UN Environment Programme

UN Environment Programme

@unep.org

Official account of the United Nations Environment Programme https://www.unep.org/

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The chance to keep global warming below 1.5°C with no overshoot is gone. But urgent action can still limit the overshoot and bring warming back to 1.5°C by 2100. Current policies, however, put the 🌎 on course for up to 2.8°C this century. New #EmissionsGap Report: https://ow.ly/SNHX50ZZz8l

Cities worldwide are restoring urban forests. As dangerous heatwaves & rising temperatures become more common, these green spaces can help reduce temperatures by 2 to 8°C. Toronto’s story is just one example of what #GenerationRestoration can achieve: https://ow.ly/wCUW5101irL

The 2026 Walk of Water Photostory Contest is open for submissions! This year’s theme, “Out of Sight”, spans everything from water, health and sanitation to pollution. Explore the contest & submit your story by November 30: bit.ly/4iIG2IB

Food loss and waste comes with a US$1 trillion price tag yearly.  Behind that figure are lost income, wasted resources and food that is produced but never eaten.  More efficient food systems can deliver major economic and environmental benefits.  #StopFoodLossWaste info: https://ow.ly/SM0951015Os

While mercury occurs naturally in the environment, it becomes dangerous at high levels. It travels through air and water, builds up in fish, and can harm human health and ecosystems. Here's everything you need to know about mercury and how risks can be reduced for people and planet: bit.ly/4wyub4p

In 2022, the world committed to protecting 30% of the planet's lands and seas and restoring 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030. At #COP17Armenia, countries are for the first time taking stock of progress towards a shared vision of living in harmony with nature. More: https://ow.ly/8kfK5100pjK

The ocean gives us food, oxygen, livelihoods, and climate regulation. But it’s under threat from overfishing, climate change, pollution, and habitat loss. When our ocean is in crisis, so are we. Protecting it means protecting life itself. Learn more: https://ow.ly/R3CQ5100pkP

More than a third of the world’s river basins had below-normal flows in 2025. When rivers run dry, crops fail, food becomes scarce and livelihoods suffer. As climate change makes droughts more severe, here's how countries are building resilience: https://ow.ly/3isO5100peO

Current policies put the world on course for up to 2.8°C of warming this century. That means greater risk from extreme heat, floods & wildfires. But this future isn’t inevitable. Fast emissions cuts can limit warming and reduce risks to people and nature: https://ow.ly/KjOW51002IV #EmissionsGap

Exceeding 1.5°C of warming is now unavoidable. But how much further temperatures rise depends on how quickly we cut emissions. The new #EmissionsGap Report shows how deep those cuts must be to limit warming and make a return to 1.5°C possible. Explore the findings: https://ow.ly/voCP51002C2

For Central Asia's snow leopards, it's been a perfect storm. Climate change, declining prey numbers & run-ins with livestock are threatening their survival. On #SnowLeopardDay, meet the volunteer rangers in Kyrgyzstan helping the “ghosts of the mountain” make a comeback: https://bit.ly/3UsRoXV

“Opportunities to accelerate action have never been more abundant.” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres calls for stronger climate pledges & wider use of proven policies as the world is set to breach the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C limit of global warming. #EmissionsGap

Over the past 10 years, renewable electricity capacity has grown 3x faster than expected. But progress on cutting fossil fuel use, tackling deforestation & reducing methane is still falling short. #EmissionsGap report shows where progress is happening & where action must accelerate: bit.ly/4ibZWub

Cookware, paint and spices: many everyday items are filled with lead. This toxic metal is linked to over 1.5 million deaths a year worldwide and disproportionately harms children, while also damaging ecosystems. Learn how we can #BeatChemicalPollution: https://tinyurl.com/3puadhu5

Global warming will overshoot 1.5°C in the coming years. There’s still a chance to bring temperatures back down, but the window is closing fast. This is the point of return. #EmissionsGap

UNEP's latest #EmissionsGap Report is out today. How far off are we from the Paris Agreement goals? What will it take to bring the planet's temperature back down? And what progress have we made so far? Our explainer breaks down the report's key findings & what they mean: https://bit.ly/4jyNsze

What needs to change to limit overshoot and bring global warming back to 1.5°C by the end of the century? From renewable energy to coal and methane, UNEP's latest #EmissionsGap Report sets out the changes needed to help make that possible. Read more: https://ow.ly/PgXu50ZZEY5

50 billion tonnes of sand are used every year, making it the world’s 2nd most used resource after water. But we are extracting it faster than nature can replenish it. This UNEP report warns unsustainable sand extraction is threatening ecosystems and livelihoods: https://ow.ly/Px0N50ZYUnp

Nature underpins everything we need to survive.  The world agreed to conserve 30% of land and seas and restore 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030. But these targets are off track.  #COP17Armenia is a chance to take stock and speed up action.  What’s on the agenda: https://ow.ly/C3mk50ZYUeO

Nature action is at a critical juncture. #COP17Armenia marks the halfway point to the 2030 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. As countries take stock of progress for the first time, follow the latest updates: https://ow.ly/F1Tm50ZYtTJ

The world is set to exceed 1.5°C of warming. Even if the temperature comes back down, the 🌎 may never be quite the same. But we must not abandon the 1.5°C goal. The higher & longer the global temperature rise, the greater the risks. UNEP's Martin Krause explains: https://bit.ly/3TVOISA

Biodiversity is the web of life that keeps our planet healthy, from the air we breathe to the food we eat. But it is under threat from pollution, habitat loss, and climate change. Explore more on what biodiversity is all about and the ongoing work to protect it: https://ow.ly/4rYG50ZYtJV

Wasting food adds pressure on forests.  Agricultural expansion drives almost 90% of global forest loss. Making better use of the food already produced can help reduce pressure on forests and biodiversity - an important reason to #StopFoodLossWaste.  More on #WorldFoodDay: www.stopfoodlosswaste.org

Soil is where our food begins. Healthy soils provide the nutrients plants need to grow. But pollution and degradation are putting this vital resource under pressure. This #WorldFoodDay, see what’s driving land and soil pollution, and what can be done about it: www.unep.org/beatpollutio...

Why does El Niño bring floods to some countries and drought to others? El Niño is a natural climate pattern that alters weather worldwide, with impacts that vary by region. This explains what it is, why it matters, and how the UN is helping communities prepare: news.un.org/en/story/202...

Want to do more for the planet but not sure where to start? 💚 Whether it's changing everyday habits, joining a campaign or inspiring others to take action, there are plenty of ways to make a difference. Find yours and get involved #ForPeopleForPlanet: www.unep.org/en/whats-new...

Climate action isn't just about avoiding a worse future. It's about building a better one. A world where clean energy is affordable, the air is safer to breathe and communities are better protected from extreme weather is within reach. That's what #ClimateAction can deliver: 
tinyurl.com/4yfu9enp

One can’t always tell how polluted the air is just by looking at the sky. And terms like PM2.5, AQI, or super pollutants don’t exactly make things clearer. Here’s what they mean, and what they can tell us about the air we breathe: https://bit.ly/4qY1And

A century after disappearing from the wild, bison are once again roaming the Caucasus Mountains. Their return is helping restore ecosystems, revive biodiversity and strengthen resilience to climate change. See how Azerbaijan is making it happen: https://bit.ly/4dNDd6S

Young people can help change the way food is valued, used and wasted. The new "Youth for food, not waste" guide helps young people rethink food, get creative and take practical action to cut food waste at home, in school & in their communities. #StopFoodLossWaste today: https://ow.ly/GN3O50ZWOz7