Founded in 1972, UNEP was created to monitor the state of the environment, inform policy making with science and coordinate responses to enduring and emergent environmental challenges. For five decades, UNEP has worked closely with its 193 Member States and other stakeholders to galvanize worldwide commitments and coordinated action to address many of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. While it is impossible to capture all the progress made, some key environmental milestones from the five decades are presented on the following pages.