Press Releases
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Forests cover 42 percent of the UNECE region, which embraces countries of North America, Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Forests are not only the dominant type of land cover but also a critical element for ecosystem maintenance and sustainability. While studies and reports on the region’s
The 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24), taking place in Katowice, Poland, from 2 to 14 December 2018, is discussing global action to reduce emissions and keep global warming within the temperature limits of the Paris Agreement. While
Mongolia is well on track with its efforts to implement and monitor the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and enjoys a remarkable ownership of the Sustainable Development Goals among public officials. Having made green development a clear policy objective, the country struggles to preserve
The Government of the Russian Federation has announced its decision to make a voluntary contribution of USD 2 million to the UN Road Safety Trust Fund, bringing total pledges to date to USD 19 million.The Russian Federation hosted the first Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Moscow
Sustainable development must be underpinned by sustainable energy systems. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country that is still heavily dependent on coal and large hydropower at 67% and 31% of total electricity production, respectively. Significant initiatives are emerging to use the country’s vast
Over the last few years, the world watched on as major environmental disasters that triggered technological accidents, such as Hurricane Harvey and the Fukushima power plant disaster, wreaked havoc on environments, lives and economies. Major accidents with far-reaching adverse effects can happen
Forests are rare in the Caucasus and Central Asia, and, as any rare good, should be valued, protected and cared for. This is because as of today still little is known about their values and state. To enhance the knowledge of forests in this
Man-made and technological disasters, whether caused by natural or man-made hazards, can cause severe damage to individuals, communities, economies, supply chains and the environment. Moreover, they may trigger secondary disasters, aggravating initial impacts. Industrial facilities, nuclear and
Quality infrastructure is required for the effective operation of domestic markets, and its international recognition is important to facilitate access to foreign markets. Past estimates by the OECD demonstrate that standards and related conformity assessment have an impact on 80% of the world’s
The Government of Azerbaijan and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) signed today a joint declaration on cooperation for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The document was signed by Ali Ahmadov, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Chairperson of the National
Energy efficiency remains a challenge for countries in the UNECE region. Existing technologies can reduce energy consumption by 30 to 50 percent in buildings without significantly increasing investment costs. Moreover, improving the energy performance of a residential building goes hand-in-hand
Road safety stakeholders from around the world have come together to advance the final steps in the operationalization of the United Nations Road Safety Trust Fund.Member States representing each of the United Nations Regions – Argentina, Lebanon, Nigeria, Russian Federation, Sweden – gathered
On 4 December 2018, more than 30 years after the transboundary environmental disaster at Sandoz, Schweizerhalle, and more than 25 years after the adoption of the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents, the 10th meeting of the Convention’s Conference of the Parties
The United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) is a universally acceptable and internationally applicable scheme for the sustainable management of all energy and mineral resources. It can harmonise data from different classification and reporting standards and also make a
On 19 November 2018, the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union (EU) adopted new conclusions on Water Diplomacy which underline the link between water, security and peace and promote accession to and implementation of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses
UNECE and the European Commission jointly hosted two sessions looking at the policy and investment options and challenges for scaling up deployment in Renewable energy and Energy efficiency and at the same time for durably addressing energy poverty and improving quality of life during the 9th
The Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which among other areas is responsible for the development of the country’s environmental policy, has presented amendments to the national environmental legislation. The purpose of the amendments is to introduce modern environmental
Transforming the energy system will require creative and innovative shifts in policy and regulation. In many countries, the current political, regulatory, and industrial infrastructure is not yet ready for a deep and accelerated transformation of aging infrastructure. Countries are not prepared
Spruce, pine and fir are the main families of coniferous trees fueling the global forest products sector. They provide the raw material for just under 60% of wood products in the world. Products derived from these species are used as construction materials for buildings, for paper and paper
Innovative and sustainably produced wood products, when coupled with sustainable forest management, can ‘build the future’ and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In a sector like construction, which globally accounts for 6% of total energy consumption
At the turn of their 50th anniversary, the Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals from 1968 are more relevant than ever. Whether helping to address the most critical road safety needs, or facilitating the development of automated driving functionalities, reference to
Given the many threats to global water supply, forest management and planning will increasingly need to deploy strategies for optimizing watershed services – such as water purification, the regulation of surface flows, and erosion control. The services provided by forest ecosystems for water
Road traffic fatalities in Nigeria kill an estimated 21 out of every 100,000 people, according to WHO estimates. Together with this human cost, an estimated 3% of the country’s GDP is lost to road traffic crashes each year.Less than a year after a capacity building national workshop on road
Ukraine is a country richly endowed with mineral resources. The minerals-based industries contribute approximately 10% of the GDP of Ukraine. The value of exports of mineral products and metals make up about 39.6% of the value of total commodity exports. The mining and metals sectors will
Efficient and interconnected transport corridors integrating all transport modes (so-called “intermodal transport”, smoothly integrating sea, rail, road and air) are key to facilitate commercial exchanges and movements of people in a safe, efficient and sustainable way, thus fostering economic