Geneva
The Committee on Environmental Policy of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) concluded on 27 May 2011 its special session devoted to the final preparatory activities for the Seventh Ministerial Conference to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 21 to 23 September 2011. The Committee approved the draft ministerial declaration which outlines the pan-European agenda for the upcoming years on the two major themes of the Conference: “Sustainable management of water and water-related ecosystems” and “Greening the economy: mainstreaming the environment into economic development”. The Committee also approved two substantive documents prepared on these themes.
The Committee welcomed the draft of the “Europe's Environment: An Assessment of Assessments” report prepared by the European Environment Agency. The report will review some 900 national and international assessments on the two themes of the Astana Conference that have been published in the region over the past 5 years. The Committee supported the proposal of the UNECE Steering Group on Environmental Assessments to establish a regular process of environmental assessment and develop ae Shared Environment Information System to support environmental governance. The Committee welcomed the progress made in preparing the Second Assessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and Groundwaters in the UNECE region for the Astana Conference.
The Committee welcomed the Astana Water Action – an initiative proposed by the Bureau of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) – and approved it as a Conference outcome. The Astana Water Action is a set of recommended measures for improving water quality and water-related ecosystems through their sustainable management.
Kazakhstan presented an initial proposal for a Partnership Programme of the “Green Bridge” Initiative for the period 2011–2020. The main aim of the programme is to develop partnerships between countries of the pan-European and the Asia-Pacific regions to help the transition from traditional economic models to a green economy. The Committee welcomed the intention of the host country to continue developing the Partnership Programme so as to bring to the Astana Conference detailed proposals and possible commitments by interested partners.
The Committee on Environmental Policy also approved recommendations for the second Environmental Performance Reviews of Tajikistan and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and approved the launch of a third cycle of Reviews at the Astana Ministerial Conference.
Documents and materials of the special session of the Committee on Environmental Policy are posted at: http://www.unece.org/env/cep/2011SpecialSessionMay.html
Information on the Astana EfE Ministerial Conference is available at: http://www.unece.org/env/efe/Astana/welcome.html
Delegations are invited to register in accordance with the approved registration procedure by 15 July 2011 http://www.unece.org/env/efe/Astana/participation.html
For more information, please contact:

Ref: ECE/ENV/11/P22