Designing the United Nations Environment Programme: a story of compromise and confrontation

Abstract

The role of the United Nations in global environmental governance was determined in 1972 when a new international body for the global environment was created as a programme within the United Nations rather than as an autonomous specialized agency. A set of political dynamics between developed and developing countries led to the decisions on the functions, form, financing, and location of the new intergovernmental organization - the United Nations Environment Programme. This article traces the historical roots of these choices and exposes the motivations behind them. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]