An kafa ta Maurice Strong, darektan farko, sakamakon taron Majalisar Dinkin Duniya kan Muhalli na Dan Adam (Taron Stockholm) a watan Yunin 1972 kuma yana da cikakken alhakin matsalolin muhalli tsakanin hukumomin Majalisar Dinkin Duniya; duk da haka, tattaunawar kasa da kasa kan batutuwa na musamman, kamar magance canjin yanayi ko yaƙi da hamada, wasu kungiyoyin Majalisar Dinkin Duniya ne ke kula da su, kamar Sakatariyar Majalisar Dinkin Duniya kan Canjin Yanayi da kuma Majalisar Dinkin Duniya don Yaki da Hamada. Ayyukan UNEP sun shafi batutuwa masu yawa na yanayi, da kuma tsarin halittu na teku, da tsarin kula da muhalli da tattalin arziki.
UNEP