[Index]
Flagship UN air pollution treaty turns
25
Geneva, 29 November 2004 - For
25 years the Parties to the Convention
on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution
of the United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe (UNECE) have worked to control
air pollution. Over this time the Convention
has been one of the main means of protecting
public health and the environment from
the harmful effects of air pollution.
On 1 December its Parties will gather
at their annual meeting to celebrate its
25th anniversary and reflect upon their
priorities for future work. The UNECE
Executive Secretary, Mrs Brigita Schmögnerová,
and the Swiss Secretary of State for the
Environment, Mr Philippe Roch, will welcome
them.
Many countries, including
Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany,
Finland, Poland and Belgium, have been
holding their own celebrations to mark
the anniversary.
With its eight protocols,
the Convention has developed comprehensive
and strong commitments covering all major
pollutants (e.g. sulphur, nitrogen oxides,
heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants
and volatile organic compounds). It has
significantly improved the quality of
air we breathe and decreased the impacts
of air pollution on the environment (e.g.
acid rain). For example, compared to 1980,
sulphur emissions in Europe are down by
60% while in Canada and the United States
they are almost halved. However, there
is still much to do, both to meet the
goals already set and to set further targets
to better protect people and their environment.
For the anniversary event
in Geneva a number of special reports,
brochures and computer games are being
released. Also, the United Nations is
publishing a book on the history of the
Convention with forewords by the Secretary-General,
Mr Kofi Annan, and the UNECE Executive
Secretary.
In addition to the publications,
the secretariat has also received statements
of congratulations and comments on the
Convention’s work from Environment
Ministers of 30 countries. Delegates to
the special anniversary event will consider
these when planning the Convention’s
work.
For more information
about the events to mark the 25th anniversary
of the Convention or to obtain a copy
of its history, please contact:
Keith BULL
Environment and Human Settlements
Division
United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe (UNECE)
Palais des Nations, office 346
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: +41(0)22 917 23 54
Fax: +41(0)22 917 06 21
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/
Ref: ECE/ENV/04/P19