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Environment

Botswana accelerates progress on Water Convention accession and shared river agreements

Almost all of Botswana’s territory sits within transboundary rivers basins. Although landlocked, Botswana is therefore a ‘water-linked’ country. The Cubango-Okavango, Limpopo, Orange-Senqu and Zambezi Rivers all provide crucial freshwater arteries that supply people and nature, including the Okavango Delta, a major tourist destination for the country. 

Water crises show need to link management of underground and surface waters in international basins, urge countries and UN

An estimated 3.6 billion people face inadequate access to water at least a month per year – a figure expected to increase to more than 5 billion by 2050.  According to WMO, over 50% of global catchment areas and reservoirs displayed deviations from normal conditions in 2022, of which the majority were drier than usual.

Summer wildfire season is becoming longer and more destructive than ever – The UN Forest Podcast

Every year, forest fires set new records. The 2023 wildfire season in the Northern Hemisphere could not have been worse.  

The wildfire that ravaged northeastern Greece in August was the largest single wildfire recorded in the European Union (EU), burning more than 810 square kilometres.  

North Macedonia drives further action on water, sanitation and hygiene for all by joining Protocol on Water and Health

On 4 October 2023, North Macedonia became the 28th country to join the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health, thus committing to drive action on water, sanitation and hygiene, protecting its natural resources and fostering a healthier environment for its citizens.  

Water-energy “nexus” approach is key to renewable energy transition and managing climate vulnerability: the case of the Drina River Basin

In the Drina River Basin, shared mainly by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, working together across borders and jointly addressing water and energy challenges is a key part of effective climate action and the green transition.   

Integrated policies on air pollution, climate and biodiversity pay off, say UNECE Air Convention experts

Taking up some of the main results of the recent review report, which assessed the effectiveness of the amended Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone (Gothenburg Protocol) under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, experts discussed mitigation potentials for

The future of sustainable building is wood

The building industry currently accounts for 39% of global energy-related CO2 emissions, 11% of which result from manufacturing building materials and products such as steel, cement, and glass. And yet, to date, emission reduction efforts have not really focused on decarbonizing the construction sector but the two other sectors responsible for the most emissions, electric power and transportation.  

Experts assess options to address results of Gothenburg Protocol review

The results of the recent review report, which assessed the effectiveness of the amended Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone (Gothenburg Protocol) under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, have triggered further discussions among Parties on how to address

Together for Clean Air: UNECE and UNEP promote partnerships and cooperation, leveraging the Air Convention

Breathing clean air is a necessity for everyone and decent air quality is a shared responsibility that can only be achieved if we work together. This is what Member States in the UNECE region realized 45 years ago, when they started negotiating the first multilateral, legally binding treaty to cut air pollution on a broad regional basis – the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution.