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Industrial accidents

Introduction

Industrial accidents can have severe consequences on human health and the environment, including in other affected countries. The accidents in Schweizerhalle, Switzerland, and Baia Mare, Romania, have brought this message home. The Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents helps Parties to prevent industrial accidents that can have transboundary effects and to prepare for, and respond to, accidents if they occur.

In focus

The Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the UNECE Industrial Accidents Convention will convene for its thirteenth meeting (Geneva, 27–29 November 2024). The meeting will begin with the UNECE Seminar on the Global energy transition: Strengthening industrial safety to address emerging risks to introduce challenges and trends for industrial safety in decarbonization agendas and to hold an exchange on emerging hazards and risks in the energy transition, prior to the CoP taking decisions on the future of this workstream under the Convention. The Working Group on Implementation will present the state of implementation of the Convention through the 10th report on implementation (2019-2022), which includes the Group’s analysis of national reports, strengths and challenges and policy recommendations. Panels will be held to review progress made on and to decide on next steps regarding Natech risk management and mine tailings safety under the Convention. At the meeting, two publications will be launched: Joint OECD/UNECE/JRC Guidance on Managing Risks from Natural Hazards to Hazardous Installations (Natech) and Risk Assessment for Industrial Accident Prevention. Also, the CoP will entail the Special Session on satellite monitoring, including InSAR, for industrial safety and a review of achievements made under the Assistance and Cooperation Programme on the occasion of its 20th anniversary.