UNEP / UNEA
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental agency working to set global environmental agendas. Austria actively participates in the program and advocates for the overall strengthening of UNEP and the integrated treatment of environmental issues within the United Nations system. It also provides financial support to the UNEP office in Vienna.
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) is the highest environmental policy body of the United Nations and the steering body for UNEP.
Mountains
At the UNEP Vienna office, an interdisciplinary team is working on global mountain projects. This thematic focus is supported by the Ministry.
The UNEP Vienna office also houses the Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention. There is ongoing exchange and cooperation between the Carpathian Convention and the Alpine Convention, which is managed by the Ministry – for example, in the form of a cooperation agreement (jointly with the Convention on Biological Diversity).
Plastic Pollution
At the 5th United Nations Environment Assembly in 2022, it was agreed to open negotiations for a global agreement on plastics. An Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) is working on reducing plastics – both on land and in the oceans (such as microplastics). The goal is to conclude negotiations by the end of 2024 to create a legally binding agreement with concrete targets for the parties.
Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (unep.org)