The issue, international organization for the protection of the environment perhaps more than those in any otherarea of international law, is characterized by the contestation of the policies and aspirations of developing and industrializedcountries. The discussions which preceded the 1972 Stockholm Conference concerned partly the type of internationalinstitutional arrangement required for addressing the environmental problems. As regards the institutional reforms withrespect to international environmental governance (IEG), the main question is whether to focus on the existing globalinstitution, i.e. UNEP, or to create a new functional international organization. After almost five decades of existence, turningUNEP into a ‘specialized agency’ within the UN system is a reasonable move. It would meet the long-felt need to elevate itsstatus and equip it with the necessary competence and financial stability for the demanding task it should have as an efficientglobal environmental organization.