The Poverty-Environment Initiative is a long-standing core partnership between UNDP and UN Environment, plus other agencies such as UNCDF, FAO or UN Women, that is improving the ability of governments in developing countries to govern natural resources better, reduce poverty, promote environmental sustainability and advance on the intertwined challenges set by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is the only multi-agency and donor programme with a successful programmatic & operational model on the application of an integrated approach to effectively prioritize the poverty, environment and climate nexus in policy dialogue and in government and private sector investment decisions.

The Initiative's (UN PEI) organisation structure follows standard UNDG joint programming guidance. It consists of country programmes (28 in total), 4 regional programmes, a global programme facility, a joint institutional board, and two advisory bodies. The country programmes are implemented by joint government-UN PEI country teams, with support from and in coordination with joint UNDP/UN Environment regional teams . The Poverty-Environment Facility, based in Nairobi, provides the overall programme, operations and financial management coordination. The Facility is answerable to and under instructions of the strategic management of the Joint UN PEI Management Board, which is composed of UNDP and UN Environment senior staff members. The Facility and the Board are supported by the technical inputs of the Technical Advisory Group, which is composed of government representatives, international and local non-government organizations, International Financial Institutions and other key partners working on the poverty-environment nexus. Similarly the Facility and the Board are accountable and receive important strategic feedback from the Donor Steering Group, which is composed of all contributing partners to the UN PEI.

UNDP, UN Environment, European Commission, Department for International Development (DFID-UK), Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), Norwegian Agency for Development (NORAD), Spanish International Development Cooperation Agency (AECID)