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Faced with high demand for critical minerals, the integration of the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources and UN Resource Management System (UNFC and UNRMS, developed at UNECE) can help to link resource security and sustainability.
Aiming to seize this potential, the 7th…
Risks to human health and the environment from pollution of air, water and land remain among the greatest challenges we face today. Despite the many efforts by a variety of stakeholders to reduce levels of pollution, people continue, often without knowing, to breathe poor-quality air that reduces…
A high-level event at UNCCD COP-16 on Dry Lands, Green Cities: United for Urban Land Restoration brought together experts from around the world to explore innovative solutions for urban trees and forest in arid regions. Organized by UNECE and the Trees in Dry Cities Coalition, the event highlighted…
In a world grappling with the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, public demand for transparent environmental governance is growing. Effective access to reliable information, coupled with efforts to combat disinformation and greenwashing, is an important…
Energy connectivity plays a crucial role in enhancing the resilience of energy systems. By connecting countries or sub-regions which have energy deficits with markets that are in surplus, and providing them with increased flexibility and energy availability, asymmetric shocks can be better handled…
Promoting sustainable energy and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 require commitment from the governments and legislative, institutional, and financial arrangements that facilitate these processes. In a recent study – Establishing a National Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Agency in…
The Declaration on Water for Climate Action, a COP29 Presidency Initiative, together with its Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate Action, will reinforce the close connection between water and climate change.
The declaration, already endorsed by more than 50 countries and more organizations…
The world faces immense challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The climate crisis, widening inequalities, and infrastructure financing gaps underscore the urgent need for sustainable, resilient, and inclusive development strategies. Public-Private Partnerships (…
While negotiators at COP29 in Baku were grappling with agreement on climate action, delegates and experts of the UNECE Team of Specialists on Innovation and Competitiveness Policies discussed the opportunities and challenges of innovation using artificial intelligence (AI) for climate change action…
Our climate is changing. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, causing damage and disruption to railway infrastructure and operations. Railway and transport sector professionals must understand how extreme weather impacts their assets and operations, and how they can adapt to a…
On the heels of her engagement for climate action at COP29, UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean visited Brussels this week to share insights from UNECE support for sustainable water management and to discuss joint priorities with high-level representatives from the European Commission.…
Transboundary waters around the world face significant pressures due to population growth, increasing water demand and the impacts of the triple-planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. Results from the third reporting exercise on SDG indicator 6.5.2 highlight a lack of…
At its 29th session in Geneva from 6 to 8 November 2024, the UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy successfully peer-reviewed and adopted the recommendations from the fourth Environmental Performance Reviews (EPRs) of Montenegro and Tajikistan.
The delegations of the reviewed countries presented…
The UNECE region remains a significant source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing to 34% of the world’s CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Infrastructure alone is responsible for a staggering 79% of all GHG emissions worldwide.
Sustainable and climate finance in…
UNECE is supporting Turkmenistan to strengthen efforts on its sustainable energy transition and to deliver methane emissions reductions from the energy sector, in alignment with global climate objectives.
This was the focus of discussions this week between Mr. Dario Liguti, Director of the…
Best available techniques (BATs) have emerged as a key policy tool to prevent and control the emission of industrial pollutants, and thereby to ensure the protection of human health and the environment. Applying BATs to different sources is a key requirement for Parties to the latest three…
Sound emission inventories are the first step for designing effective clean air policies as they provide information about the main sources and the most acute air pollution problems in a country.
Under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (Air Convention), UNECE has…
Petite forests, or small, dense clusters of native trees, are designed for compact urban spaces like streets, plazas, and schoolyards. These micro-forests offer significant benefits for enhancing biodiversity, combating climate change, and fostering community engagement.
The UN Petite Forest…
On the heels of the Summit of the Future and adoption of the Pact for the Future, the first Hamburg Sustainability Conference (7-8 October) gathered international policy makers, business leaders and civil society to discuss ways to accelerate SDG implementation. Attending the conference, UNECE…
The building sector is the largest consumer of energy in the Republic of Moldova, representing 53 per cent of final energy consumption in 2022, with public sector buildings accounting for less than one-fifth and residential buildings for the rest. The crucial aspect that influences energy…
Addressing the Plenary of the Summit of the Future during the UN General Assembly, UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean noted that with its strong normative footprint, UNECE is fully dedicated to leveraging and adapting its tools, expertise, and partnerships to reinvigorate the implementation…
With its mining industry set to expand, Uzbekistan is taking steps to strengthen the safety of Tailings Management Facilities (TMFs), thanks to practical training organized by UNECE. The 3-day training session this week brought together representatives from national authorities, mining operators,…
The Principles and Actionable Recommendations for Critical Energy Transition Minerals (CETM) developed by the UN Secretary-General’s Panel set a clear mandate for a global transformation in resource governance.
As Clovis Freire, Chief, Commodity Research and Analysis Section, at UNCTAD, emphasized…
Uzbekistan, the most populated Central Asian country with some 35 million people, faces water stress and inefficient water use. In addition, as a major producer of gold and uranium with its rapidly developing mining industry, the country is exposed to increasing environmental and health risks…
While nitrogen is vital for plant growth, excessive and inefficient use of this nutrient means up to 80% of it leaks into the environment, mostly in various polluting forms of nitrogen: ammonia and nitrogen oxides, which are harmful air pollutants; nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas; and…