Governed by the overall mission of the United Nations University, the Environment and Sustainable Development (ESD) Programme at the UNU Headquarters, focuses on the interactions between human activities and the natural environment and their implications for the sustainable management of natural resources. The basic issues of human survival, development and welfare are at the core of the themes covered within the realm of the ESD Programme. It is also concerned with environmental governance and monitoring tools required for designing and implementing effective environmental policies.
To achieve its objectives, the ESD Programme adopts a multidisciplinary approach combining both natural and social sciences. In implementing its activities, special efforts are made to include perspectives from both north and south as well as from the countries with economies in transition. Capacity building, particularly in the developing countries, is given a high priority.
The Environment and Sustainable Development Programme is now part of UNU’s Institute for Sustainability and Peace.
UNU-ISP was established on 1 January 2009 to exploit the strengths of the former UNU Environment and Sustainable Development and UNU Peace and Governance Programmes, as well as the Capacity Development Unit, in order to more effectively address pressing global problems of human survival, development and welfare. Visit the UNU-ISP website for more information.