News
Displaying Results 1 - 25 of 132
Zimbabwe, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, lies entirely within a total of five transboundary river basins (Buzi, Limpopo, Pungwe, Save and Zambezi) and one international lake (Kariba) while the number of transboundary aquifers is yet to be ascertained. These transboundary basins create…
Central Asia is well placed to produce fresh and dried fruit and vegetables. Countries like Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are important producers of dried fruit, in particular apricots. However, traders from the region have been facing challenges with diversifying their export portfolios…
Mediterranean countries come together to increase climate resilience of water and sanitation sectors
The Mediterranean region is warming 20% faster than the global average and for every 1-degree global temperature increase, it would warm up by at least 1.5-2 degrees. This is severely impacting water and sanitation and the health and well-being of the region’s population. According to the World…
In an important move to secure the supply of essential raw materials, the European Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) entered into force on 23 May 2024. This legislation is a cornerstone in enhancing the EU's capabilities in sourcing, processing, and recycling critical raw materials (CRMs), which…
Addressing ministers at the 2024 International Transport Forum Summit (ITF24) in Leipzig, UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean recalled that 152 United Nations Member States are contracting parties to at least one of the 61 transport conventions hosted by UNECE. These legal instruments help to…
Extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change increasingly threaten the ability of countries worldwide, including those in the UNECE region, to sustain safe, reliable, and equitable transport and mobility.
Adapting to future impacts of climate change is therefore no longer a concern to be…
In the face of global crises, progressing towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16—promoting peaceful, inclusive societies, justice for all, and accountable institutions—is a cross-cutting enabler for the 2030 Agenda. SDG16 intertwines with the other SDGs, underscoring the importance of…
In her opening remarks at the 8th edition of the UNECE International PPP Forum, UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean emphasized the urgency of accelerating the implementation of the SDGs and climate action through sustainable Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and infrastructure finance. …
Addressing the Tashkent International Investment Forum (2-3 May 2024), UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean called for the mobilization of private sector investments to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to foster regional cooperation in Central Asia.…
As we move beyond the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda and with only 12% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on track, an immediate, globally coordinated push to meet the 2030 deadline is urgently needed. Sustainable Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and infrastructure finance are central in…
UNECE Resource Management Week 2024 spotlighted the growing roles of the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) and the United Nations Resource Management System (UNRMS) in promoting sustainable development through enhanced integration and effective management of natural…
Iraq grapples with severe water challenges exacerbated by climate change, population growth, upstream dam construction, and decades of conflict and instability. The Euphrates and Tigris rivers, vital lifelines for the region’s agriculture, ecosystems, and communities, face increasing threats from…
The Water Convention has facilitated the First round of Technical & Planning Negotiations of the Draft ‘Agreement on the Establishment of the Luapula River and Lake Mweru Authority between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia on 18 and 19 April, concerning the transboundary Lake…
On 29 February 2024 Zambia declared a National Crisis and Emergency regarding a drought gripping the country and which has decimated food and energy supply. Other Southern African countries have declared similar National Emergencies due to severe drought, including Zimbabwe in April. Severe…
Preventing accidental water pollution remains a key challenge for many countries within and beyond the UNECE region. Approximately 60% of the world’s freshwater flows occur in transboundary river basins where 40% of the world’s population live. Countries rely increasingly on transboundary water…
Critical minerals are essential for the energy transition as are intergenerational equity in resource management and the engagement of youth. With this in mind "Critical Minerals for the Sustainable Energy Transition: A Guidebook to Support Intergenerational Action” was launched today at the UNECE…
Much of Chad's water resources are shared, notably the Lake Chad basin and its many tributaries and distributaries (shared with Cameroon, Central African Republic, Libya, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan and Algeria), the Niger River basin (shared with Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea,…
Guaranteeing safe access to drinking water and sanitation remains a challenge in the pan-European region, with 16 million people still lacking access to basic drinking water services and over 29 million people not having access to basic sanitation, including hundreds of thousands who have to…
Infrastructure projects are crucial for sustainable development, impacting not just economies but also communities and the environment. The tangible benefits they bring to people's lives can have a transformative effect and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However,…
Around 3.6 billion people live in contexts that are highly vulnerable to climate change and many of them are in transboundary basins. Droughts do not recognize borders, pose transboundary risks, and require cooperation to address them. The 6th IPCC assessment (2022) and the IPCC synthesis (2023)…
The raw materials sector is at the forefront of global challenges and opportunities of the 21st century, as it plays a vital role in the energy, transport, and digital transitions required to mitigate and adapt to climate change. However, the sector also faces significant pressures from consumers,…
In recent years, Montenegro and its capital city, Podgorica, have been committed to accelerate sustainable and smart urban development through a variety of ambitious national and regional and local measures, such as digitalization of public services, modernization of public transport, and to…
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require a massive transformation of our economies and societies, and a shift towards more sustainable patterns of production and consumption. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are a powerful tool to support this transformation, as they can mobilise private…
The transport sector is responsible for 23% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with road transport accounting for around 77% of these emissions. As populations, economies, and the need for mobility grow, the World Bank estimates that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport could increase by…
Sierra Leone shares four major rivers with the neighbouring countries of Guinea and Liberia, including the Great Scarcies, Little Scarcies and Moa shared with Guinea, and Mano River shared with Liberia. All provide crucial freshwater that sustains ecosystems, livelihoods and the well-being of…