16 August 2017: UN Environment has announced it is supporting numerous initiatives that encourage private sector engagement and partnerships on science and monitoring and implementation on the ground, including recent projects in Kenya and Peru.

In Kenya, UN Environment signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Safaricom, the country’s largest provider of telecommunications, data and financial services. the partnership will focus on supporting implementation of the following SDGs: SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy); SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities); SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production); SDG 13 (Climate action); SDG 14 (Life below water); and SDG 17 (Partnerships).

The MOU will provide a framework for collaboration in the implementation of activities contributing to these goals. Safaricom seeks to transform the lives of people in Kenya by investing in mobile communications infrastructures and offering mobile-based data and payments systems. These enable people to run small businesses and participate in economic growth. At the signing ceremony, UN Environment Executive Director Erik Solheim called on the private sector to engage in SDG implementation, noting that the private sector’s “energy and innovations will shape the success or failure of our common goals.” [UN Environment Press Release][Safaricom Press Release]

In Peru, UN Environment provides technical support to the development of the country’s initial national inventory of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). SLCPs are substances responsible for a large portion of near-term global warming. They include gases such as methane, tropospheric ozone and hydro-fluorocarbons (HFCs) as well as particulates such as black carbon. In contrast to reducing CO2 emissions, which is most important for mitigating climate change in the long term, reducing SLCP emissions is expected to mitigate climate change in the short term while providing co-benefits for human health and food security. SLCP inventories are an essential tool allowing countries to develop SCLP reduction strategies and to engage partners in mitigation action. Peru’s inventory is being developed by a partnership under the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) that includes entities from the public and private sectors. The members contribute to the inventory through feedback on the methodology and technical aspects. A preliminary inventory was developed based on a detailed analysis of SLCP emissions in different sectors, including energy, transport, waste management and agriculture. The preliminary inventory was reviewed and refined at a workshop held 5 July 2017. [CCAC Press Release]