UN Environment Programme

Land sustains life on Earth, but with 2 billion hectares of land degraded and over 3 billion people impacted, restoring ecosystems and building drought resilience are urgent.

From 17–28 August 2026, parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification gather in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to find solutions to the challenges of desertification, land degradation, and drought.

Swipe to explore ways to restore land .

For more than a century, dentists have used dental amalgam, a filling material that contains mercury. While durable and affordable, it can release mercury throughout its life cycle, contributing to pollution if it is not managed safely.

Countries around the world are now working to phase out dental amalgam, expand access to mercury-free alternatives and improve the safe management of dental waste, with support from the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

As the Convention marks its 9th anniversary on 16 August, see how the transition to mercury-free dentistry is protecting the health of both people and the planet: https://bit.ly/45r4gQf

Some have been accused of terrorism. Many have been threatened with death. Nearly all have experienced discrimination.

But that hasn’t stopped these five award-winning Champions of the Earth, environmental pioneers from fighting for both the planet and the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

While they hail from different countries, they have shown that traditional knowledge can play a pivotal role in helping humanity navigate a series of mushrooming environmental crises far beyond their locations.

Swipe to explore their stories: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/meet-five-indigenous-advocates-fighting-protect-planet-and-their-traditions

Circularity is essential for a sustainable planet.
But what does circularity really mean?

Here’s the concept in simple terms along with info on how using resources wisely can reduce waste and protect our future.
https://www.unep.org/circularity

As the climate crisis intensifies, highlighted by heatwaves across Europe, are policymakers prioritizing gross domestic product (GDP) growth at the expense of the natural world that sustains humanity and underpins prosperity?

Pursuing GDP growth single-mindedly can result in inadvertently feeding several environmental crises that, over the long run, threaten to make most of the world’s population poorer, sicker and more miserable.

In this article, UNEP’s Steven Stone argues that policymakers should take a broader range of indicators into account, including the health of natural assets, when making policy decisions.

https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/opinion/op-ed-fires-burn-and-temperatures-soar-europe-its-time-imagine-world

“I live in India where 45°C days are the new normal. They may be coming your way soon.”

From classrooms in Chennai to crowded urban neighbourhoods, rising temperatures are affecting health, productivity and well-being. But the solutions are not limited to air conditioning.

UNEP India Office Head Balakrishna Pisupati reflects on how extreme heat is reshaping cities and daily life around the world.

He explains here why sustainable cooling solutions like greener urban planning, passive cooling techniques and traditional building practices matter : https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/opinion/i-live-india-where-45degc-days-are-new-normal-they-may-be-coming-your-way

Elephants are intelligent, emotional creatures that play a crucial role in their ecosystems by germinating plants and more.

Unfortunately, they are threatened by poaching and affected by habitat loss along with human-wildlife conflict.

On this and every day, remember to protect these majestic animals.

A changing climate. A challenging job market. Young people are facing both and more — and imagining new ways forward.

From climate action to green jobs, young people aren’t just navigating change; they’re helping shape the solutions we need.

This , discover how UNEP is working with youth to turn ideas into action: https://www.unep.org/topics/youth-education-and-environment

When nature suffers, so does humanity.

One million species are at risk of extinction, and the impacts of ecosystem degradation is affecting 40% of the global population when it comes to human health, livelihoods and more.

Explore how nations can tap into the power of nature to build a more sustainable future: https://www.unep.org/facts-about-nature-crisis

For Odysseus, the Mediterranean Sea was a world of dangers, love and destiny.

Today, the Mediterranean faces new monsters, from plastic waste and wastewater to temperature changes and drought.

Fortunately, the sea has a hero. UNEP's Mediterranean Action Plan is here to protect its marine and coastal environment.

Discover how: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/odyssey-brings-mediterranean-big-screens-sea-epic-journey-its-own