The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), through its Law Division and the Secretariat of the Green Customs Initiative (GCI), took part in the Briefing Meeting of Operation DEMETER XI, held from 9 to 11 September 2025 on Gulangyu Island, Xiamen, China. The event brought together customs administrations, multilateral environmental agreement (MEA) secretariats, and international partners to explore ways to strengthen legal and institutional linkages that support the enforcement of trade-related MEAs.

UNEP and the GCI delivered opening remarks and a dedicated presentation titled “Strengthening legal and institutional linkages to support enforcement of trade-related MEAs: insights from the Green Customs Initiative.” The presentation highlighted the Green Customs Guide to MEAs as a key tool for frontline customs and border officials, helping them translate complex treaty obligations into practical enforcement measures. It also showcased updates reflecting emerging global developments, including the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, and the Basel Convention’s plastic waste amendments.

In its intervention, UNEP emphasized the central role of customs and border control officers as the first line of defense against illegal trade in hazardous chemicals and waste, endangered species, and ozone-depleting substances. UNEP underscored the importance of building stronger bridges between legal frameworks and institutional practice to make environmental agreements effective in tackling transboundary environmental crime.

The meeting enhanced awareness of UNEP’s role in supporting compliance, cooperation, and capacity-building in trade-related MEAs, while also reinforcing partnerships with the World Customs Organization (WCO), the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, UNEP OzonAction, and WCO Regional Training Centers. Participants welcomed UNEP’s contributions and reaffirmed the importance of the Green Customs Initiative in empowering customs officers, fostering cross-border collaboration, and strengthening global enforcement systems.

Through its active engagement at Operation DEMETER XI, UNEP reaffirmed its commitment to transforming borders into strongholds of environmental protection and sustainable trade, while advancing collective efforts toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.