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Environment Press Releases

Displaying Results 151 - 175 of 328

In the Drina River Basin, shared mainly by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, addressing water pollution and improving water quality and monitoring have emerged as key dimensions of the challenges of ensuring sustainable development in a transboundary context. These are among the
The International Water Assessment Centre (IWAC), the collaborative centre of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention), was launched today in Astana, Kazakhstan.The Centre, which the Kazakh Government will be hosting in
Kazakhstan is underway to introduce a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) procedure in accordance with international standards as a tool for greening its economy. SEA enables governments to prevent irreversible and costly mistakes by integrating environmental considerations at an early
Today marks the entry into force of the second amendment to the UNECE Espoo Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context for Parties having ratified, approved or accepted it. The Espoo Convention, which celebrates the twentieth anniversary of its entry into force this
On 11 October 2017, Montenegro ratified the UNECE Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers, becoming the thirty-sixth Party to join this Protocol to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus
More than 400 participants from 58 countries gathered in Budva, Montenegro, this week to attend the sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention)
A series of explosions at a chemical plant in Texas following severe flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey highlight the risk of extreme weather-related industrial accidents and the urgent need to strengthen efforts for prevention and preparedness.The explosions, which were caused by the loss of
In June 2017, Ukraine ratified the Treaty between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on Cooperation in the Field of Protection and Sustainable Development of the Dniester River Basin so that the Treaty can enter into force. The ratification law was
A five-day event in Budva, Montenegro, will provide a platform for some 400 representatives of Governments, international organizations, civil society and other stakeholders to discuss achievements and challenges in promoting transparency, public participation in decision-making and access to
Strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context can play an important role in helping countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and address climate change. This was one of the central messages of the Meetings of the Parties (
Leaders of countries in Europe and Central Asia need to scale up action to prevent environment-related deaths and diseases affecting their populations. This is the call from the heads of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe), the United Nations Economic Commission
Over 200 Government officials, representatives of international organizations, international financial institutions (IFIs), civil society, academia and other stakeholders from some 50 countries will meet in Minsk, at the invitation of the Government of Belarus, from 13 to 16 June to take stock of
The Environmental Performance Review (EPR) of Mongolia kicked off today, 22 May 2017, with a field mission beginning in Ulaanbaatar. Fifteen experts from different countries and the United Nations secretariat will work in Mongolia for 10 days to review the country’s progress in improving
Despite development risks, an intensified cross-sectoral cooperation could have amplified economic benefits for countries of the transboundary Drina River Basin, mainly shared by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia. Basin-wide coordination to prioritize investments, taking into account
Twenty-five years ago today, a key regional instrument aimed at protecting people and the environment from the devastating effects of industrial accidents was adopted. On 17 March 1992 in Helsinki 26 countries and the European Union signed the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects
For all the countries sharing the Sava River Basin (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia), hydropower is a major source of energy, sometimes the main source (i.e., in Montenegro and in Croatia). Collectively, hydropower in from the Sava River constitutes 11% of the
Experts from UNECE member States and the secretariat will be visiting Albania from 31 January to 8 February 2017 for a field mission in the framework of the third environmental performance review (EPR) of the country. The third review of Albania will evaluate the country’s efforts to abate
Prevention of industrial accidents and preparedness to respond promptly if they occur were at the heart of the discussions in Ljubljana this week at the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents. Parties adopted a
On 22 November 2016, on the initiative of the current Council President (Senegal), for the first time the United Nations Security Council held an open debate on water, peace and security. In his opening remarks, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon highlighted the role of the UNECE Convention on the
In the pan-European region, diarrhoeal diseases still cause an estimated 14 deaths per day due to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene. Renewed momentum is therefore needed to address these persisting challenges.  An ambitious programme of work aimed at addressing these is to be adopted
630,000 Moldovan citizens (17% percent of the population of the Republic of Moldova) do not enjoy access to improved water supply systems and around one million citizens (28% of the population) do not have access to improved sanitation systems. In order to remedy this situation, the Ministers of
Industrial safety is a matter of serious concern for countries with economies in transition, which often face challenges in protecting lives and the health of people and the environment from industrial accidents. To assist its member States in coordinating their efforts aimed at safeguarding
On 11 July 2016, France approved the amendment on genetically modified organisms (GMO amendment) to the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention), raising the total number of the Parties
Food waste, ecosystem services and green public procurement among pledged topics forming new Batumi Initiative on Green EconomyCountries and stakeholders from the pan-European region have today agreed on a roadmap to speed up the transition to a Green Economy between now and 2030 and made an
Poor air quality, climate change, unhealthy lifestyles and the disconnection between people and the environment are increasingly affecting human health in the region, finds the latest Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6) assessment for the pan-European region, prepared by UNEP and UNECE with