News
Displaying Results 26 - 50 of 146
Since September 2022, as part of “The Sustainability Pledge” initiative, UNECE has been working with fashion company Stella McCartney and its Cotton supplier SÖKTAS to trace a T-shirt made of jersey fabric through documentary evidence.
The UNECE blockchain platform allows to capture all actors…
For some time now, Uzbekistan has been engaged in various activities under the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention).
An international round table entitled “Aarhus Convention: Effective…
As the global economy emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and governments strengthen efforts to “build-back-better”, trade as an engine of growth has re-emerged in policy agendas. For developing countries and countries with economies in transition that are still in the process of accession to the…
For many people around the world, the work and achievements of the United Nations remain in the realms of grand summits of heads of state on pressing global issues, of diplomatic brokering of peace agreements, of urgent humanitarian interventions for people in the greatest need, and other high-…
Momentum is growing on the digitalization of the Middle Corridor, linking the European Union and Asia, through Central Asia, the Caucasus, Türkiye and Eastern Europe, through the use of UNECE and UN/CEFACT standards for digitalization of multimodal data and document exchange.
Representatives of…
Mining is an important sector and economic contributor in Central Asian countries due to their rich mineral base. However, the mining activities also generate huge amount of waste which can contain hazardous substances and must be safely stored in so-called tailings management facilities (TMFs).…
In the world grappling with the triple crisis, encompassing the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing regional conflicts, and climate change, disruptions of global supply chains are becoming more evident, resulting in the global trade slowdown. More specifically, these challenges have led to a significant…
In 2021, Chile was the world’s fourth largest importer of second-hand and unsold clothes, and the first in Latin America. Imports reached some 126,000 million tons, originating principally from China, the United States and the Republic of Korea.
About 40% of these clothes are imported through…
20 May marks the World Metrology Day, celebrating the international system of units, which coincides with the anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875. This treaty created the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) which coordinate international metrology and the…
Originally published as a guest article by IISD’s SDG Knowledge Hub.
How can we rescue the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and get in shape for Our Common Agenda for 2050? Part of the way forward is without doubt to embrace the digital and green transitions.
As we heard…
Young professionals from industry, academia, and civil society came together to discuss and explore solutions for sustainable resource management at the UNECE Resource Management Week 2023. Hosted by the UNECE Resource Management Young Member Group (RMYMG), the highly interactive session provided a…
Uzbekistan is one of the world's largest producers of gold and uranium. In the last 40 years, Uzbekistan has built a strong mining industry, which is expected to grow in the years to come, given that only 20 % of the country’s territory has yet been explored. The expected rise in the number and…
In a move towards sustainable resource management, several countries have presented case studies of how the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) can scale-up harmonized resource management. UNFC provides a common language and standards for the classification of all energy…
Countries are increasingly facing multiple interlinked environmental, social, economic and health challenges – climate change, pollution from chemicals and wastes, biodiversity loss and species extinction, deforestation, land degradation, emerging zoonotic diseases, and the impact of armed…
Halfway to 2030, the future we want seems to be still well out of reach. The 2023 SDG progress report for the UNECE Region, which informed discussions at the inclusive and 1000-strong Regional Forum on Sustainable Development held last week, showed that despite some bright spots, we face a troubled…
Prevention of and preparedness for industrial accidents require special attention in Tajikistan, a country with a strong mining industry. The mountainous terrain of mining sites makes them highly susceptible to earthquakes, mudflows and floods, which can provoke Natech events (natural hazards…
Industrial safety and the prevention of accidental water pollution were high on Kazakhstan’s agenda this week, with the Second Meeting of the Inter-institutional Working Group on Tailings Safety and the Prevention of Accidental Water Pollution (IIWG).
The meeting brought together more than 60…
Innovation and Technology, which is the focus of this year’s International Women’s Day, presents powerful opportunities for gender equality, and offers welcome hope at a time of great challenges for women’s empowerment. In fact, the regional progress report on the Sustainable Development Goals (…
While companies and stakeholders across industries will not tire to make promises that include their willingness to become more transparent, we still see little actual progress. Research by Deloitte has shown that 65% of procurement leaders across sectors have limited or no visibility beyond their…
Inland transport plays a crucial role in the global economy, connecting people, goods and services to markets and opportunities. However, the rapid growth in this sector has had a significant impact on the environment. The increasing demand for faster and more efficient modes of transport has led…
At its seventy-seventh meeting (Geneva, 13–16 December 2022), the Compliance Committee of the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) invited fourteen Parties to attend open sessions to…
With climate and biodiversity loss heading the news these days, another problem related to the planet we all share is often forgotten: air pollution. Air pollution has an enormous burden on public health, ecosystems, climate, and ultimately, the economy. Globally, the World Health Organization (…
The UNECE Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) continues to support actions to promote transparency in environmental matters across the globe. It drives the development of national legislation and practice towards a common set of international standards, bringing about…
During her recent two-day visit to Turkmenistan UNECE Executive Secretary Olga Algayerova spoke at international conference “Dialogue is a Guarantee of Peace” in Ashgabat and discussed areas of cooperation with the highest government officials, focusing on future circular, digital and green…
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres noted that two seismic shifts will shape the 21st century: the climate crisis and digital transformation. Just as international cooperation is crucial to preserving the health of the planet, it is also needed to reap the benefits of digital…