Over the past few years, the global environmental agenda has been dominated by preparations for, and follow-up from, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (or Rio+20) held in June 2012, which provided an unprecedented opportunity to learn from the MDGs and further the post- 2015 development agenda. From the environmental perspective three key issues were examined: a) progress made in the implementation of the major sustainable development summit outcomes, b) the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, and c) strengthening environmental governance in view of improving the overall institutional framework for sustainable development. Making progress on the achievement of global development goals including the MDG7 on environment will require global attention to priority issues such as payments for ecosystem services, protection of biological diversity, resource efficiency, and chemicals and waste management. Building capacity, enhancing the science-policy interface and improving mutually supportive environmental and sustainable development governance will support the realization of these goals.
The contribution of the JPs under the MDG-F Environment and Climate Change thematic window to the achievement of MDG-7 focuses on integrating the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and on strengthening the national, regional and local management of environmental resources. This has often been done by addressing the challenge of adaptation to climate change as the key environmental concern but also through initiatives for ecosystem taxation, mitigation for climate change, and management of water resources.
The UNEP KM plan was designed to strengthen KM of the MDG-F by supporting JPs under the Environment and Climate Change window by providing information and expert support in their areas of priority and identifying, documenting and disseminating success stories and lessons learned from the MDG-F JPs and implementation processes.