By Jenny Liu

introducing

UN role on Environment

Contents

1Environmental problems and

current UN efforts

2Issues with

current UN system

3Solutions

Environmental problems and current UN efforts1

• GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE• The ozone layer• Biological magnification/Bioaccumulation• Threatening biodiversity

Caus

es o

f Clim

ate

Chan

geSo WHAT are the causes and effects of Climate Change?

• Carbon Dioxide• Methane• Nitrous Oxide• CFCs• F-gases

HFCsSF6PFCs

What is the current U

N system

?KYOTO PROTOCOL• Set goals for countries to limit their emission amount• Commits the countries to their promises• Puts pressure on developed countries• International Emissions Trade• Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)• Join Implementation (JI)• BUT…

EXPIRED!

What replaced Kyoto?

Doha Amendment• New commitments from 1 January 2013 to 31

December 2020; • Revised greenhouse gas list• Improvements based on Kyoto.

• Global climate change• THE OZONE LAYER• Biological magnification/Bioaccumulation• Threatening biodiversity

• Antarctica ozone hole = U.S. * 3• UV rays• Increase cancer: Prevention is the best

solution• "ozone-depleting substances" (ODS)

UN

actions• September 16 the

International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer

• Montreal Protocol – limits the production of ozone-depleting substances

• Global climate change• The ozone layer• BIOLOGICAL MAGNIFICATION/

BIOACCUMULATION• Threatening biodiversity

• Global climate change• The ozone layer• Biological magnification/Bioaccumulation• THREATENING BIODIVERSITY

"What we are seeing today is a total disaster, no country has met its targets to protect nature. We are losing biodiversity at an unprecedented rate. If current levels (of

destruction) go on we will reach a tipping point very soon. The future of the planet now depends on governments taking action in the

next few years.”- Ahmed Djoghlaf Secretary-general of UN Convention on Biological Diversity

Invasive Species and Biodiversity

• $1.4 trillion annually, world-wide• Since 2009, “we need to do something”• WHAT?

2 Issues with Current UN System

Presently

• Have a conference• Decide on problem• Identify solution• Create protocol/amendment• Signature• Action?

…The UN System…

How could it improve?

What is the progress?

Kyoto Protocol• 33/191 parties had improvement stats• 12/33 above 1%Montreal Protocol• What happened?Invasive Species? Biodiversity? Bioaccumulation?

Example: Kyoto

• Below 5% below 1990 before 2012 government

• Take notice… that’s just towards the government

• But… 94% emission comes from the people• ???

UNEP is loosely organized?

According to Fox News, a study reports that UNEP – Doesn’t adequately check out the credentials of its partners,

especially in the private sector; – Doesn’t even keep adequate records of who it is partnering

with, or how well they do at the projects they promise to accomplish;

– Has failed to keep track of millions of dollars raised by some partners, and passed on by UNEP to others outside the normal U.N. financial accounting system;

– Frequently fails to include “essential” information on financial documents;

– Lets officials who don’t have the proper authorization sign off on payouts;

– And has sometimes used high-minded partnership arrangements to cover purely commercial ventures.

Keep on climbing

We need to do better

3 Solutions

The world is more than just governments

Collaboration

Why is the issue important?

What happened?What action is taken?

How many people know?

… the future of the planet now depends on governments taking action in the next few years.”

What the UN can do

• Work together with other UN programs

• Education• Prioritize• Advocate

Get people’s attentionEnvironment and peace are a package deal.

Conclusion• Four major problems: Climate Change, Ozone

Layer, Bioaccumulation, Biodiversity• UN lacks advertising and needs more action• Solution:

1. educate people2. nonprofit advertising3. know when to target people and when to

target government….

Thank you for your time!The UN Will Succeed in Helping Our Planet

Citations

• The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, n.d. Web. Jan. 2013. <http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2012/12/global-warming?zid=313>.

• Gerken, James. "Environmental Issues Facing U.S. In 2012 Listed By Vermont Law School (PHOTOS)." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 22 Dec. 2011. Web. Jan. 2013. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/22/2012-environmental-issues-vermont-law_n_1163541.html>.

• "About the Course." About the Course. N.p., n.d. Web. Jan. 2013. <https://www.amk.fi/opintojaksot/030907/1130134341257/1130135275486/1130135311821/1130135897010.html>.

• "Emissions." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. Jan. 2013. <http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/>.

• "Sources." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. Jan. 2013. <http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/sources.html>.

• "UN's Environment Program Is an Administrative Mess, Internal Study Reveals." Fox News. FOX News Network, 10 June 2011. Web. Jan. 2013. <http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/06/10/un-internal-study-reveals-its-environment-program-is-administrative-mess/>.

• “Kyoto Protocol Document" print. Jan. 2013. <http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.pdf>.• "Rio and Kyoto." N.p., n.d. Web. Jan. 2013.

<https://www.amk.fi/opintojaksot/030907/1130134341257/1130139673233/1130142135369/1131569585212.html>.• "News." Wealthier Countries 'outsource' Their Carbon Emissions to Developing Nations, Study Finds. N.p., n.d. Web. Jan.

2013. <http://news.stanford.edu/news/2010/march/outsource-carbon-emissions-030910.html>.• "Global Issues at the United Nations." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. Jan. 2013.

<http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/climatechange/>.• "Global Issues at the United Nations." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. Jan. 2013.

<http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/environment/>.• "United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - Home Page." United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - Home

Page. N.p., n.d. Web. Jan. 2013. <http://www.unep.org/>.

Citations (continue)

• "Emissions Trading." Emissions Trading. N.p., n.d. Web. Jan. 2013. http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/mechanisms/emissions_trading/items/2731.php

• "What Is the Kyoto Protocol?" COP17. N.p., n.d. Web. Jan. 2013. <http://www.cop17-cmp7durban.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/what-is-the-kyoto-protocol.html>.

• "US Climate Action Report 2010.” print. Jan. 2013. <http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/usa_nc5.pdf>.• Heuvel, Katrina Vanden. "Avoiding a Climate-change Apocalypse." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 09 Jan. 2013.

Web. Jan. 2013. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/katrina-vanden-heuvel-a-climate-change apocalypse/2013/01/07/f440d704-58e4-11e2-9fa9-5fbdc9530eb9_story.html>.

Picture credits

• http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tomchiversscience/100188288/the-us-election-has-put-climate-change-back-on-the-political-agenda/

• http://environmental.lilithezine.com/The-Theory-of-Rapid-Climate-Change.html• http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/infobank/climate_change• http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/rare-photographs-now-extinct-beasts/14727• http://www.epa.gov/oaqps001/gooduphigh/• http://www.overlandtraveler.com• http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312706/carolinaparakeets.htm• http://www.123rf.com/photo_14723286_possibly-a-seychelles-giant-tortoise-dipsochelys-hololissa-extinct-species.html• http://listverse.com/2009/07/25/10-recently-extinct-animals/• http://someinterestingfacts.net/animal-extinction-facts/pyrenean-ibex/• http://defendingjehovahswitnesses.blogspot.com/2012/10/natural-disasters-today-is-god-really.html• http://glenorie.weebly.com/hsie-s3---natural-disasters.html• http://apps.co.marion.or.us/imagegallery/ES_PhotoGallery/backyard_burning_abatement.htm• http://www.fly-fishing-discounters.com/coho-salmon.html• http://bestflag.blogspot.com/2012/09/american-flag.html• http://www.sanraku.com/sanraku.html• http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/6369• http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/galapagos-tortoise/

Thanks!