Peacefully resolving the overriding political, economic and social concerns of our time requires a multifaceted approach. This includes mechanisms to address the links between the natural environment and human security. Building up on over a decade of successful cooperation, the partners of the Environment and Security (ENVSEC) Initiative, UNECE, UNDP, UNEP and OSCE, are now aligning it with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement; and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
The aim is to shape a unique mechanism for multi-agency co-operation that provides effective integrated response to traditional and emerging environmental challenges that may impact security, stability and peace, and thus plays a role model for SDG 17.
Partners have run over 180 projects in the areas of natural resources, hazardous substances, climate change, and information and public participation in Central Asia, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and Southern Caucasus since the launch of the ENVSEC Initiative in 2007.
The cooperation under ENVSEC in the region, which is extended until 2021, will focus in particular on natural resources management, including transboundary river basins; climate change adaptation; disaster risk reduction, hazardous substances, and information and participation of civil society by giving particular attention to their security dimension.
UNECE will continue supporting the ENVSEC Initiative through its multilateral environmental agreements, strengthening transboundary cooperation, policy advice, and capacity building.
The new Framework Memorandum of Understanding was signed in September 2019.