Environmental Footprint of UN Peace Operations
Peacekeeping personnel often operate in conflict or post-conflict settings, where energy, water, and sanitation infrastructures are absent or no longer functional. As a result, most UN peace operations need to be self-sufficient for energy production, water supply, solid waste, and wastewater management. If these aspects are not managed in a safe and responsible manner, they can have a significant negative impact on people, communities, natural resources and local ecosystems through the generation of wastewater, solid / hazardous waste, the use of scarce natural resources such as water, and the emission of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. To ensure implementation of good and responsible environmental practices in field operations, the United Nations have developed a set of tools to guide troops and police contributing countries on how to protect peacekeepers, the host community and local environment from harm.
For more details on these tools and on environmental stewardship in the context of UN Peace Operations, please visit the Environment page of UN Department of Operational Support website.
Below is some environmental awareness generation material developed for use by Member States deploying uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping.
Environmental Awareness Generation Session for Formed Military and Police Units Deployed in UN Peace Operations
Standardized environmental induction briefing for troops upon their deployment in a UN missions, available in 12 national languages, and focusing on individual actions towards environmental protection
Pocket guide: Duties of Peacekeepers - Reducing the Environmental Footprint of Field Missions
Standardized pocket guide presenting responsibilities of troop and police contributors towards the reduction of the environmental footprint and related environmental risks in the context of peacekeeping operations, available in 14 national languages, and focusing on individual actions towards environmental protection.
Information for Military Environment and waste focal points
- Template Standard Operating Procedures for the Appointment of Military Environmental Advisers / Focal Points and Reporting Mechanisms
- Terms of Reference for Camp Military and Waste Focal Point
- Terms of Reference for Military Force Headquarters' Environmental Adviser / Focal Point
- Terms of Reference for Sector / Region Military Environment Adviser / Focal Point