The Sustainable United Nations (SUN) initiative is designed to assist UN agencies and other public organizations in setting up and implementing a sustainable procurement policy. SUN advisory services are not only confined to UN but are also available for governments and other large organizations (NGOs and various levels of public authorities).

SUN will provide advisory services and support to UN and large public organizations to reform climate neutrality, namely to reduce the generation of greenhouse gases. SUN's activities take place in three focus areas with direct impact on the climate change performance: procurement, buildings management, and staff behavior (culture).

UNEP held a meeting on Sustainable United Nations (SUN) in the Latin America and Caribbean region in Panama on October 2-3, 2008. The 28 participants included focal points from ECLAC, ILO, OCHA, UNDP, UNFPA, UN-HABITAT,UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIFEM, UNOPS, WFP, WHO/PAHO. Other participants included Panama’s City of Knowledge (location of the United Nations premises), IHOBE (Public Society of Environmental Management of the Basque Country, Spain), and Futuro Forestal.

The Objectives of the meeting were:

• To introduce the SUN Initiative to the focal points of UN Regional Offices in Latin America and the Caribbean;
• To discuss implementing measures for the new UN Building; and
• To drafting and discuss a SUN action plan for the UN Regional Offices and other UN Buildings in the City of Knowledge.

For more information on the SUN initiative visit http://www.unep.fr.