UNDP | Energy and Environment

UNDP’s Ozone Depleting Sustances and Chemicals Cluster

Sound management of chemicals is regarded by UNDP as an important component of the global poverty reduction effort. As an implementing agency of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol (MLF), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) Quick Start Programme Trust Fund, and a multitude of bilateral donors, UNDP is working with a broad range of partners, including governments, industry, technical associations, agricultural institutes, academia and civil society, to help developing countries and countries with economies in transition adopt and implement strategies that target environmental preservation and sustainable development and aim to achieve the objectives of chemical-related multilateral environmental agreements.

Further UNDP support for international cooperation and coordination to improve chemicals management is provided through our participation as an observer in the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals and membership on the Implementation Committee of the SAICM Quick Start Programme Trust Fund, as well as through interagency coordination meetings hosted by the GEF and MLF Secretariats.

UNDP's Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and Chemicals Cluster - part of UNDP's Environment and Energy Group (EEG) and the Bureau for Development Policy (BDP) - takes the lead in all chemicals-related programmes, working with different funding sources, identifying synergies among Multi-lateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), and integrating them into its programme, while searching for holistic solutions.

UNDP’s ODS and chemicals programme assists countries in implementation of the Montreal Protocol, the Stockholm Convention and other chemicals-related conventions, and aims to ensure that synergies between ozone and climate-related activities are recognized and resources for potential financing identified.

UNDP is working closely with other UN bodies and international agencies to ensure that developing countries get the support they need and that our environment gets the protection it deserves. In line with the Global Partnership, UNDP and UNEP work closely together on implementation of the Montreal Protocol and Sound Management of Chemicals activities.

The ODS and Chemicals cluster is made up of programme coordinators with expertise in relevant technical, economic and political sectors, who are located in the U.S.A. (New York), Panama (Panama City), Slovakia (Bratislava) and Thailand (Bangkok) and support Chemicals Management programming in Central and Latin America, Europe and the CIS, Africa, and Asia and the Pacific. Over the years, ODS and Chemicals cluster has developed a network of technical experts, as well as regional and national consultants, who provide expertise to partner countries and are brought in to advise on projects.

UNDP’s Donors

Referring to UNDP’s chemicals portfolio (e.g. activities with respect to ozone depletion, persistent organic pollutants, chemical pollution of international waters, integration of SAICM priorities and all other chemicals’ related activities), UNDP’s major donors in this area are:

Multilateral Fund (MLF): The Multilateral Fund was established by a decision of the Second Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol and began its operation in 1991. The main objective of the Multilateral Fund is to assist developing country Parties to the Montreal Protocol whose annual per capita consumption and production of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) is less than 0.3 kg (referred to as Article 5 countries) to comply with the control measures of the Protocol. UNDP is one of the four 'implementing agencies' and has (as of 31 Dec 2005) managed a total of 1813 projects funded under the Multilateral Fund (net project approvals of more than 446 Million US$). From a phase-out perspective this MLF funding represents the elimination of 56,049 tonnes/yr of ODS.

Global Environment Facility (GEF): the GEF established in 1991, helps developing countries fund projects and programmes that protect the global environment. GEF grants support projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). UNDP was designated by the GEF as one of its three Implementing Agencies. As of March 2009, UNDP was supporting a POPs portfolio of projects amounting to over US $215 million (including US $78 million of grants programmed through the GEF).

SAICM Quick Start Programme Trust Fund (QSP TF): The International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) decided in resolution I/4 to invite UNEP to establish a voluntary, time-limited trust fund to provide seed money to support the objective and strategic priorities of the Quick Start Programme. Developing countries and countries with economies in transition are eligible for support from the trust fund. Approval of projects will take into account geographic and sectoral balance and pay particular attention to the urgent needs and requirements of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). UNDP is one of the Executing agencies of the SAICM QSP TF and as of April 2009 is supporting 11 countries in the implementation of projects in its support.

Bi-lateral donors: UNDP partners with a number of donor countries that engage in bilateral programming under the Multilateral Fund (e.g. Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA), or that provide support to assist countries in the integrations of SCM into MDG-based plans.

Note: a significant amount of co-financing, provided by governments, bi-lateral donors, private sector partners, NGOs, foundations etc. has been also mobilized for chemicals management related projects, but is not included in the figures mentioned above.