12:00 – 13:00 and 15:00 – 17:30 CET
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are organizing a joint Seminar on effective management of technological risks of accidents triggered by natural hazards (Natech) on 29 November 2022, from 12:00 – 13:00 and 15:00 – 17:30 CET, with English, French and Russian interpretation, in Geneva and online. The seminar is organized as part of the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents, co-organized with the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) (COP-12, Geneva and online, 29 November-1 December 2022).
The seminar will provide an opportunity to exchange information and share experience and practices regarding Natech risk management, and inspire further action to prevent, prepare for and respond to Natech accidents nationally and in a transboundary context. In particular, the seminar will aim to convey the need for action with a sense of urgency, given that climate change impacts combined with future economic developments are expected to increase the impact of Natech accidents.
The seminar will provide a platform for UNECE and OECD member States to strengthen their efforts to implement the UNECE Industrial Accidents Convention and the OECD Guiding Principles for Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness and Response (notably the Addendum for Natech Risk Management).
The outcome of the seminar will feed into the development of a joint OECD/UN/EC JRC guidance document on Natech risk management, intended to be finalized in 2024.
Moreover, the Conference of the Parties will be invited to adopt a decision on Natech risk management in the UNECE region and beyond immediately after the seminar, setting out specific actions by Parties to strengthen Natech risk management.
The draft agenda of the seminar, as well as more background information on the effective management of technological risks of accidents triggered by natural hazards (Natech) in the UNECE and OECD regions can be found below.
Please note that only registered participants can attend the seminar. Kindly register for the seminar before 21 November 2022, via the following link: https://indico.un.org/event/1002702/. Given the limited capacity of the meeting room, we strongly encourage you to participate remotely. You can find guidance for how to register here: ENG and RUS. Once registered, we will send you more details on how to connect to the event closer to it.
More information about CoP-12, including its agenda and all official documents, is available on the dedicated CoP-12 webpage.