UNEP Knowledge Repository
An open access platform that provides trusted UNEP scientific and policy resources to address humanity’s most pressing environmental challenges.
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Authenticated, strategic and predominantly peer-reviewed UNEP publications and knowledge products reviewed by its Publications Board.
Documents related to UNEP governance, intergovernmental processes and multilateral environmental agreements.
Documents and tools designed to guide technical or practical implementation, build capacity or share methodologies.
Featured publications
Built for Drought Resilience: Proposing a Global Drought Resilience Capacity Index [Coming Soon]
(2026-08) ; UNEP Publication Board
Drought is increasingly recognized as a systemic, accelerating global risk, extending far beyond water scarcity to affect food systems, ecosystems, economies and livelihoods. Its impacts are interconnected and often cascade across sectors, driven by growing pressures on land and water resources and compounded by rising climate variability and extremes. Acting as a threat multiplier, drought intensifies existing vulnerabilities and amplifies risks, particularly in fragile and highly exposed contexts. As a result, drought is a central challenge for sustainable development, economic stability and human well being. Addressing this challenge requires a shift from fragmented, sectoral responses towards integrated and proactive approaches that strengthen the capacity of governance and management systems to anticipate, prepare for and adapt to drought over time. While not requested through a formal negotiation process, this report takes a first step towards addressing a key gap in drought resilience monitoring by proposing a Drought Resilience Capacity Index (DRCI) as a simple and practical tool.
No Transition Without Justice: Strengthening Environmental Rule of Law for People and Planet
(2026-07) ; UNEP Publication Board
No Transition Without Justice: Strengthening Environmental Rule of Law for People and Planet explores how environmental rule of law can support fair, inclusive and rights-based transitions towards more sustainable and resilient economies and societies. Bringing together legal, policy and governance perspectives, the report examines the role of laws, institutions, access to justice, public participation and finance in enabling transition processes that are effective, equitable and responsive to national contexts. Drawing on examples from around the world, the publication highlights emerging approaches and practical experiences that can help governments and other stakeholders strengthen the legal and institutional foundations for just transition. It is intended as a resource for policymakers, practitioners, researchers and anyone working to advance environmental governance and sustainable development.
Transitioning to a Sustainable Blue Economy: A Practical Framework
(2026-06) ; UNEP Publication Board
This framework provides practical guidance to help countries advance a sustainable, regenerative, and equitable blue economy while supporting implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and international commitments on climate, biodiversity, and pollution. It enables governments to assess governance systems, ecosystems, and resources; identify priority actions; and establish practical pathways for transition. Four goals guide the framework: protecting and restoring healthy ecosystems, promoting equity and inclusion, strengthening climate resilience and stability, and advancing circular economy approaches while reducing pollution and waste. A systems-based approach emphasises coordination across connected landscapes and seascapes, stakeholder participation, policy coherence, gender equality, social inclusion, and alignment of public and private finance with sustainable development objectives. The framework is structured around three phases: understanding the system, setting vision and direction, and delivering the transition through integrated management, spatial planning, and evidence-based decision-making. A rapid readiness assessment supports governments in evaluating policies, institutions, capacities, and financing arrangements, identifying gaps and priorities, and developing nationally owned transition pathways. Monitoring, evaluation, and learning enables governments to track progress, assess social, economic, and environmental outcomes, understand trade-offs, and adapt policies and actions over time. Nature-based solutions are central, with ecosystem protection, conservation, and restoration supporting climate resilience, biodiversity, food security, disaster risk reduction, and livelihoods.
Cheaper. Cleaner. Unstoppable. Clean technologies that are delivering for the climate - Policy Brief
(2026-06) ; UNEP Publication Board
At a time when climate risks are intensifying, this policy briefs highlights a powerful and hopeful shift: many clean solutions are no longer niche—they are becoming the new normal. Across energy, transport, buildings and food systems, “positive tipping points” are emerging. As costs fall, technologies scale, and public support grows, adoption is accelerating in self reinforcing ways. Solar power, electric mobility, and sustainable cooling are proving that climate action can be economically competitive, socially beneficial and globally scalable. This report shows that the transition is not only possible—it is already underway. With the right policies, investments and partnerships, we can amplify these positive tipping points, unlock cascading benefits, and deliver a future that is more resilient, equitable and sustainable.
Building fast. Falling short. As climate risks rise and cities grow, we must rethink how we build to create better lives for all - Global Status Repor...
(2026-05) ; UNEP Publication Board
The Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction (Buildings-GSR), published by UNEP and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), provides an annual snapshot of the sector's progress globally. It reviews the status of policies, finance, technologies and solutions to monitor alignment with the Paris Agreement goals. The 2025/2026 edition — Building fast. Falling short — is the 10th edition of this flagship publication. It benchmarks progress through the Global Buildings Climate Tracker across emissions, building energy codes, renewable energy, green building certification, and investment in energy efficiency, covering climate resilience, housing affordability, and the 2050 Buildings Breakthrough and Déclaration de Chaillot. Despite a decade of progress, the sector remains off track, accounting for 37 per cent of global emissions and nearly 50 per cent of global material extraction, as decarbonisation stalls and construction outpaces climate action.
Solar Radiation Modification: Scientific evidence does not support SRM as a viable climate solution - Working Paper
(2026-05) ; UNEP Publication Board
As global emissions continue to rise, interest is growing in Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) — a set of speculative methods designed to reflect sunlight and temporarily cool the Earth. Often described as a “last resort” to address the negative impacts of temperature overshoot—when global temperatures exceed agreed targets—SRM deployment could pose significant and unintended environmental and social impacts with uncertain implications for both human health and natural ecosystems. The current state of scientific knowledge does not support SRM as a viable response to climate change as it does not address the root cause of the current anthropogenic climate change. With major knowledge gaps, no global governance and high uncertainty, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) remains concerned about the viability, feasibility and potential risks of SRM, and urges caution, transparency and inclusive discussion of the topic — without diverting focus from urgent mitigation and adaptation. This Working Paper builds on and updates previous work, including UNEP’s One Atmosphere report, drawing on a May 2025 UNEP–World Meteorological Organization workshop, a September 2025 Multistakeholder consultative meeting and recent literature, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6).
You can check Solar Radiation Modification: No Substitute for Real Climate Action - Issue Note at: https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/48995
Implementing the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance - Second Quadripartite Biennial Report
(2026-05) ; UNEP Publication Board
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a growing threat to human health, animal health, agriculture, food production and ecosystems worldwide. Recent evidence shows that bacterial AMR was associated with an estimated 4.71 million deaths in 2021 and directly attributed to 1.14 million deaths. Cumulative forecasts for the period 2025–2050 suggest that 39.1 million deaths will be attributable to AMR and 169 million deaths associated with AMR. The economic impact is also significant: estimates suggest that treating drug-resistant bacterial infections could cost up to 412 billion dollars annually, with an additional 443 billion in workforce and productivity losses projected over the next decade. The impacts of bacterial AMR are projected to cause animal production losses of 953 billion dollars by 2050. This is the second biennial progress report jointly produced by the quadripartite. Exceptionally, the report is based on data for 2022–2024 to align it with future biennial reporting. It provides a summary of progress made in addressing AMR during 2022–2024 and highlights areas of progress or challenges in implementation of AMR national action plans (NAPs), derived from analysis of data from the annual Tracking AMR Country Self-assessment Survey (TrACSS).
Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Air Conditioners and Air-to-Air Heat Pumps - Model Regulation Guidelines
(2026-04) ; UNEP Publication Board
This technical guideline document provides practical guidance for governments and regional organisations to design and implement energy efficiency regulations for air conditioners and air-to-air heat pumps, one of the fastest-growing electricity-consuming product groups in developing and emerging economies. It addresses Minimum Energy Performance Standards, energy labels, and refrigerant-related requirements to support improved energy efficiency and climate performance. The updated 2026 edition expands the scope of the 2019 version to include multi-split systems, such as variable refrigerant flow systems, and ducted split systems with cooling capacities up to 70 kilowatts. It introduces seasonal performance metrics, including Cooling Seasonal Performance Factor, Annual Performance Factor, and Heating Seasonal Performance Factor, which better represent annual operation and part-load behaviour. The Guidelines apply a climate-sensitive approach using climate groups and outdoor temperature bin hours to help countries adapt regulatory design to local climatic conditions. The recommendations aim to balance ambitious efficiency improvements with product availability and affordability. An accompanying Supporting Information Document provides additional technical background and justification for the recommendations, including details on product scope, performance metrics, and proposed efficiency levels. Countries and regions can assess potential savings from these recommendations through the United for Efficiency Country Savings Assessments, which are available for 156 countries.
