UNECE

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Name	UNECE - United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Logo
Geographic Scope	Western, central and eastern Europe, central Asia and North America (55 member countries)
Subject Focus Expertise	Multiple subjects, aiming at providing a regional framework for the elaboration and harmonization of conventions, norms and standards...
Contact	E-mail: info.ece@unece.org
URL	http://www.unece.org

Mission/Mandate

UNECE is one of the five regional commissions of the UN. "It is the forum where the countries of western, central and eastern Europe, central Asia and North America – 55 countries in all – come together to forge the tools of their economic cooperation" in such areas as economics, statistics, environment, transport, trade, industry and enterprise development, sustainable energy, timber and habitat.

The Commission offers a regional framework for the elaboration and harmonization of conventions, norms and standards, such as the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes. The Commission's experts provide technical assistance to the countries of south-east Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): advisory services, training seminars and workshops "where countries in transition can share their experiences and receive support from other countries in the region."

UNECE strives to foster sustainable economic growth among its 55 member countries. To that end UNECE provides a forum for communication among States; brokers international legal instruments addressing trade, transport and the environment; and supplies statistics and economic and environmental analysis.

The broad aim of UNECE’s environment activities is to safeguard the environment and human health, and to promote sustainable development in its member countries in line with Agenda 21.

The practical aim is to reduce pollution so as to minimize environmental damage and avoid compromising environmental conditions for future generations. To this end, UNECE has adopted a four-pronged approach:

1. Its Committee on Environmental Policy brings together governments to formulate environmental policy and support its implementation by organizing seminars, workshops and advisory missions and providing a forum for sharing experiences and good practices.

2. UNECE also takes a very active role in certain regional and cross-sectoral processes, especially:

• ‘Environment for Europe’ Ministerial process
• Environment, transport and health
• Education for Sustainable Development

3. Through its environmental performance reviews, UNECE assesses individual countries’ efforts to bring down pollution levels and manage their natural resources, and makes recommendations to improve their environmental performance.

4. UNECE has negotiated five environmental treaties, all of which are now in force:

• Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution;
• Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context;
• Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes;
• Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents; and
• Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters.

Their governing bodies are serviced by the UNECE secretariat, which also helps them to monitor the implementation of the treaties.

Key Resources

See also complete list of WaterWiki-documented UNECE-Publications

Publications

UNECE Environmental Performance Reviews (EPF) / List of Countries reviewed:

- Albania Nov 2002 / Chapter 6: Water Management

- Armenia Sep 2000 / Chapter 8 'Water Management'

- Azerbaijan 2003 / Chapter 7 'Water Management'

- Belarus 2005 (draft); 1997 (in cooperation with OECD)

- Bosnia-Herzegovina 2004 / Chapter 7 'Water Management'

- Bulgaria Sep 2000 (Second Review) / Chapter 5 'Water Management'

- Croatia Sep 1999 / Chapter 6 'Water Management'

- Estonia Jan 1996 / Chapter 4 'Water Management

- Georgia 2003 / Chapter 7 'Water Management'

- Kazakhstan Sep 2000 / Chapter 7 'Water Management'

- Kyrgystan Sep 2000 / Chapter 6 'Water Management'

- Latvia Oct 1998 / Chapter 7 'Water Management' / 2000 Follow-up Report

- Lithuania Sep 1998 / Chapter 7 'Water Management' / 2000 Follow-up Report

- Macedonia 2002 / Chapter 6 'Water Management incl. Protection of Lakes'

- Moldova Nov 2005 (draft); (1998 / Chapter 5 'Water Management' / 2000 Follow-up Report)

- Romania Sept 2001 / Chapter 7 'Water Management'

- Russian Federation 1999 (undertaken by OECD in cooperation with UNECE)

- Serbia & Montenegro 2002 (Serbia part in Serbian) / Chapter 5 'Water Management'

- Slovenia 1997 / Chapter 5 'Water Manegement'

- Tajikistan 2004 (Russian Version) / Chapter 8 'Water Management'

- Ukraine Sep 1999 / Chapter 8 'Water Management'

- Uzbekistan Sep 2001 (Russian Version) / Chapter 5 'Water Resources management'

• International water law and the long path towards the human rights dimension: the UNECE Water and Health protocol
• Assessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and Groundwaters in the UNECE Region

Work on the Ground

• ENVSEC/UNEP - Environment & security assessment and capacity-building in the Amu-Darya river basin
• UNEP Support Programm for CA Countries on Johannesburg Plan and IWRM Plan by 2005
• Enhancing regional exchange of water resource information (CAREWIB phase II)
• Dam safety in Central Asia: capacity building and sub-regional cooperation
• Capacity for Water Cooperation Project
• Roadmap of the Kyrgyz National Policy Dialogue (NPD) on IWRM
• Transboundary Cooperation in the Chu-Talas River Basin

References

See also

External Resources

Attachments