Keeping the Environment on the Agenda: UNEP Discourse During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract When a global crisis hits, competition between policy domains heightens as priorities switch. International organizations (IOs) whose mandates are not directly concerned struggle to maintain attention to the issue they promote. Such was the case for IOs involved in global environmental governance during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article examines discourse as one specific means used by IOs reacting to crises. It conceptualizes three discursive practices IOs perform when crises reshape priorities: meaning-making, relevance-claiming, and action-timing. Empirically, the article investigates how the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) responded to the pandemic. Analyzing a comprehensive corpus of 251 statements from UNEP’s Executive Director Inger Andersen (2020–2023), it shows how UNEP connected environmental and health crises, asserted institutional relevance, and sought to maintain momentum on long-term goals to keep environmental issues on the agenda during the pandemic. The findings contribute to research on IOs and crises, highlighting discourse as a strategic resource for agenda-keeping.