Tools and Mechanisms

United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)

http://www.unepfi.org/work_streams/biodiversity/in...

In partnership with the global financial services sector, the United Nations Environment Programme established a Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). Through the promotion of enhanced risk management as well as via green business models, the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services work stream within this initiative has the task of assisting the financial services sector in addressing challenges arising from biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. 

Additionally, and in collaboration with Fauna & Flora International and others, the UNEP FI launched the Natural Value Initiative.  This toolkit aids in the evaluation of company performance as well as the identification of potential financial risks arising from the biodiversity and ecosystem impacts of companies with agricultural supply chains.

United Nations Environment Programme Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative (UNEP-SBCI)

http://www.unep.org/sbci/

Together with key stakeholders in this sector, UNEP-SBCI works to promote sustainable building practices worldwide. They have produced a number of publications that mostly relate to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

The UNEP-SBCI’s activities are guided by four key goals to ensure that the Initiative achieves its mission and promotes the worldwide adoption of sustainable buildings and construction practices.

1. Provide a common platform for dialogue and collective action among building sector stakeholders to address sustainability issues of global significance, especially climate change.
2. Develop tools and strategies for achieving greater acceptance and adoption of sustainable building practices throughout the world.
3. Establish baselines, which are globally recognized and are based on a life cycle approach. Focus has initially been concentrated on establishing baselines for energy efficiency and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, but is now expanding to account for additional indicators such as materials and water.
4. Demonstrate through pilot projects and inform policy developments of the important role buildings have to play in mitigation and adaptation to climate change at local, national and/or global levels.

United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement

http://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/...

Ensures the long-term conservation and sustainable use of straddling and highly migratory fish stocks.

United Nations Forum on Forests

http://www.un.org/esa/forests/

Established in 2000 and convening biennially, the UNFF exists to facilitate forest governance and sustainable management by fostering international co-operation.

United Nations Global Compact

http://www.unglobalcompact.org/

Endorsed by chief executives, the Global Compact is a practical framework for the development, implementation, and disclosure of sustainability policies and practices, offering participants a wide spectrum of workstreams, management tools and resources — all designed to help advance sustainable business models and markets. It is also a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption.

USAID Environment

http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/environment/biodiver...

USAID has recognized the potential for environmentally sound enterprises to sustain people’s livelihoods while conserving important biodiversity. The Agency is helping communities gain the technical and management skills needed to undertake alternative enterprises, as well as access to credit and markets for their products. For example, USAID empowered the Koija community in Kenya to manage an ecotourism operation, facilitating the development of spin-off enterprises, with women's organizations and a youth organization.

UTZ Certified

http://www.utzcertified.org/index.php

UTZ CERTIFIED is one of the largest sustainable agriculture supply chain programs for coffee, cocoa and tea in the world: one-third of all coffee that is sustainably traded worldwide is certified by UTZ.

Water Environment Federation

http://www.wef.org/

The Water Environment Federation is a not-for-profit association that provides technical education and training for thousands of water quality professionals who clean water and return it safely to the environment. WEF members have proudly protected public health, served their local communities, and supported clean water worldwide since 1928.

Wildlife Habitat Council

http://www.wildlifehc.org/certification/

The Wildlife Habitat Council is a third party certification which recognizes commendable wildlife habitat management and environmental education programmes at individual sites.

Willamette Partnership: Protocols, Tools and Templates

http://willamettepartnership.org/tools-templates

The Willamette Partnership is a diverse coalition of conservation, city, business, farm, and science leaders in the Willamette River basin who are working to shift the way people think about, value, manage, and regulate the environment.  The standard credit issuance process, rules, and guidelines for generating credits and debits are described in protocol documents. Through the Counting on the Environment stakeholder process, the Willamette Partnership is continuing to develop protocols for more holistic ecosystem accounting.  Currently, protocols are under development for additional ecosystem currencies, voluntary tracking and accounting, and batch verification for small projects. Policy frameworks, permits, contracts, and forms used for creating, buying and selling conservation outcomes as offset credits in the Willamette can be used as templates for others designing ecosystem markets.  A lot of new information was developed during the course of developing an ecosystem credit accounting system.  To make participation in markets  easier, standard templates for various contractual agreements, certificates, protocols, and standards have been developed.