The United Nations Environment Programme – International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP) is the first UN Environment Collaborating Centre in the South and for the South. It is a joint venture between UN Environment and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, supported by the Government of China.
Since its inception in 2011, UNEP-IEMP has been at the forefront of mobilizing science to support policy setting for sustainable ecosystem management in developing countries. It also steers the implementation of activities that deliver significant tangible impact.
UNEP-IEMP has a proven track record in the identification and piloting of viable technologies for ecosystem restoration and conservation, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and improved livelihoods in developing countries. As the South-South cooperation defines for itself a new agenda for the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNEP-IEMP is poised to broaden and strengthen the voice and participation of global South countries, further enhance cross-sector dialogue and enable greater policy coherence.
UNEP-IEMP proactively strives forth to support UN Environment’s Ecosystem Management and Climate Change sub-programmes, promoting a greener economy and enhancing South-South cooperation. It aspires to become a one of its kind international think tank, a technology and knowledge hub, and a center for capacity building on ecosystem management for developing countries.
- In line with its mandate, UNEP-IEMP encourages and promotes South-South cooperation under the following broad functions:
- (1) Capacity Building and Technology Transfer
- (2) Making the Case through Assessment and Demonstration
- (3) Science-Policy Interface
Furthermore, UNEP-IEMP has developed a new Flagship Programme on Climate, Ecosystems and Livelihoods (CEL). This flagship programme constitutes UNEP-IEMP’s Ten Year Strategy (2016-2025), aspiring to evolve into a South-South cooperation initiative with global implications and promoting long-term cooperation between China and UN Environment. The objective of CEL is to improve livelihoods by building climate resilience and restoring and conserving key ecosystems in developing countries.
