Within DELC, the Environmental Law Branch carries out UNEP’s environmental law programme, together with other UNEP offices and UNEP’s partners. Specifically, its functions cover the areas of technical legal assistance, international legal instruments, and legal development and information (Programme of work/Activities).

In particular, the Environmental Law Branch has the following functions:

• Assist Governments, particularly those of developing countries and countries with economies in transition, in the development of international legal instruments in the field of the environment.
• Promote and provide legal advisory services for the development or strengthening of regional and global multilateral environmental agreements.
• Encourage international action to address gaps and weaknesses in existing international environmental law and to respond to new environmental challenges.
• Develop and promote the development of soft law instruments, such as codes of conduct and guidelines.
• Provide training in environmental law matters and promote of education in the same field, including Judges Programmes.
• Enhance information on environmental law through production and dissemination of environmental law publications and collection and dissemination of information through other means.