UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the wise use and sustainable development of the global environment. On 25 November 2014, the IAEA and UNEP signed a Practical Arrangement governing the collaboration between the two organizations. The Agreement aims to strengthen cooperation between the IAEA and UNEP in the areas of:

• Climate change (mountain and polar ecosystems);
• Ecosystem management (terrestrial, marine);
• Resource efficiency and sustainable production and consumption (information exchange);
• Hazardous substances, waste management and disposal; and
• Environmental policy.

Under the collaboration framework, the IAEA and UNEP collaborate to support country parties of the UNEP and Member States of the IAEA to improve their scientific and technological capabilities to address environmental management challenges, and to sustainably manage the conservation and use of natural resources and maintain healthy ecosystems under the increasing impacts of climate change and variability.