UNEP

The United Nations Environment Programme has several important assets and capabilities that it can contribute to a broader education and public-awareness initiative under the Convention on Biological Diveristy. First, the UNEP Division of Environmental Conventions has a mandate to promote synergies and collaboration among environmental conventions. The Division can support efforts to share information, best practices, and resources amongst the public-outreach efforts for each convention, including through its widely distributed newsletter Synergies.

Second, the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) in Cambridge, United Kingdom, has a globally recognized capacity in the field of biodiversity data and the distribution of information via the Internet. WCMC would be pleased to take the lead in establishing and maintaining a website on biodiversity targeting the general public on behalf of the partners in the initiative.

Third, the UNEP Information Unit for Conventions services the Convention Secretariat's need for press outreach and also collaborates with the Secretariat on information materials. In addition, the press lists, contacts and expertise of the Communications and Public Information unit could help the initiative in targeting journalists. The national committees, youth programme, and other networks of UNEP can also contribute.

Other UNEP assets include its role as an implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility and relevant activities of its policy, assessment, and regionalization divisions.