UNEP 2024 Annual Report: We are all in this together

So, the reality is that environmental multilateralism is sometimes messy and sometimes arduous. But even in complex geopolitical times, collaboration across borders and across our differences is the only option to protect the foundation of humanity’s existence – Planet Earth.

Last year brought both successes and disappointments in global efforts to tackle the triple planetary crisis: the crisis of climate change; the crisis of nature and biodiversity loss and desertification; and the crisis of pollution and waste.

At the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, nations agreed to formally recognize and expand the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in saving biodiversity and to operationalize a mechanism to share benefits from digital genetic information – but issues around resource mobilization and a monitoring framework were carried over to the resumed session to be held in February 2025. At the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, nations agreed on international carbon market standards and promised to triple the amount of financing for developing nations hit by climate change – but this commitment fell short of what many countries had called for. 

In Busan, Republic of Korea, nations made substantial progress towards a global instrument to end plastic pollution, with emerging convergence on 29 out of 32 articles – but the talks were adjourned without a final text being agreed. Countries will now need to work on bridging their differences to meet the aspirations of the 2022 UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolution to end plastic pollution. At the UN conference on land and desertification in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, nations launched the Riyadh Action Agenda, committing US$12 billion for land restoration and drought resilience initiatives, and the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership – but were unable to agree on a legally binding protocol to address drought, which has plagued countries across the world, from Africa and Asia to Latin America and Europe. 

So, the reality is that environmental multilateralism is sometimes messy and sometimes arduous. But even in complex geopolitical times, collaboration across borders and across our differences is the only option to protect the foundation of humanity’s existence – Planet Earth. UNEP calls for a dramatic uptick in ambition and action in the coming year. Nations must promise and deliver huge cuts to greenhouse gas emissions in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), due by February. They must start delivering the necessary finance for climate adaptation and for desertification and biodiversity action. And they must work towards agreeing on a strong instrument to end plastic pollution before UNEA-7 in December. 

As this annual report shows, UNEP has been working tirelessly to help create a broad tent for this to happen. UNEP’s science has laid out exactly what nations need to do in their NDCs and supported many nations in preparing these pledges. UNEP is providing crucial data to support nations and companies as they act on methane emissions, with real success. UNEP is providing finance and technical support on everything from ecosystem restoration to clean air. UNEP is working with the private sector to align their businesses and financing with action on the triple planetary crisis. And projects that UNEP supports are making a tangible difference in the lives of people around the world from Kenya to Mexico to Niue, enhancing resilience and reducing vulnerabilities. 

But humanity is not out of the woods. Temperatures are rising. Ecosystems are disappearing. And pollution remains a deadly threat. These are global problems that require global solutions. The world must pull together to build a fairer, more sustainable planet. And UNEP will be there to support countries every step of the way.