Preface

Preface

The “Environment for Europe” process, which is supported and contributed to by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), has worked since 1991 to strengthen international cooperation to protect and improve the environment across Europe.

At the fourth “Environment for Europe” Conference, in Aarhus, Denmark (1998), Environment Ministers recognized that mechanisms for coordinated monitoring, data collection, processing and management in the pan-European region were often inadequate. The difficulties were particularly acute in countries in transition, including the countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. For the Ministers, improving these mechanisms and state-of-the-environment information were top priorities.

To meet these goals, the UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy set up an Ad Hoc Working Group on Environment Monitoring in September 2000. The Working Group developed recommendations, proposed action plans and strengthened international initiatives within the UNECE region. It also supported the European Environment Agency in the preparation of the third pan-European environmental assessment report, the Kiev Assessment. At the fifth “Environment for Europe” Conference in Kiev, Ukraine (May 2003), Ministers approved an Environment Strategy for the Countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, with specific goals for the further strengthening of environmental monitoring and information management.

In October 2003, the UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy revised the Working Group’s 2000 terms of reference, transforming it into the Working Group on Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. One of its main tasks will be to act as facilitator to achieve the Environment Strategy’s goals on monitoring and information management.

This CD-ROM provides a sourcebook of Working Group documents on environmental monitoring and assessment in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Its contents include:

• Overviews of the challenges faced by the countries of the subregion in improving their environmental monitoring and assessment;
   
• Case studies of key aspects and national experience;
   
• Recommendations and guidance developed in the Working Group to help strengthen monitoring and assessment.

The CD-ROM is aimed at officials and experts working for environmental authorities in countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia and in other countries, environmental citizens’ organizations and researchers. It is my sincere hope that it will prove valuable to them.

BRIGITA SCHMOGNEROVÁ
Executive Secretary
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

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