In the reformed UN Development System, Resident Coordinators (RCs) and United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs) play a key role in supporting member states advance the implementation of the MEAs and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNEP works in collaboration with RCs and UNCTs to embed policy coherence, environmental rule of law and MEA mainstreaming across UN strategy and programming cycles.
MEAs serve as critical resources for UNCT planning and for aligning Common Country Analyses (CCAs) and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs) with countries’ national environmental commitments. By embedding MEA obligations into UNSDCFs, UNCTs can more effectively contribute to monitoring and evaluating national environmental objectives and fulfilling broader national and international environmental goals.
The role of UNEP in UNCT engagement from an environmental governance perspective:
- Develop and disseminate tools and guidance to assist RCs and UNCTs mainstream policy coherence and the SDG Indicator 17.14.1 into UN country-level strategic planning and programming processes, such as CCAs and UNSDCFs, for effective rule of law and MEA implementation.
- Provide country-tailored and demand-driven assessments focused to help countries identify and respond to institutional, policy and legal gaps and promote the appropriate mechanisms to advance environmental policy and MEA implementation, sharing these with RCs and UNCTs.
- Share knowledge and best practices, including through digital platforms for the coherent and effective inclusion of MEA commitments and obligations into UN strategic planning and programming processes, while promoting the use and uptake of the UN Common Approaches, in cooperation with the Environment Management Group (EMG).
- Awareness raising, training and peer learning initiatives targeting RCs, UNCTs and relevant national MEA focal points, leveraging relevant national or regional platforms, such as Regional Collaborative Platforms and Issue-Based Coalitions where UNEP has a presence.
