Press Releases
Displaying Results 1 - 25 of 155
Indicators are vital tools in environmental and economic policymaking. They simplify complex issues into manageable metrics, guiding decision-making, assessing performance and ensuring accountability. By providing a structured approach, indicators help set objectives, monitor progress and evaluate
Critical raw materials (CRMs) such as copper, lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements are essential for the energy transition, but their extraction often causes deforestation, water pollution, and social disruption, especially in vulnerable communities.
To help shift current CRM governance
In response to severe drought and ongoing water scarcity, Zambia has joined the UN Water Convention to improve water management both within and across its borders. The country, which declared a National Crisis and Emergency in February 2024 due to a drought that has severely impacted food and
While the world is gearing up for the summit of the future and the climate COP 29 to find solutions to global crises, another problem related to the planet we all share is often overlooked: air pollution. On International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, celebrated on 7 September every year, we
The UNECE Trees in Cities Challenge, a global effort to enhance urban greening, reduce extreme heat events and improve air quality, has reached a significant milestone. Since its launch in 2019, the initiative has facilitated the planting of 18.5 million trees in cities worldwide, more than double
Zimbabwe, a landlocked country in drought-stricken Southern Africa, has joined the UN Water Convention in a clear demonstration of political will for water cooperation across borders. Home to some 17 million people, Zimbabwe faces pressing water challenges linked to climate change and competing
Faced with increasing water stress and climate change impacts on the water resources it shares with its neighbours, Cote d’Ivoire has joined the United Nations Water Convention – a UN treaty to improve joint water management across borders.
It is the 53rd Party to the Convention and 10th African
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and The United Nations Climate Change High-Level Champions (Climate Champions) have launched a call for advanced-stage clean energy projects in the Western Balkans, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Eastern and Southeast Europe to be presented to
In the declaration issued following their latest meeting in Milan, G7 transport ministers have recognized the role of UNECE in advancing sustainable low-carbon mobility. In particular, they welcomed the recently adopted UNECE Strategy on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Inland Transport,
In Cornwall, United Kingdom, a pioneering initiative is underway to optimize resource management for critical raw materials projects. Applying the United Nations Resource Management System (UNRMS) is helping to transform the region's approach to resource extraction, processing, and sustainability.
“Action for water is action for peace…Achieving it relies on far greater cooperation…We must accelerate efforts to work together across borders, and I urge all countries to join and implement the United Nations Water Convention – which promotes managing shared water resources sustainably.”
In
In a world grappling with the escalating crisis of global warming – evidenced by the accelerated melting of glaciers worldwide – the imperative for action has never been greater. Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion are the foremost contributor to global warming, accounting for a
Tackling emissions of methane now is essential to meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels by 2050. With political momentum building fast for methane mitigation and, as emissions measurement continues to sharpen through satellite and other
Faced with increasing impacts of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, which together constitute the “triple planetary crisis”, no country can act alone. Like nature itself, these challenges know no borders, which makes international cooperation a crucial part of action to address them
On 28 February 2024, the UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention, Michel Forst, released a position paper on state repression of environmental protest and civil disobedience: a major threat to human rights and democracy.
The position paper provides an overview
UN member States took a decisive step towards sustainable low carbon mobility with the adoption on 23 February of the Inland Transport Committee’s (ITC) Strategy on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Inland Transport.
Transport accounts for some 23% of annual GHG emissions. Inland transport
Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) will be at the forefront of discussions at the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) on how to tackle the triple planetary crisis.
Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean will lead a UNECE delegation to UNEA-6, the world’s
Efforts to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 are facing strong headwinds from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, shocks arising from climate change and the war against Ukraine, high interest rates and still-elevated inflation.
New data available for this year’s report on
In her first visit to Brussels as UNECE Executive Secretary, Tatiana Molcean held strategic discussions this week with European Commissioners for environment and energy, and high-level officials responsible for industrial policy, trade and cooperation with EU acceding, candidate and neighbouring
Uzbekistan has joined to the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health, thereby becoming its 29th Party and the first country in Central Asia to join this treaty. Accession to the Protocol is expected to serve as a catalyst to further drive and streamline national action on water, sanitation,
Batteries fitted to electric vans will be required to be of high quality and durable over the years thanks to a proposal agreed today by UNECE’s Working Party on Pollution and Energy (GRPE).
The proposal will now be submitted to the UNECE-hosted World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle
Today, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan signed a joint statement on the approval of the Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the Chu and Talas river basins aimed at effective transboundary cooperation in the context of climate change to ensure health, security and economic well-being for the 3 million
Nitrogen, which is vital for plant growth, is present in animal excreta and synthetic fertilisers that are applied to land to boost crop production. But excessive and inefficient use of this nutrient means up to 80% of it leaks into the environment, mostly in various polluting forms of nitrogen:
Climate change is a major stress factor for the world’s water resources, heightening risks of conflict in shared basins, threatening health and undermining sustainable development.
During high-level discussions held at COP28 on the thematic days on Peace, Security, and Health and on Agriculture
Cities are a major driver of climate change, responsible for an estimated 75% of all carbon dioxide emissions globally. With two thirds of humanity projected to live in cities by 2050, cities are at the center of climate action. We need solutions to reduce urban greenhouse gas emissions and develop