International Organizations

Regions

Africa

Asia/Pacific Islands

Latin America & Caribbean

EPA collaborates with a wide variety of multilateral organizations and through the United Nations and other multi-lateral programs to protect human health and the environment. As EPA seeks to manage emerging environmental threats and create successful partnerships to tackle old problems in new ways, these organizations and programs provide a forum for encouraging collective actions for common solutions. Working through multilateral organizations and programs allows EPA to leverage its resources and to respond quickly to emerging threats by offering a structured framework through which EPA can reach critical stakeholders.

UN Commission on Sustainable Development

The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was created following the June 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Rio Earth Summit. In 2003, a multi-year programme of work (2004-2017) was adopted for the CSD. The CSD now meets annually in two-year Implementation Cycles, with each cycle focusing on a thematic cluster alongside cross-sectoral issues. Each cycle is comprised of a Review Year and a Policy Year. 2010 starts a new two-year cycle with a Review Year.

EPA recently participated in the 18th annual meeting of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. EPA played a key role in the U.S. government’s preparation for CSD 18, and contributed heavily to the development of the U.S.’ national report.

Arctic Council

The Arctic Council promotes cooperation among Arctic nations on sustainable development and environmental protection. Established by the Ottawa Declaration (PDF) in 1996, the Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum composed of eight nations with territory in the Arctic. EPA leads U.S. government participation in the Arctic Contaminants Action Programme (ACAP) Working Group, which seeks to reduce emissions of pollutants into the environment.

International Maritime Organization

The 60th Session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) took place from March 22-26, 2010. At this meeting, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) officially designated waters off North American coasts as an Emission Control Area (ECA), in which more stringent regional emission standards will apply to ships. These standards will dramatically reduce air pollution from ships and deliver substantial air quality and public health benefits that extend hundreds of miles inland.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

UNEP held the Eleventh session of its Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum on February 24-26, 2010 in Bali, Indonesia. Learn More

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), established in 1972, is the designated program addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level for the United Nations. UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

EPA has had a long and very successful relationship with UNEP, including numerous substantive partnerships. For example, EPA has long played a leadership role in the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles and UNEP Global Mercury Partnership. More recently, EPA has invested resources for new activities that support both EPA and UNEP priorities. Two examples are the Mercury Emissions Study and the Reduction of Lead in Paint. EPA also plays a significant, ongoing role on the UNEP Regional Seas Programme.

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) brings together the governments of countries committed to democracy and the market economy from around the world to support sustainable economic growth, boost employment, raise living standards, maintain financial stability, assist other countries' economic development, and contribute to growth in world trade. The OECD provides a setting where governments compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practice and coordinate domestic and international policies.

In May 2009, the OECD hosted a Joint High-Level Meeting of its Development Assistance Committee (DAC) and Environment Policy Committee (EPOC) at its headquarters in Paris. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson co-led the U.S. delegation with Acting Administrator for U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Alonzo Fulgham. Learn more

Read about how membership in the OECD benefits the United States.

Asia-Pacific Partnership

EPA is working with Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea and the private sector through the Asia Pacific Partnership, launched in January 2006, to expand investment and trade in cleaner energy technologies, goods, and services in key market sectors. As part of this initiative, governments agreed to a that established eight public-private task forces: (1) cleaner use of fossil energy; (2) renewable energy and distributed generation; (3) power generation and transmission; (4) steel; (5) aluminum; (6) cement; (7) coal mining; and (8) buildings and appliances.

EPA has a leadership role for the U.S. in four task forces: clean fossil energy; cement; aluminum; and buildings & appliances. The agency is also actively involved in the work of several other task forces as well as in other cross-cutting areas under development, such as transportation. The six partner countries represent about half of the world's economy, population and energy use, and they produce about 65% of the world's coal, 48% of the world's steel, 35% of the world's aluminum, and 61% of the world's cement.