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65-480: Sea Wall or The Sea Wall may refer to: Seawall , a constructed coastal defence Sea Wall, Guyana The Sea Wall (novel) , 1950 French novel by Marguerite Duras The Sea Wall (film) , 2008 film based on Duras' novel See also [ edit ] This Angry Age , 1958 film based on Duras' novel Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with

130-625: A Declaration on the Human Environment ( Stockholm Declaration ) and the establishment of an environmental management body, which was later named the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). UNEP was established by General Assembly Resolution 2997. Headquarters were established in Nairobi , Kenya, with a staff of 300, including 100 professionals in a variety of fields, and with a five-year fund of more than US$ 100 million. At

195-637: A book with the Parliament of the World's Religions Climate Action Program entitled, "Faith for Earth: A Call for Action." The book serves as an educational resource for students, teachers, and leaders across the world and highlights the role that faith-based organizations can play in addressing critical environmental issues. UN assigns specific years to topics to raise awareness and engagement. The following years pertain to environmental topics: See international observance and list of environmental dates . Following

260-486: A false sense of security to property owners and local residents as evident in this situation. Seawalls along the Japanese coast have also been criticized for cutting settlements off from the sea, making beaches unusable, presenting an eyesore, disturbing wildlife, and being unnecessary. After 2012's Hurricane Sandy , New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio invested $ 3,000,000,000 in a hurricane restoration fund, with part of

325-646: A joint statement with the United Nations University predicting that "50 million people could become environmental refugees by 2010, fleeing the effects of climate change ". This was reinforced in 2008, by Srgjan Kerim, President of the UN General Assembly, who estimated that there would be between 50 million and 200 million environmental migrants by 2010. In 2008, UNEP made a series of statements that glaciers are shrinking at record rates and many could disappear within decades. Scientists measuring

390-671: A member of the United Nations Development Group , UNEP aims to help the world meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals . UNEP hosts the secretariats of several multilateral environmental agreements and research bodies, including The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), The Minamata Convention on Mercury , The Basel , Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, The Convention on Migratory Species and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), among others. In 1988,

455-415: A natural barrier against future disasters like the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake . Studies have found that an offshore tsunami wall could reduce tsunami wave heights by up to 83%. The appropriate seawall design relies on location-specific aspects, including surrounding erosion processes. There are three main types of seawalls: vertical, curved, stepped, and mounds (see table below). A report published by

520-529: A problem as it is not easy for people to predict or imagine the strength of hurricane or storm-induced waves compared to normal, expected wave patterns. An extreme event can dissipate hundreds of times more energy than everyday waves, and calculating structures that will stand the force of coastal storms is difficult and, often the outcome can become unaffordable. For example, the Omaha Beach seawall in New Zealand

585-402: A rise of between +16-19.3 cm throughout 1900–1988. Superstorm Sandy of 2012 is an example of the devastating effects rising sea levels can cause when mixed with a perfect storm. Superstorm Sandy sent a storm surge of 4–5 m onto New Jersey's and New York's barrier island and urban shorelines, estimated at $ 70 billion in damage. This problem could be overcome by further modeling and determining

650-443: A seawall can be from the area's natural water-table , rain percolating into the ground behind the wall and waves overtopping the wall. The water table can also rise during periods of high water ( high tide ). Lack of adequate drainage can cause the seawall to buckle, move, bow, crack, or collapse. Sinkholes may also develop as the escaping water pressure erodes soil through or around the drainage system. Extreme events also pose

715-481: A ton, are weathered black and brown. The seawall is inspected every year and whenever gaps appear or the stones sink into the sand, the government adds more boulders to keep it strong. The Union Territory of Pondicherry recorded around 600 deaths from the huge tsunami waves that struck India's coast after the mammoth underwater earthquake (which measured 9.0 on the moment magnitude scale ) off Indonesia, but most of those killed were fishermen who lived in villages beyond

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780-565: A universal member system (all UN member states). (UNEA, UN Environment Assembly) It was implemented once in 2014. The European Investment Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme created the Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP) in 2015 to assist a United Nations project dubbed Sustainable Energy for All. Renewable Energy Performance Platform was established with $ 67 million from

845-481: Is a static feature which can conflict with the dynamic nature of the coast and impede the exchange of sediment between land and sea. The table below summarizes some positive and negative effects of seawalls which can be used when comparing their effectiveness with other coastal management options, such as beach nourishment . Generally, seawalls can be a successful way to control coastal erosion, but only if they are constructed well and out of materials that can withstand

910-539: Is also a major issue with seawalls. In 2013, more than 5,000 feet (1,500 m) of seawall was found to be crumbling in Punta Gorda, Florida . Residents of the area pay hundreds of dollars each year for a seawall repair program. The problem is that most of the seawalls are over a half-century old and are being destroyed by only heavy downpours. If not kept in check, seawalls lose effectiveness and become expensive to repair. Seawall construction has existed since ancient times. In

975-598: Is believed to be a 100-meter row of boulders in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel. Boulders were positioned in an attempt to protect the coastal settlement of Tel Hreiz from sea rise following the last glacial maximum . Tel Hreiz was discovered in 1960 by divers searching for shipwrecks, but the row of boulders was not found until storms cleared a sand cover in 2012. More recently, seawalls were constructed in 1623 in Canvey Island , UK, when great floods of

1040-879: Is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong , its first director, after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in June 1972. Its mandate is to provide leadership, deliver science and develop solutions on a wide range of issues, including climate change, the management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems , and green economic development. The organization also develops international environmental agreements ; publishes and promotes environmental science and helps national governments achieve environmental targets. As

1105-581: Is the co-chair and a founding partner (along with groups such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation ) for the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy , which is a public-private partnership of over 50 global organizations and governments seeking to support the transition to a global circular economy . Established in 1974, this is the world's only legal programme for the purpose of protecting

1170-547: Is the solar loan programme sponsored by UNEP that helped 100,000 people finance solar power systems in India . Success in India's solar programme has led to similar projects in other parts of the developing world, including Tunisia , Morocco , Indonesia and Mexico . In 2001, UNEP alerted about the destruction of the Marshlands when it released satellite images showing that 90 percent of

1235-491: The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake tsunami crashed against India's south-eastern coastline killing thousands. However, the former French colonial enclave of Pondicherry escaped unscathed. This was primarily due to French engineers who had constructed (and maintained) a massive stone seawall during the time when the city was a French colony. This 300-year-old seawall effectively kept Pondicherry's historic center dry even though tsunami waves drove water 24 ft (7.3 m) above

1300-497: The UK , seawall also refers to an earthen bank used to create a polder , or a dike construction . The type of material used for construction is hypothesized to affect the settlement of coastal organisms, although the precise mechanism has yet to be identified. A seawall works by reflecting incident wave energy back into the sea, thus reducing the energy available to cause erosion. Seawalls have two specific weaknesses. Wave reflection from

1365-687: The United Kingdom 's International Climate Finance initiative, administered by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy , in 2015, and $ 128 million in 2018. REPP was established with a five-year goal of improving energy access for at least two million people in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has so far invested around $ 45 million to renewable energy projects in 13 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa . Solar power and hydropower are among

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1430-593: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) suggests that the tsunami of 26 December 2004 caused less damage in the areas where natural barriers were present, such as mangroves , coral reefs or coastal vegetation. A Japanese study of this tsunami in Sri Lanka used satellite imagery modelling to establish the parameters of coastal resistance as a function of different types of trees. Natural barriers, such as coral reefs and mangrove forests, prevent

1495-625: The World Conservation Monitoring Centre , based in Cambridge and sponsored by IUCN , became part of UNEP. In December 1972, the UN General Assembly unanimously elected Maurice Strong to be the first head of UN Environment. He was also secretary-general of both the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment and the Earth Summit (1992). The position was then held for 17 years (1975–1992) by Mostafa Kamal Tolba , who

1560-841: The World Meteorological Organization and UNEP established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). UNEP is also one of several Implementing Agencies for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol . UNEP sometimes uses the alternative name UN Environment. The headquarters of the agency is in Nairobi, Kenya. In

1625-443: The 1970s, the need for environmental governance at a global level was not universally accepted, particularly by developing nations. Some argued that environmental concerns were not a priority for nations in poverty. The leadership of Canadian diplomat Maurice Strong convinced many of the developing nations' governments that they needed to prioritize this issue. In the words of Nigerian professor Adebayo Adedeji : "Mr. Strong, through

1690-409: The 1987 Montreal Protocol for limiting emissions of gases blamed for thinning the planet's protective ozone layer, and the 2017 Minamata Convention , a treaty to limit toxic mercury. UNEP has sponsored the development of solar loan programmes, with attractive return rates, to buffer the initial deployment costs and entice consumers to consider and purchase solar PV systems . The most famous example

1755-666: The 2007 publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report , the Paris Call for Action , presented by French president Jacques Chirac and supported by 46 countries, called for the UNEP to be replaced by a new and more powerful "United Nations Environment Organization", to be modeled on the World Health Organization . The 46 countries included the European Union nations, but notably did not include

1820-495: The Global Positioning System, GPS) indicate a mean rate of sea level rise of 1.6–1.8 mm/yr over the twentieth century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (1997) suggested that sea level rise over the next 50 – 100 years will accelerate with a projected increase in global mean sea level of +18 cm by 2050 AD. This data is reinforced by Hannah (1990) who calculated similar statistics including

1885-658: The International Environmental Education Programme (1975–1995), which set out a vision for, and gave practical guidance on how to mobilize education for environmental awareness. In 1976 UNESCO launched an environmental education newsletter Connect as the official organ of the UNESCO-UNEP International Environmental Education Programme (IEEP). Until 2007 it served as a clearinghouse to exchange information on environmental education in general and to promote

1950-732: The Living Seawalls project was announced as a finalist for the international environment award the Earthshot Prize . Since 2022 it has become part of Project Restore, under the auspices of the Sydney Institute of Marine Science . Some further issues include a lack of long-term trend data of seawall effects due to a relatively short duration of data records; modeling limitations and comparisons of different projects and their effects being invalid or unequal due to different beach types; materials; currents; and environments. Lack of maintenance

2015-572: The Thames estuary occurred, prompting the construction of protection for further events in this flood-prone area. Since then, seawall design has become more complex and intricate in response to an improvement in materials, technology, and an understanding of how coastal processes operate. This section will outline some key case studies of seawalls in chronological order and describe how they have performed in response to tsunamis or ongoing natural processes and how effective they were in these situations. Analyzing

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2080-608: The United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China, the top four emitters of greenhouse gases . In December 2012, following the Rio+20 Summit, a decision by the General Assembly of the United Nations to "strengthen and upgrade" the UNEP and establish universal membership of its governing body was confirmed. In other words, it was reorganized by applying the existing executive member system (58 member states) from 1973 to 2013 to

2145-502: The Vancouver Seawall is a prime example of how seawalls can simultaneously provide shoreline protection and a source of recreation which enhances human enjoyment of the coastal environment. It also illustrates that although shoreline erosion is a natural process, human activities, interactions with the coast, and poorly planned shoreline development projects can accelerate natural erosion rates. On December 26, 2004, towering waves of

2210-494: The aims and activities of the IEEP in particular, as well as being a network for institutions and individuals interested and active in environment education. Climate change In 1989, UNEP published a statement predicting that "entire nations could be wiped off the face of the Earth by sea level rise if the global warming trend is not reversed by the year 2000". In 2005, UNEP issued

2275-427: The artificial barrier which reinforces the effectiveness of seawalls. At least 43 percent of Japan's 29,751 km (18,486 mi) coastline is lined with concrete seawalls or other structures designed to protect the country against high waves, typhoons, or even tsunamis. During the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami , the seawalls in most areas were overwhelmed. In Kamaishi , 4-metre (13 ft) waves surmounted

2340-596: The coast from erosion. Various environmental issues may arise from the construction of a seawall, including the disruption of sediment movement and transport patterns. Combined with a high construction cost, this has led to increasing use of other soft engineering coastal management options such as beach replenishment . Seawalls are constructed from various materials, most commonly reinforced concrete , boulders, steel, or gabions . Other possible construction materials include vinyl, wood, aluminum, fiberglass composite, and biodegradable sandbags made of jute and coir . In

2405-513: The core source of UNEP's programs. Between 1974 and 1986 UNEP produced more than 200 technical guidelines or manuals on environment including forest and water management, pest control , pollution monitoring, the relationship between chemical use and health, and management of industry. The location of the headquarters proved to be a major controversy, with developed countries preferring Geneva , where several other UN offices are based, while developing countries preferred Nairobi, as that would be

2470-454: The earthquake zone, as the tsunami washed over walls that were supposed to protect the plants. Arguably, the additional defense provided by the seawalls presented an extra margin of time for citizens to evacuate and also stopped some of the full force of energy which would have caused the wave to climb higher in the backs of coastal valleys. In contrast, the seawalls also acted in a negative way to trap water and delay its retreat. The failure of

2535-619: The energy methods used in the projects. In September 2018, a series of allegations were made against the executive director of the UNEP, Eric Solheim, at that time, including excessive number of days spent outside the headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. As a result, Eric Solheim resigned. Several donor countries withdrew their donation in the aftermath of the allegation, including the Dutch government who announced it would withhold $ 8 million in funding to UNEP until nepotism issues were resolved. Sweden and Denmark stopped funding as well. A spokesman for

2600-444: The environmental field. The Global 500 Roll of Honour was initiated in 1987 and ended in 2003. Its 2005 successor, Champions of the Earth , and a similar award, Young Champions of the Earth , are given annually to entrepreneurs, scientists, policy leaders, upcoming talent, individuals and organizations who make significant positive impacts on resources and the environment in their areas. UNEP has registered several successes, such as

2665-404: The extension of height and reinforcement of current seawalls which needs to occur for safety to be ensured in both situations. Sea level rise also will cause a higher risk of flooding and taller tsunamis. Seawalls, like all retaining walls , must relieve the buildup of water pressure . Water pressure buildup is caused when groundwater is not drained from behind the seawall. Groundwater against

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2730-534: The fifth Magdeburg Environmental Forum held in 2008, in Magdeburg , Germany, UNEP and car manufacturer Daimler AG called for the establishment of infrastructure for electric vehicles . At this international conference 250 politicians and representatives of non-government organizations discussed future road transportation under the motto of "Sustainable Mobility–the Post-2012 CO 2 Agenda". Circular economy UNEP

2795-450: The first century BCE, Romans built a seawall or breakwater at Caesarea Maritima creating an artificial harbor (Sebastos Harbor). The construction used Pozzolana concrete which hardens in contact with seawater. Barges were constructed and filled with the concrete. They were floated into position and sunk. The resulting harbor/breakwater/seawall is still in existence today – more than 2000 years later. The oldest known coastal defense

2860-472: The first international organization headquartered in the Global South . At first, Mexico City , New Delhi , and Cairo were also competing to be the headquarters, but they pulled out to support Nairobi. Many of the developing countries were "not particularly supportive of creating a new formal institution for environmental governance", but supported its creation as an act of "Southern solidarity". In 2000,

2925-402: The force of ongoing wave energy. Some understanding is needed of the coastal processes and morphodynamics specific to the seawall location. Seawalls can be very helpful; they can offer a more long-term solution than soft engineering options, additionally providing recreation opportunities and protection from extreme events as well as everyday erosion. Extreme natural events expose weaknesses in

2990-426: The health of almost 30 glaciers around the world found that ice loss reached record levels in 2006. On average, the studied glaciers shrank by 4.9 feet in 2006. Norway 's Breidalblikkbrea glacier shrank 10.2 feet in 2006. Glaciers lost an average of about a foot of ice a year between 1980 and 1999, but since the turn of the millennium the average loss has increased to about 20 inches. Electric vehicles At

3055-576: The marsh had been lost. The UNEP "support for environmental management of the Iraqi Marshland" began in 2004, to manage the marshland area in an environmentally sound manner. UNEP has a programme for young people known as Tunza. Within this programme are other projects like the AEO for Youth . UNEP uses its position to raise awareness for a range of issues. International Environmental Education Programme (1975–1995) For two decades, UNESCO and UNEP led

3120-490: The money dedicated to building new seawalls and protection from future hurricanes. A New York Harbor Storm-Surge Barrier has been proposed, but not voted on or funded by Congress or the State of New York. In Florida, tiger dams are used to protect homes near the coast. General: Related types of walls: Specific walls: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) The United Nations Environment Programme ( UNEP )

3185-450: The normal high-tide mark. The barrier was initially completed in 1735 and over the years, the French continued to fortify the wall, piling huge boulders along its 1.25 mi (2 km) coastline to stop erosion from the waves pounding the harbor. At its highest, the barrier running along the water's edge reaches about 27 ft (8.2 m) above sea level. The boulders, some weighing up to

3250-1192: The oceans and seas at the regional level. More than 143 countries participate in 18 regional programmes established by the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans, with 14 of them underpinned by legally binding international conventions, such as the Helsinki Convention , the Oslo Dumping Convention , the Barcelona Convention or the Bucharest Convention. The RSCAPs include the Caribbean region , East Asian seas, East African region, Mediterranean Basin , Pacific Northwest region, West African region, Caspian Sea , Black Sea region, Northeast Pacific region, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden , ROPME Sea Area, South Asian seas, Southeast Pacific region, Pacific region, Arctic region, Antarctic region, Baltic Sea , and Northeast Atlantic region. Each programme consists of countries which share

3315-462: The performance of seawalls, and analyses of these can lead to future improvements and reassessment. Sea level rise creates an issue for seawalls worldwide as it raises both the mean normal water level and the height of waves during extreme weather events, which the current seawall heights may be unable to cope with. The most recent analyses of long, good-quality tide gauge records (corrected for GIA and when possible for other vertical land motions by

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3380-711: The resignation of Erik Solheim . Prior to that appointment, she was UNEP's deputy executive director. Inger Andersen was appointed executive director of UNEP by UN secretary-general António Guterres in February 2019. (acting) (born 1968) The United Nations Environment Assembly is UNEP's governing body. Created in 2012 to replace the Governing Council, it currently has 193 members and meets every two years. UNEP's structure includes eight divisions: UNEP's main activities are related to: Several awards programs have been established to recognize outstanding work in

3445-444: The same sea and manages this sea at the regional level. The programmes are controlled by secretariats or Regional Coordinating Units and Regional Activity Centers. UNEP protects seas by promoting international conventions through education and training. Launched in 2017, the initiative's goal is to encourage and collaborate with faith-based organizations to protect the environment and invest in green resources. In 2020, UNEP published

3510-555: The seafloor. The Living Seawalls project, which was launched in Sydney , Australia, in 2018, aims to help many of the marine species in Sydney Harbour to flourish, thus enhancing its biodiversity , by modifying the design of its seawalls. It entails covering parts of the seawalls with specially-designed tiles that mimic natural microhabitats - with crevices and other features that more closely resemble natural rocks. In September 2021,

3575-473: The seawall began in 1917, and since then this pathway has become one of the most used features of the park by both locals and tourists and now extends 22 km in total. The construction of the seawall also provided employment for relief workers during the Great Depression and seamen from HMCS  Discovery on Deadman's Island who were facing punishment detail in the 1950s (Steele, 1985). Overall,

3640-466: The seawall – the world's largest, erected a few years ago in the city's harbor at a depth of 63 m (207 ft), a length of 2 km (1.2 mi) and a cost of $ 1.5 billion – and eventually submerged the city center. The risks of dependence on seawalls were most evident in the crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi and Fukushima Dai-ni nuclear power plants , both located along the coast close to

3705-806: The sincerity of his advocacy, soon made it clear that all of us, irrespective of the stage of our development, have a large stake in the matter." After developing organisations such as the International Labour Organization , the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization , the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (the Stockholm Conference) was convened. In this conference various topics were discussed such as pollution, marine life, protection of resources, environmental change, and disasters relating to natural and biological change. This conference resulted in

3770-411: The spread of tsunamis and the flow of coastal waters and mitigated the flood and surge of water. A cost-benefit approach is an effective way to determine whether a seawall is appropriate and whether the benefits are worth the expense. Besides controlling erosion, consideration must be given to the effects of hardening a shoreline on natural coastal ecosystems and human property or activities. A seawall

3835-571: The successes and shortcomings of seawalls during severe natural events allows their weaknesses to be exposed, and areas become visible for future improvement. The Vancouver Seawall is a stone seawall constructed around the perimeter of Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia . The seawall was constructed initially as waves created by ships passing through the First Narrows eroding the area between Prospect Point and Brockton Point. Construction of

3900-454: The time, US$ 40 million were pledged by the United States and the remainder by 50 other nations. The 'Voluntary Indicative Scale of Contribution' established in 2002 has the role to increase the supporters of the UNEP. The finances related to all programs of UNEP is voluntarily contributed by Member states of the United Nations . The Environmental Fund, which all nations of UNEP invest in, is

3965-690: The title Sea Wall . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sea_Wall&oldid=1011966481 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Seawall Seawall designs factor in local climate, coastal position, wave regime (determined by wave characteristics and effectors), and value (morphological characteristics) of landform. Seawalls are hard engineering shore-based structures that protect

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4030-544: The wall may result in hydrodynamic scour and subsequent lowering of the sand level of the fronting beach. Seawalls may also accelerate the erosion of adjacent, unprotected coastal areas by affecting the littoral drift process. Different designs of man-made tsunami barriers include building reefs and forests to above-ground and submerged seawalls. Starting just weeks after the disaster, in January 2005, India began planting Casuarina and coconut saplings on its coast as

4095-605: The world's largest seawall, which cost $ 1.5 billion to construct, shows that building stronger seawalls to protect larger areas would have been even less cost-effective. In the case of the ongoing crisis at the nuclear power plants, higher and stronger seawalls should have been built if power plants were to be built at that site. Fundamentally, the devastation in coastal areas and a final death toll predicted to exceed 10,000 could push Japan to redesign its seawalls or consider more effective alternative methods of coastal protection for extreme events. Such hardened coastlines can also provide

4160-763: Was designed to prevent erosion from everyday waves only, and when a storm in 1976 carved out ten meters behind the existing seawall, the whole structure was destroyed. The addition of seawalls near marine ecosystems can lead to increased shadowing effects in the waters surrounding the seawall. Shadowing reduces the light and visibility within the water, which may disrupt the distribution as well as foraging capabilities of certain species. The sediment surrounding seawalls tends to have less favorable physical properties (Higher calcification levels, less structural organization of crystalline structure, low silicon content, and less macroscale roughness) when compared to natural shorelines, which can present issues for species that reside on

4225-616: Was instrumental in bringing environmental considerations to the forefront of global thinking and action. Under his leadership, UN Environment's most widely acclaimed success—the historic 1987 agreement to protect the ozone layer —the Montreal Protocol was negotiated. He was succeeded by Elizabeth Dowdeswell (1992–1998), Klaus Töpfer (1998–2006), Achim Steiner (2006–2016), and Erik Solheim (2016–2018). UNEP's acting executive director, Joyce Msuya , took office in November 2018 following

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