News
Displaying Results 201 - 225 of 238
Afghan and Tajik officials met in Dushanbe on 22 and 23 October 2015 to discuss their bilateral water cooperation in the Pyanj River Basin. The meeting marked the fifth anniversary of the Afghan-Tajik bilateral water cooperation agreement, and a fruitful continuation of negotiations on a…
To share its experiences in tackling the emissions of key air pollutants in the pan-European region through the work under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, UNECE participated in a conference on “Clean air in China through effective compliance and enforcement”, which took…
What do we know about our exposure to hazardous substances by using cosmetics, food, toys, furniture, electronics, building materials and other everyday items? Do we know what hazardous substances, and how much, are being released into the environment from industrial or agricultural sites close…
The challenges posed by climate change to Central Asia, the likelihood of more frequent compound water-energy-food crises and the growing strain on the shared water resources of the region due to economic development and demographic growth require more intensive joint efforts by the countries of…
It is widely accepted that human activity has altered the balance of nutrients in ecosystems and has led to a nutrient overload. This has led to soil degradation, biodiversity loss and pollution of freshwaters. Major nutrients important for plant growth are carbon and nitrogen, among others.…
Thanks to the committed Aarhus Parties and stakeholders the Aarhus principles are guiding international decision-making on matters relating to the environment across the globe. A number of meetings related to the Aarhus Convention were held in Geneva from 15 to 19 June 2015. The Working Group of…
Several countries from outside the UNECE region expressed interest in acceding to the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) at the tenth meeting of the Working Group on Integrated Water Resources Management, held on 24…
A study recently published in the magazine Environmental Science and Technology suggests that a strong global programme to mitigate fine particulate matter (PM2.5) or “respirable particles” — a major component of outdoor air pollution — could avoid as many as 750,000 deaths annually in the world…
The UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) has been in force for almost 20 years. While it has strongly impacted cooperation on the ground in the ECE region and beyond, it has strangely not attracted much attention from…
Sustainable development is high on the United Nations agenda this year. To stand up for sustainable development and environmental protection, UNECE is contributing to World Environment Day celebrations taking place in Geneva from 3 to 5 June 2015. World Environment Day, celebrated annually on 5…
Georgia is preparing draft legislation on environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in accordance with the UNECE Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention), its Protocol on Strategic Environmental…
Emissions of air pollutants have been reduced considerably in the UNECE region over the past few decades as a result of integrated air pollution management strategies developed under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (Air Convention). However, as evidenced by recent…
Countries in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia need to increase water-use efficiency in view of pressures on the subregion’s water resources, in particular from economic development and climate change. Opportunities and challenges to achieve this were at the centre of the debates…
With help from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Belarus is currently assessing its legislation with a view to implementing the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment (Espoo Convention) and its Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (Protocol on SEA).…
While increasing carbon dioxide levels are the dominant factor contributing to climate change in the Arctic, short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) also play a significant role. Targeting SLCPs by reducing black carbon and methane emissions will help to slow Arctic warming in the near term.The…
The use of nitrogen fertilizers and the combustion of fossil fuels have led to a doubling of the flow of nitrogen compounds around the world in the past 100 years. Nitrogen (N) is important for plant growth and sufficient amounts are needed for plants to achieve optimum crop yields. However,…
Algeria and Morocco are currently looking into revising their national legislation on environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA) to reduce the environmental impact of economic activities both nationally and across borders, while ensuring sustainable…
UNECE will be contributing to the Seventh World Water Forum, to be held from 12 to 17 April in Daegu and Gyeongju, Republic of Korea. The Forum, the world’s largest meeting on water, is where the water community — policy and decision makers, parliamentarians, civil society and experts from…
Experts from UNECE member States and the secretariat are visiting Belarus from 17 to 25 March for a field mission in the framework of the third environmental performance review (EPR) of the country. Following today’s plenary meeting, the team will meet governmental officials and representatives…
Air pollution is a key factor in the degradation of surfaces of historical buildings and monuments. The impact of pollutants emitted into the atmosphere on materials is enormous and often irreversible. Corrosion caused by chemicals and soiling caused by particles can lead to economic losses but…
UNECE has been actively engaged in the preparations of the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (Sendai, 14-18 March). At the conference, UNECE Executive Secretary Christian Friis Bach will showcase at various sessions how UNECE work helps member States reduce disasters risks, build…
Azerbaijan is assessing a draft law on Environmental Impact Assessment prepared with support from UNECE. Following a first round of discussions with all stakeholders (representatives from the relevant Ministries, members of Parliament, local authorities, representatives from NGOs and the private…
What is the best way to effectively identify and notify the public concerned about proposed activities affecting the environment? Are countries providing early public participation when all options, including the “zero” option (doing nothing), are genuinely open? Is it right if at public…
A new study led by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) shows that current legislation in Europe, while significantly improving air quality, is insufficient to remove the region’s many pollution hotspots . Hosting a centre for the Co-operative Programme for…
The Executive Secretary will be in Madrid on 23 February to participate in the sixth meeting of the Environment and Health Ministerial Board. On this occasion the Ministers of Environment of Armenia, Montenegro, Portugal and the Russian Federation, who were appointed by the Committee on…