Brief Introduction of UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development

UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development, hereinafter referred to as “IESD”, jointly established by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Tongji University in 2002, has served as a strategic think-tank for UNEP, an inter-disciplinary platform for Tongji University and contributed significantly for environment and sustainable development from three main pillars – education, research and outreach. IESD has the mandate to mainstream environment and sustainable development into higher education, to promote research, education and South-South Cooperation on the environment and sustainability, to enhance the service of science and technology to policy-making and implementation, and to provide tailored solutions to the Southern countries.

Up to date, IESD has provided environmental education for students from 117 countries, and carried out capacity-building for more than 5000 participants from developing countries through training programs, seminars and fora. Meanwhile, in cooperation with UNEP, China’s ministries and diversified stakeholders, IESD undertakes research projects, including UNEP-China-Africa Cooperation Program on Environment supported by Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Chongming Eco-Island Project, Green Economy Textbook, Multi-dimensional evaluation system on China’s low-carbon economy, South-South Cooperation Case Studies, etc. Till now, more than 100 patents have been applied in the environmental fields in China.

IESD Mission

IESD aims to establish an innovative and internationally recognized think-tank of environment and sustainable development, with the support of UNEP and through cooperation with leading partners, to mainstream environment and sustainability into higher education, to promote the application of science and techonology for policy implementations and to provide tailored solutions regionally and globally, particularly for developing countries.