Improving international cooperation on environmental infrastructure

Description

Improving international cooperation on environmental infrastructure involves establishing effective frameworks for joint planning, investment, and management of cross-border systems such as water, waste, and energy networks. This strategy aims to harmonize standards, share technology, and coordinate responses to transboundary environmental challenges, thereby reducing duplication, closing infrastructure gaps, and mitigating pollution. Practical actions include creating multilateral agreements, pooling resources, and facilitating knowledge exchange to ensure sustainable, resilient, and equitable infrastructure development worldwide.

Context

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities. In this regard, Agenda 21 recommends that coordination among bilateral and multilateral agencies should be strengthened, and also collaboration with international and national representatives of local authorities, the private sector and community groups.

Implementation

The Settlement Infrastructure and Environment Programme (SIEP) programme of the UN Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), is funded mainly by the Governments of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands.