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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
Critical Raw Materials (CRM) like lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, graphite and rare earth elements are crucial for renewable energy technologies like solar panels, wind turbines and for battery production, driving the global shift to electrification. Yet with surging demand,
The global transport sector has the highest reliance on fossil fuels of any sector. In 2021 it accounted for almost one fourth of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The road transport sector, including passenger cars, buses, heavy and light duty commercial vehicles, is the major GHG contributor
Amid the proliferation of data related to climate change, the international statistical community has called at COP28 for greater coordination to improve statistics, address persistent gaps, and to fully leverage existing data systems for urgent climate action. This, as stressed in discussions
Climate investments of $1.6 to $3.8 trillion per year are needed from 2020 to 2050 to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement, according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). While green finance has more than tripled since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in
Countries that wish to harness the potential of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to advance the development, provision and operation of sustainable infrastructure and public services will find help in ensuring this is done in ways that support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) thanks to
In half of countries in Europe, North America and Central Asia with data, the belief that it is justifiable for a man to beat his wife is becoming more widespread.
This worrying trend stands out among the findings of the recent review of progress in the UNECE region towards priorities defined in
The UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety (Special Envoy) will travel to China to meet representatives from various sectors, advocating for effective implementation of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 with an aim of halving the number of victims on
Sweet potato is a tropical plant which, despite its name, is not related to potatoes. It is a nutritious food rich in vitamin A and C, antioxidants and phytochemicals. Furthermore, sweet potatoes are also a drought-tolerant vegetable, valued for their resilience in diverse agricultural systems. The
The majority of the buses and coaches currently in use worldwide are not equipped with safety-belts. And if they are, they are equipped with safety-belts designed to protect adults by means of 2-point or 3-point harness seat belts. These types of safety-belts are not suitable for use on and by
Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) are essential for the production and deployment of low-carbon technologies, such as wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles, and batteries. However, they also pose significant challenges regarding supply, demand, environmental and social impacts, and governance
New loan options with Performance-Based Payments (PBPs) will be made available to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and seven target groups of creditworthy but underserved individuals/households from North Macedonia. The loans are to be used for investments in renewable energy (RE) and
The UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, is visiting Saudi Arabia to meet Ministers and stakeholders from the private sector, calling for further actions to address the challenge of road safety. While Saudi Arabia has made significant progress in tackling its traffic
With the wider European region facing the impacts of several overlapping crises, including the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ripple effects of the war in Ukraine and other conflicts in the region, speakers at a high-level regional population conference in Geneva today stressed that
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) account for over 90 per cent of registered enterprises in the UNECE region, spreading from North America to Central Asia. These enterprises hold immense potential to drive the transition towards a circular and green economy due to their agility and
16 October 2023 – The UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, is gearing up for a crucial mission to India, where road safety challenges persist at alarming rates. According to the WHO, one of every 10 road deaths globally occurs in India. The visit, scheduled from 16-20
Leaders from over 40 cities worldwide have reaffirmed the value of sharing experience, knowhow and partnerships as part of an inclusive multilateral process at the Third UNECE Forum of Mayors.
City representatives shared their experiences in finding urban regeneration solutions that meet the
On 4 October 2023, North Macedonia became the 28th country to join the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health, thus committing to drive action on water, sanitation and hygiene, protecting its natural resources and fostering a healthier environment for its citizens.
The Protocol on Water
Faced with complex challenges of rapid urbanization, the cities of Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Podgorica (Montenegro) will benefit from new UNECE recommendations to help sharpen their efforts for smart and sustainable development. The Smart Sustainable City Profiles, presented today to the UNECE
The 3rd Forum of Mayors will bring together some 50 city leaders from around the world at the United Nations in Geneva on 2-3 October to share practical experiences of urban regeneration, and to help harness cities’ unique role in addressing some of the key challenges of our time.
Mayors will
The United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, Mr Jean Todt, and Jean-Charles Decaux, co-CEO of JCDecaux, launched today a new UN Global Road Safety campaign to address road traffic crashes, which are the leading cause of death for people aged 5 to 29 around the world.
Road
To meet the objectives of the Paris agreement, energy systems will need to undergo a profound transformation and become fully resilient, finding the right balance between the three pillars of resiliency (as defined in UNECE’s publication “Building Resilient Energy Systems”): energy security,
The decrease of air pollution achieved since the 1990s thanks to measures adopted under the Air Convention is leading to ongoing biological recovery from acidification in freshwater environments in Europe. This is the main finding of a new report published in the framework of the International
The Special Envoy Jean Todt will visit Honduras (August 21-22), El Salvador (August 23-24), Brazil (August 26-29), and Paraguay (August 30-31) to meet with ministers and representatives of the public and private sector and NGOs, to advocate for the effective implementation of the Global Plan for