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 direct role in international cooperation. working with other countries and international agencies trying to cope with regional and global environmental problems.

2.2 Strengthen the United Nations Environment Programme
45. When UNEP was established in 1972, the UN General Assembly gave it a broad and challenging mandate to stimulate, coordinate, and provide policy guidance for environmental action throughout the UN system. That mandate was to be carried out by a Governing Council of 58 member states, a high-level UN interagency Environment Coordination Board (ECB). a relatively small secretariat located in Nairobi, and a voluntary fund set initially at a level of $100 million for the first five years. UNEP's principal risk was to exercise leadership and a catalytic influence on the programmes and projects of other international organizations, primarily in but also outside the UN system. Over the past 10 years. the Environment Fund has levelled off at around $30 million annually, while its range of tasks and activities have increased substantially.

46. This Commission has recommended a major reorientation and refocusing of programme8 and budgets on sustainable development in and among all UN organizations. Within such a new system-wide commitment to and priority effort on sustainable development. UNEP should be the principal source on environmental data. Assessment, reporting, and related support or environmental management as well as be the principal advocate and agent for change and cooperation on critical environment and natural resource protection issues. The major priorities and functions of UNEP should be:
 * to provide leadership, advice, and guidance in the UN system on restoring, protecting, and improving the ecological basis for sustainable development
 * to monitor, assess and report regularly on changes in the state of the environment and natural resources (through its Earth, arch programme):
 * to support priority scientific and technological research on critical environmental and natural resource protection issues;
 * to develop criteria and indicators for environmental quality standards and guidelines for the sustainable use and management of natural resources
 * to support and facilitate the development of action plans for key ecosystems and issues to be implemented and financed by the governments directly concerned:
 * to encourage and promote international agreements on critical issues identified by Earthwatch and to support and facilitate the development of international law, conventions, and cooperative arrangements for environmental and natural resource conservation and protection;
 * support the development of the institutional and professional capacity of developing countries in all of these areas and help them develop specific /…