News
Displaying Results 26 - 50 of 234
When the amendments to the Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone (Gothenburg Protocol) under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (Air Convention) were adopted in 2012, flexibilities were introduced to facilitate ratification by new…
Data published by the European Environment Agency and other research institutes have shown a sharp decline in air pollutant concentrations in many European cities where lockdown measures have been implemented. This specifically holds true for levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and the decrease is…
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted access to water and sanitation as the first line of defence, enabling people to frequently wash their hands in line with good hygiene practices. Governments must take all efforts to ensure equitable access, especially for vulnerable groups (people living in…
While the world is attempting to address major environmental problems of our times, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and deforestation, nitrogen pollution remains a major unresolved challenge, but has, so far, received very little attention from decision-makers. Everyone knows about…
Just about 6 months after the entry into force of amendments to the Gothenburg Protocol, representing an important step in international efforts to address the air pollution challenge, several expert groups under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution met virtually this…
UNECE and the European Union continue to support pilot applications of the Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) in Belarus and Georgia in the framework of the European Union Water Initiative Plus programme for the Eastern Partnership Countries (EUWI+). SEA is an essential planning tool for…
By enhancing transparency and accountability, Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) can play a central role in promoting peaceful and inclusive societies and good governance (Sustainable Development Goal 16) across the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. PRTRs can also make an…
The exchange of data and information on water resources in shared basins – which are home to over 40 per cent of the world’s population – is crucial for effective cooperation between countries in this critical area for sustainable development.Over 70 countries from Latin America, the Pan-…
Romania has requested UNECE to review its environmental performance for a third time. To provide the groundwork for the review, a team of UNECE and international experts will participate in a mission to the country from 3 to 11 December 2019.UNECE Environmental Performance Reviews (EPRs) offer a…
Transboundary water resources constitute nearly 80% of Africa’s freshwater resources. In this context, increased regional cooperation and joint planning, development and management of water investments and infrastructure are essential to meet targets for agricultural and industrial development,…
With a view to possible accession of Uganda to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention), a national meeting was organized on 15 November in collaboration with the Ugandan Ministry of Water and Environment to increase…
Cameroon shares most of its water resources - such as Lake Chad, the Congo, Sanaga and Niger rivers - with other states. Cooperation on these shared waters is therefore essential to ensure economic development and preserve regional stability.As a result, Cameroon is also a heavily involved in…
The economies of Central Asia rely heavily on activities that produce, process or use large quantities of hazardous substances. The mining waste generated by activities such as the extraction and processing of minerals and metals including mercury and uranium cannot be released into the…
Decision makers, local communities, private sector actors, academia and the public increasingly rely on environmental information when addressing multifaceted environmental challenges and pursuing sustainable development. New digital technologies, interoperability between different information…
Georgia is taking further steps towards the development of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and environmental impact assessment (EIA) systems that will help it in its efforts towards sustainable development. On 23 September, the draft law on EIA and SEA, which is now compliant with the…
How can we create new opportunities for integrated investment projects and to support sustainable development of water and energy resources in the Drina river basin, shared by Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia? How can potential trade-offs be limited in favour of harnessing…
Transboundary waters cover nearly half of the earth’s land surface and account for 60 per cent of global freshwater. Forty percent of the world`s population lives in shared basins, providing them with drinking and domestic water, irrigation for agriculture, enabling industries to function,…
We all have a role to play in shaping our environment. From local engagement in environmental decision-making to citizen involvement in climate action, the principle of “environmental democracy” can be a powerful driver of sustainable development. Sharing successful approaches to putting this…
To avoid damage to the environment, public health and the economy, adopting targets to reduce emissions and introducing measures to enforce them is essential. Providing a framework to facilitate these measures, UNECE assists countries in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia in…
From bad air quality in Paris, smog in New Delhi, air pollution alerts in Seoul – the air pollution problem, is omnipresent, particularly in big cities. Urgent efforts are needed to develop and implement the policies, investment programs and technologies required to reduce air pollution…
Four decades of experience under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (Air Convention) have demonstrated that ratification and implementation of the Convention and its protocols reduces health and environmental impacts in a more cost-effective way than unilateral action…
Air quality has become a key political issue in the Republic of Korea, prompting the Government to pass emergency measures and to invest heavily in the development of technologies to reduce fine dust pollution. With 40 years of experience, the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air…
The task of achieving effective and inclusive public participation in national, transboundary and international contexts was in the spotlight at the twenty-third meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention (Geneva, 26–28 June 2019). Two thematic sessions, one on public…
With 90% of water resources in Africa located in 63 transboundary basins, water management requires strong transboundary cooperation. This cooperation can bring multiple benefits in terms of human health, sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, ecosystem protection, peace and…
We all commute daily for work or leisure purposes. Public or private transport is an integral part of our lives and plays a fundamental role for social and economic development, connecting people and economies. At the same time, the transport sector puts significant pressures on the environment…