UNEP-T (I didn’t say it)

There is an interesting article on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in this week‘s Economist. The article is harsh, but there is some truth to it.

UNEP staff members do drive solo to work in SUVs (and have them imported to Kenya). But UNEP encourages drivers to offset their carbon emissions, and their guilty consciences, through one of the many elaborate carbon-trading schemes UNEP supports. It is also true that, because of the agency’s delicate relationship with the Kenyan government, UNEP has its hands tied in terms of trying to improve the local environment in here in Nairobi.

However, UNEP’s stated mission is not to fund local environmental projects, but to work with governments to improve policies that affect the environment. It is not fair to judge the agency for failing in areas outside its mandate. But it is fair to question whether the mandate of trying to influence governments works, and if it is worthwhile.

Also, the author sees UNEP’s lack of resources as the result of the agency being inept, rather than looking at how the UN inter-agency allocation of funds, or donor country policies (looking at you, USA), affect UNEP’s squeezed budget.

What I’d really like to know is how the author of this article infiltrated the UN food court and cam to the conclusion that people are not talking about environmental problems at lunch.