Environment

Addressing the Tashkent International Investment Forum (2-3 May 2024), UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean called for the mobilization of private sector investments to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to foster regional cooperation in Central Asia. Keeping sustainability at the core of investments is essential to closing the gap on SDG financing, she stressed.   

As the climate warms, wildfires are becoming more frequent. Parts of Southern Europe, such as Spain and Greece, have already seen their first wildfires of the season, with devastating impacts on local ecosystems and biodiversity. Wildfires, however, also have major impacts on global and regional atmospheric chemistry, climate, and air quality and health. Emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases, and their long-distance transport can also impact people and ecosystems further away.

Iraq grapples with severe water challenges exacerbated by climate change, population growth, upstream dam construction, and decades of conflict and instability. The Euphrates and Tigris rivers, vital lifelines for the region’s agriculture, ecosystems, and communities, face increasing threats from upstream water diversions, pollution, and unsustainable water management practices. Over the last 40 years, water flows from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, which provide up to 98% of Iraq’s surface water, have decreased by 30-40%.

The Water Convention has facilitated the First round of Technical & Planning Negotiations of the Draft ‘Agreement on the Establishment of the Luapula River and Lake Mweru Authority between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia on 18 and 19 April, concerning the transboundary Lake Mweru and Luapula River, a tributary of the Congo River, shared by both countries.

On 29 February 2024 Zambia declared a National Crisis and Emergency regarding a drought gripping the country and which has decimated food and energy supply. Other Southern African countries have declared similar National Emergencies due to severe drought, including Zimbabwe in April. Severe droughts have also developed or recently intensified in regions including Western Europe, the Horn of Africa and South America.

Preventing accidental water pollution remains a key challenge for many countries within and beyond the UNECE region. Approximately 60% of the world’s freshwater flows occur in transboundary river basins where 40% of the world’s population live. Countries rely increasingly on transboundary water resources to meet their growing demands. Accidental pollution can adversely affect water resources, aquatic ecosystems incl. fish populations, and supplies for drinking, households and agriculture.  

Air pollution levels in Georgia are considered unhealthy with annual average of fine particles PM2.5 exceeding the World Health Organization's air quality guideline by at least three times. 

To support Georgia in further improving its air quality management system, a new EU-funded project, entitled ‘Air Quality for Better Citizen’s Health’ was launched on 19 April.  

Following the decision of Parties to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (Air Convention) to revise the Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone (Gothenburg Protocol), which is expected to further strengthen efforts to reduce air pollution in Europe and North America, technical and scientific work has begun to support the revision process.