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Twenty-five years ago today, a key regional instrument aimed at protecting people and the environment from the devastating effects of industrial accidents was adopted. On 17 March 1992 in Helsinki 26 countries and the European Union signed the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects
For all the countries sharing the Sava River Basin (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia), hydropower is a major source of energy, sometimes the main source (i.e., in Montenegro and in Croatia). Collectively, hydropower in from the Sava River constitutes 11% of the
Experts from UNECE member States and the secretariat will be visiting Albania from 31 January to 8 February 2017 for a field mission in the framework of the third environmental performance review (EPR) of the country. The third review of Albania will evaluate the country’s efforts to abate
Prevention of industrial accidents and preparedness to respond promptly if they occur were at the heart of the discussions in Ljubljana this week at the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents. Parties adopted a
On 22 November 2016, on the initiative of the current Council President (Senegal), for the first time the United Nations Security Council held an open debate on water, peace and security. In his opening remarks, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon highlighted the role of the UNECE Convention on the
In the pan-European region, diarrhoeal diseases still cause an estimated 14 deaths per day due to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene. Renewed momentum is therefore needed to address these persisting challenges.  An ambitious programme of work aimed at addressing these is to be adopted
630,000 Moldovan citizens (17% percent of the population of the Republic of Moldova) do not enjoy access to improved water supply systems and around one million citizens (28% of the population) do not have access to improved sanitation systems. In order to remedy this situation, the Ministers of
Industrial safety is a matter of serious concern for countries with economies in transition, which often face challenges in protecting lives and the health of people and the environment from industrial accidents. To assist its member States in coordinating their efforts aimed at safeguarding
On 11 July 2016, France approved the amendment on genetically modified organisms (GMO amendment) to the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention), raising the total number of the Parties
Food waste, ecosystem services and green public procurement among pledged topics forming new Batumi Initiative on Green EconomyCountries and stakeholders from the pan-European region have today agreed on a roadmap to speed up the transition to a Green Economy between now and 2030 and made an
Education for sustainable development (ESD) is increasingly included in the education policies and frameworks of UNECE member States, and hundreds of initiatives have been launched in recent years to integrate ESD into formal, non-formal and informal education, moving from policy to practice.
Poor air quality, climate change, unhealthy lifestyles and the disconnection between people and the environment are increasingly affecting human health in the region, finds the latest Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6) assessment for the pan-European region, prepared by UNEP and UNECE with
On 20 May 2016, Malta acceded to the UNECE Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers, becoming the thirty-fifth Party to join this Protocol to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus
Yesterday, on 2 May 2016, Ukraine ratified the UNECE Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers, becoming the thirty-fourth Party to join this Protocol to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (
In August 2015, massive explosions at a chemical warehouse in Tianjin, China, left some 139 people dead, more than 700 injured and 6,000 displaced, and damaged 17,000 homes in close proximity to the industrial site. Back in 2001, a chemical explosion at a warehouse in Toulouse, France, led to the
UNECE will strengthen its support to Montenegro’s development efforts for the period 2017-2021. This will be achieved through the implementation of a United Nations Development Assistance Framework, which was signed on 25 March 2016. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and
A human rights perspective on environmental protection not only promotes human dignity, equality and freedom, but also improves the effectiveness of policymaking generally. Ensuring that those most affected by development and environmental policies are able to obtain information, freely express
With Georgia’s ratification of the amendment on genetically modified organisms (GMO amendment) to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) the total number of the amendment's Parties raises
Yesterday, the Parliament of Ukraine approved with no objections the law on the ratification of the UNECE Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs), also known as the Kyiv Protocol. Ukraine will become the 34th Party to the Protocol when the law enters into force on the
UNECE and partners have just launched two new initiatives to protect the resources of the Drin River Basin, a region rich in biodiversity and home to 1.5 million people who rely on the river’s resources for drinking water, agriculture, fisheries, industry and hydropower.On 16 December 2015 in
Safety at industrial facilities across 40 countries in Europe will be enhanced with the inclusion of 13 additional categories of hazardous substances and 32 more chemicals with serious health and environmental effects within the scope of the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of
Adaptation to climate change and waste management are some of the most pressing environmental challenges for Serbia. These are the main findings of the third Environmental Performance Review (EPR) of Serbia by UNECE, which were presented to the Serbian environmental authorities on 2 December
Three hundred and fifty participants from more than 74 countries gathered in Budapest from 17 to 19 November 2015 for the seventh session of the Meeting of the Parties to the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) in
Looking back at five years of working together in the area of hazard and crisis management in the Danube Delta, the Republic of Moldova, Romania and Ukraine today agreed to further strengthen their cooperation. At the concluding workshop of the UNECE Danube Delta Project, held in Bucharest on 20
On 7 October 2015 the Ukrainian parliament passed a law accepting the amendment to the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) opening the Convention to accession by all United Nations Member States. This was the final