Introduction

UN peacekeeping is a massive, fast-moving operation involving thousands of people, heavy equipment, and vast stretches of land. While these missions are vital for protecting civilians, their nature often creates a heavy environmental footprint. In the past, the urgency of a crisis meant the environment was often overlooked. However, the UN is shifting its strategy. New policies and modern frameworks are finally making sustainability a priority, ensuring that “keeping the peace” also means protecting the planet.

Environmental Tools in Peacekeeping Operations 

Peacekeeping missions have many moving parts. The Department of Operational Support (DOS) is the UN’s primary engine for advisory and field operations, supporting every unit within the Secretariat. It bridges the gap between high-level policy and real-world action. Currently, DOS is in a major transition period, having implemented its 2023–2030 Environmental Framework recently. This is a strategy designed to modernize how the UN manages its global footprint.

The DOS transition introduces mandatory environmental targets into annual budgetary cycles. This ensures that every mission is held accountable for its consumption of energy and water, as well as its waste management. The backbone of this accountability is eAPP, a digital system designed to monitor performance in the field. By integrating data with field-level decision-making, eAPP allows for a more responsive and eco-friendly approach to peacekeeping. Ultimately, these advancements modernize frameworks used by the C34, aligning operational support with global climate goals.

UN Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO) play a large part in the UN’s environmental footprint. In fact, they create 41.6 percent of all UN emissions. In creating new policies, DOS considers many factors. These include fuels, waste, and more. Recent updates create tools to evaluate how missions uphold standards. Delegates are called to consider goals, performance, and resource use. It is vital to ensure that recommendations remain realistic as well. This includes comparing costs and resources. Measures should include the needs of each mission and situation.

Policy Developments: Conference of the Parties

UN policies are shifting fast. Sustainability is no longer just a “side project”; it is now a top priority across the entire organization. This change directly impacts UNPKOs, which are often the largest and most visible parts of the UN’s work.

A major turning point occurred in late 2025 at the COP30 summit in Belém, Brazil. There, world leaders formally recognized the dangerous cycle where climate disasters like droughts and floods trigger the very resource wars that the UN is sent to stop. By launching new agreements focused on readiness, finance, and partnerships, COP30 set a new standard. For a mission to be successful, it must be climate-resilient.

This commitment to the planet extends far beyond land. The High Seas Treaty (officially the BBNJ Agreement) was created to protect and manage ocean areas beyond national borders. High seas are the ocean areas beyond any country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). These are difficult to manage, so clear guidelines are vital. This change directly impacts COP processes. The treaty creates legal rules for non-owned marine regions. This is the first time these regions have seen control. This changes how peacekeeping missions operate because missions that involve maritime patrols or naval logistics must now comply with strict international environmental standards to prevent damaging protected deep-sea ecosystems.

One of the treaty’s strongest links to COP is its ability to support biodiversity goals. It provides a way to carry out commitments made at meetings. This process is scheduled to begin in early 2026, requiring careful preparation of institutional arrangements, since the first COP must convene within a year. These arrangements include establishing a secretariat, setting a budget, and defining rules of procedure. Despite these steps, the underlying principles guiding the debate remain unchanged.

The High Seas Treaty strengthens relationships between biodiversity and climate COP processes, raises the significance of COP in ocean governance, and opens the door for discussion on the high seas. While the core principles of diplomacy remain, the High Seas Treaty has permanently changed the game.

Conclusion

The nature of debate within the C34 is constantly evolving, as the UN realizes that global security and climate health are inseparable. To move forward, recommendations must go beyond general statements. Delegates must call for clear, enforceable frameworks that account for both environmental risks and carbon emissions. Solutions must include specific, measurable targets that hold missions accountable for their footprint.

Bibliography

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