By the time the world reacts to local conflicts it’s usually too late to prevent their escalation into worse violence and too late to properly protect civilians. Then, the military-industrial complex cashes in. The idea of a UNEPS is to engage before violence begins, deploying a standing first-responder, effectively a ‘UN 911’, with an array of useful services to provide prompt care and help. A UNEPS would be multifunctional, ready for diverse security, humanitarian, environmental and health crises. It’s to complement existing UN arrangements with a multidimensional composition of civilian, police and military teams in a gender- equitable formation of dedicated UN personnel. With support, it’s likely to be a game-changer that encourages military build-down and disarmament, freeing up the vast resources urgently needed to address our climate emergency and sustainable development.