programme for Chemical Safety (IPCS)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
Joint Programme for United Nations and Interpeace Initiatives (JPU)
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
South Centre
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Regional Office for Europe
UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Geneva Liaison Office
UN Development Programme (UNDP), Geneva Office
UN Development Programme (UNDP), Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery
UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Geneva Liaison Office with the UN
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), Geneva Office
UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)
UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS)
UN Office at Geneva (UNOG)
UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Switzerland Operations Centre
UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Geneva Office
UN REDD Programme Secretariat (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest degradation)
UN Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
UN secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR)
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
United Nations Environment Programme
UNEP/Regional Office for Europe (UNEP/ROE)
UNEP/Chemicals Branch
UNEP/Division of Early Warning
and Assessment/Global Resource Information Database (UNEP/DEWA/GRID-Europe)
UNEP/Economics & Trade Branch (UNEP/ETB)
UNEP/Finance Initiative (UNEP/FI)
UNEP/GEF Biosafety Projects
Geneva Environment Network (GEN)
UNEP/GPA Wastewater Management Training Programme
UNEP/OCHA Environmental Emergencies Section
UNEP/Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch (UNEP/PCDMB)
UNEP/UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development (CBTF)
Conventions
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC)
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (UNEP/POPs)
42
43
44
45
Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC)
World Bank, Geneva Office
World Food Programme (WFP), Geneva Office
World Health Organization (WHO), Public Health and Environment Department (PHE)
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
World Trade Organization (WTO), Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE)
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
International non-governmental
and business organizations
Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)
Association for the Protection of Lake Geneva (ASL)
Borneo Tropical Rainforest Foundation (BTRF)
CARE International
Center for International Environment Law (CIEL)
Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development (CSEND)
Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO)
Earth Council Geneva
Earth Focus Foundation
GAIA-Movement Trust Living Earth Green World Action
Geneva Institute for Water Environment and Health (GIWEH)
Geneva International Peace Research Institute (Fondation GIPRI)
Global Humanitarian Forum
GLOBE Switzerland
G.R.A.F.E. Association (Generation Research Action & Training for the Environment)
Green Cross International (GCI)
International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD)
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
International Emissions Trading Association (IETA)
International Environmental Law Research Centre (IELRC)
International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), European Office
International Ocean Institute (IOI)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
International Peacebuilding Alliance (Interpeace)
International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (IRHA)
International Road Transport Union (IRU)
International Touring Alliance and International Automobile Federation (AIT & FIA)
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Lutheran World Federation (LWF)
Mandat International (MI)
Oak Foundation
ProAct Network (Environmental Partnership for Community Resilience)
Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC)
Tropical Forest Trust (TFT)
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
World Council on Churches (WCC)
World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM)
World Economic Forum (WEF)
WWF International
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
National and local government
City of Geneva
City of Vernier
Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)
Republic and Canton of Geneva, Department of Territory (DT)
Republic and Canton of Geneva, Department of Economy and Health (DES)
93
94
95
96
97
Academic institutions
Centre d’études juridiques européennes (CEJE)
Federal Institute of Technology – Lausanne (EPFL)
Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID)
Swiss Network for International Studies (SNS)
University for Peace, Geneva Office
University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland, Geneva (HEPIA)
University of Geneva, Institute of Environmental Science (ISE)
University of Geneva, Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences (SES)
University of Geneva, Faculty of Law
University of Geneva, Faculty of Law, Department of Public International Law and International Organization
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
Special status
International Air Transport Association (IATA), Environment Committee (ENCOM)
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
International Olympic Committee (IOC)
108
109
110
www.unep.org
United Nations Environment Programme
International Environment House
1219 Châtelaine (Geneva), Switzerland
Tel. (+41 22) 917 83 26
gen.secretary@unep.ch
The Geneva Environment Network (GEN),
supported by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment,
brings together UN organizations, government agencies, NGOs
and industry to cooperate on environment issues.
The GEN, administered by the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), is based in Geneva,
Switzerland, at the International Environment House,
11-13 chemin des Anémones, CH-1219 Châtelaine
(Geneva), Switzerland.
www.environmenthouse.ch