PCDMB has conducted operations in more than twenty-five countries and has published eighteen environmental assessment reports between 1995 and 2008. In 2008 PCDMB is conducting assessment, capacity building or clean-up activities in Côte d'Ivoire, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Nigeria.

PCDMB's core areas of operation can be described as follows:

1.	Conducting environmental assessments
	Field-based assessments are conducted to identify the impacts of a conflict or disaster on environmental systems and the possible indirect impacts on human health. To ensure scientific rigour, the fieldwork is followed by independent laboratory analysis. The resultant reports give detailed recommendations on environmental recovery, risk reduction and national capacity-building.
2.	Mitigating environmental risk
	UNEP delivers technical support for environmental clean-up or to mitigate environmental risks caused by disasters or conflict, including those posed by chemical contamination or severe environmental damage to human health or livelihoods. UNEP provides advice to ensure that the recovery process builds back better and does not create new sources of environmental vulnerability, harm or disaster risk.
3.	Strengthening institutions for environmental governance
	The status of environmental institutions is identified and strengthened through capacity-building and reform activities. Activities include law and policy development, environmental information management, environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment.
4.	Integrating environmental considerations in reconstruction
	UNEP is the lead agency for the environment in UN inter-agency processes addressing disasters and conflicts, thereby ensuring that post-conflict humanitarian interventions and reconstruction investments do not result in long-term environmental damage. The UN Development Group, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, the International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Peacebuilding Commission are key partners.
5.	Strengthening international and regional environmental cooperation
	UNEP's environmental diplomacy work provides an opportunity for confidence building, using shared environmental resources as the platform for renewed transboundary cooperation between parties.