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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.
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Featured publications
Hidden assets: The economic and health case for climate and clean air action
(2026-09) ; UNEP Publications Board
Climate change and air pollution share many of the same sources, yet are almost always assessed separately. This Assessment corrects that. It evaluates 25 proven solutions across energy, industry, transport, agriculture, cooking and waste, and finds that integrated action delivers more than acting on either alone. Every dollar invested returns around 15 dollars, an internal rate of return of 60 per cent, with market returns exceeding costs within ten years. By 2050 the solutions could avoid 144 million premature deaths and hundreds of millions of cases of chronic disease. The chief obstacles are often neither technical nor economic but institutional. Investment in enabling conditions can bring full implementation forward by up to a decade, worth up to US$10 trillion in savings by 2040. Every region benefits. Benefit-cost ratios range from three in high-income regions to 26 in Southern Africa. Every year of delay forgoes more than US$1.5 trillion.
Limiting Overshoot: Navigating exceedance of 1.5°C and pathways towards return
(2026-09) ; UNEP Publications Board
A new spotlight report by the UN Environment Programme finds that as global temperature rise gets set to cross 1.5°C, pushing climate risks and impacts to dangerous new heights, the world must strive to return to below 1.5°C as soon as possible and simultaneously reduce the vulnerability of societies, communities and economies to climate impacts. The report, Limiting Overshoot: Navigating exceedance of 1.5°C and pathways towards return, finds that the world can achieve this goal by acting now to get on an ‘overshoot, peak, and decline’ pathway.
Valuing Nutrients and Wastewater: Transforming hidden costs into investment opportunities
(2026-08) ; UNEP Publications Board
This policy brief addresses the critical global challenges posed by nutrient and wastewater mismanagement, which have significant negative impacts on economies, ecosystems, human health, and climate stability. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), essential nutrients for plant growth, are often overused or poorly managed, leading to water contamination, algal blooms, hypoxic zones, and poor air quality. Wastewater, if untreated or inadequately managed, exacerbates these problems and poses serious public health risks, including the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This brief is intended for stakeholders who shape policies across agriculture, water, transportation, industry, environment, and public health, especially policymakers, financial institutions, and technical experts. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) promotes an ecosystem-based approach, recognizing that nutrient pollution and wastewater are deeply interconnected yet often addressed through separate lenses (e.g., agricultural productivity vs. pollution control). This brief bridges those silos and supports integrated, cross-sectoral action.
Youth for food, not waste: A facilitation guide for a youth-led month of action on food waste
(2026-09) ; UNEP Publications Board
Young people can play a powerful role in driving change. The "Youth for food, not waste: A facilitation guide for a youth-led month of action on food waste", developed by UNEP and partners, provides teachers, educators, youth leaders and community facilitators with a practical, ready-to-use resource to help young people understand the value of food and take action to prevent waste. The Guide follows a progressive learning pathway, moving from awareness and reflection to practical action and community advocacy. Through adaptable, hands-on activities, young people can explore the connections between food, culture and identity; measure food waste; develop practical food skills; experiment with creative cooking; explore food systems through citizen science and systems thinking; and inspire change in their homes and communities. Designed for different ages, cultures and learning environments, the Guide can be used in schools, youth programmes, community initiatives and at home, helping facilitators turn food waste awareness into meaningful, practical action.
Built for Drought Resilience: Proposing a Global Drought Resilience Capacity Index
(2026-08) ; UNEP Publications Board
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 pragmatic, globally comparable and actionable tool to improve drought resilience. The index consists of 3 dimensions – anticipate, prepare and adapt – and 9 interlinked indicators, covering the essential elements needed for integrated and proactive approaches to drought management. For each country, the index score, and underlying dimension and indicator scores, provide a picture of strengths and weaknesses of the capacity of governance and management systems for drought resilience. The three dimensions are aligned with the work of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the International Drought Resilience Observatory (IDRO). The proposed index requires piloting to test applicability. The report also contains an analysis of how multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and other global frameworks address drought through their targets and indicators, identifying overlaps, gaps and opportunities for harmonisation, in the design of post-2030 frameworks. The report, and separate Summary for Policy Makers, are available in English, French and Spanish.
No Transition Without Justice: Strengthening Environmental Rule of Law for People and Planet
(2026-07) ; UNEP Publications 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.
Cheaper. Cleaner. Unstoppable. Clean technologies that are delivering for the climate
(2026-06) ; UNEP Publications 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.
Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2025-2026
(2026-05) ; UNEP Publications 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.