In response to the rapidly changing environmental, economic and social challenges
of the UNECE region, the Committee on Environmental Policy, through its flexible
approach and focused result orientation, has contributed to the strengthening
of environmental governance in the countries. During a decade of expanding
work programmes serviced by the Environment, Housing and Land Management Division,
the Committee has engaged in regional and national dialogues, in particular
through peer reviews of Environmental Performance Reviews. The Committee has
contributed substantively to the “Environment for Europe“ process,
developed legally binding instruments, and set up the Transport, Health and
Environmental Pan-European Programme and the Education for Sustainable Development
Strategy. The Committee, together with the governing bodies of the UNECE Environmental
Conventions, represents a unique consensus-based policy forum for discussing
environmental issues and bringing forward regional priorities.
Building on progress achieved so far, it is envisaged that the Committee
should continue to play a key role in safeguarding the environment with regard
to the new policy challenges. It will continue to tailor its activities to
support the less well-off countries in transition, thus ensuring that disparities
in environmental performance between subregions will decrease in the future.
One of the crucial challenges is the ability of UNECE to attract broad and
active participation, both with regard to the transatlantic dimension and
to the non-acceding countries in transition. Even if the latter value their
bilateral contacts with the European Union, and some of them aspire to membership
in the future, they still lack a multilateral forum other than UNECE to have
an impact on events in the region. This means that fund-raising to support
the participation in UNECE meetings by experts from lower-income countries
will continue to be important.
To strengthen environmental governance, the Committee will carry out second
Environmental Performance Reviews, taking into account the recommendations
that Ministers will adopt at the Belgrade Conference in October 2007.
In the framework of cooperation among the UNECE conventions’ governing
bodies, the Committee will continue to encourage the sharing of information
and seeking interlinkages. Important synergies can come from experiences with
the different conventions regarding ratification, financing of implementation,
compliance, public participation and access to information, reporting and
management, capacity-building, institutional aspects and outreach. The Committee
can contribute to the work of the conventions, in particular in the area of
capacity-building as well as by promoting coordination at the national level.
Integrating environmental concerns into sectoral policies has been a major
aim of the Committee. Cross-sectoral cooperation within the UNECE as well
as with other international organizations such as the World Health Organization’s
Regional Office for Europe (WHO/EURO) and UNESCO have contributed to the establishment
of the Programmes on Transport, Health and Environment (THE PEP) and on Education
for Sustainable Development. Experience in cross-sectoral cooperation has
shown how difficult it often is to achieve results. To that end, the implementation
of instruments relevant for cross-sectoral integration and their efficiency
and effectiveness should be improved.
“Environment for Europe”
The Committee will continue to collaborate with all partner organizations
in the “Environment for Europe” process and to respect their independent
responsibilities and contributions. The Committee is also ready to take up
overarching responsibilities such as monitoring the implementation of the
decisions made at the Sixth Ministerial Conference “Environment for
Europe”, to be held in Belgrade, Serbia, in October 2007.
Since its beginnings in 1991, the “Environment for Europe” process
has developed into a unique partnership of member States within the UNECE
region, organizations in the United Nations system, other intergovernmental
organizations, regional environment centres, non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) and other stakeholders. UNECE, which has been closely associated with
the “Environment for Europe” since the beginning, serves as secretariat
to the process, and also pursues many substantial initiatives that were launched
at the Ministerial Conferences.
The basic objectives of the process, namely to harmonize environmental quality
and policies on the continent and to secure its peace, stability and sustainable
development, are as relevant today as they were 16 years ago. There is an
urgent need for further integration of environmental considerations into all
sectoral policies, so that economic growth takes place in accordance with
principles of sustainable development.
The process has led to major achievements in many different areas: the state
of Europe’s environment is regularly assessed by the European Environment
Agency in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),
UNECE and other partners, providing a sound basis for policy decisions. UNECE
is working with its member States, particularly those in Eastern Europe, the
Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA), to improve their mechanisms for collecting
and processing reliable environmental data and to help them make these data
available to the public.
The “Environment for Europe” process has also been an important
driving force and a political forum for the development and adoption of regional
multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), such as the Aarhus Convention
on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access
to Justice in Environmental Matters in 1998, and the adoption and opening
for signature of three Protocols to UNECE conventions in 2003. The process
has also led to the launching and adoption of soft law instruments, such as
the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy, and more recently
the Environmental Strategy for EECCA countries (EECCA Strategy) and the UNECE
Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development.
Also, several mechanisms have been put in place to assist countries with
the development and implementation of their national environmental policies
and to facilitate coordination between international financial institutions
and donors wanting to invest in environmental protection in the EECCA region
(e.g. Environmental Action Programme (EAP) Task Force, Project Preparation
Committee).
The Belgrade Conference, a major political event bringing together all important
environmental players in the UNECE region, will assess progress in the implementation
of the above decisions and commitments and address the need for additional
measures in, inter alia, education for sustainable development, environmental
policy and international competitiveness, sustainable production and consumption
patterns, and energy efficiency. The Conference will also consider the future
institutional set-up and substantive priorities of the “Environment
for Europe” process. While the Ministerial Conferences remain an important
political platform for all UNECE member countries, the focus of the work has
shifted in recent years from the new EU member countries to the countries
of South-Eastern Europe (SEE) and EECCA. As the various subregions of the
UNECE increasingly face different challenges, the Belgrade Conference may
also consider how these differences can be duly taken into account in the
future process.
Commission on Sustainable Development
In accordance with the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable
Development (WSSD) of 2002, the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD),
at its eleventh session in May 2003, invited the regional commissions to consider
organizing regional implementation meetings in collaboration with other regional
and subregional organizations to provide regional inputs to discussions of
the CSD.
UNECE has organized two Regional Implementation Meetings (in preparation
for CSD-12 and CSD-14) to assess and review important areas such as water
and sanitation and energy. CSD-16, to be held in April/May 2008, will start
a new two-year cycle with focuses on agriculture and land issues and on Africa.
The UNECE region is expected to provide inputs not only with regard to progress
and challenges in its member countries, but also from a donor perspective,
particularly for Africa. To this end, UNECE will hold the Third Regional Implementation
Forum in the beginning of 2008.
UNECE Environmental Conventions
The multilateral environmental agreements of UNECE have an increasing impact
upon the region as the numbers of parties increase, programmes of work develop
and implementation of their provisions is accomplished. All five Conventions
have brought about major success in improving the environment across the region
and have enjoyed the support of countries throughout UNECE. Even so, challenges
remain. The Convention governing bodies are aware that implementation is not
always effective across the region and that there are still issues to address,
many of them common to several Conventions. These common issues, as well as
indicators of progress made and lessons learned will be brought before ministers
at the Belgrade Conference with recommendations for future action.
A particular challenge is the EECCA and SEE subregions. Many countries from
these subregions are not yet party to many instruments and have expressed
concern about the difficulties they face in accession. This is a priority
issue for UNECE, and the MEAs are working hard to define the problems and
find solutions.
Most MEAs have developed reporting and compliance regimes which are playing
a major role in assessing the effectiveness of the instruments and ensuring
that Parties meet the obligations to which they are signed. While these are
targeted at countries that are already party to MEAs, results show there is
an important need to draw Parties’ attention to the requirements of
implementation. Reporting can also demonstrate to the “outside world” the
effectiveness of the instruments and give strength to what many consider “soft
law” instruments.
The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and
its eight protocols have been successful in cutting emissions of major pollutants
across the region. Sulphur dioxide levels have fallen since 1980, with a 65
per cent decrease in Europe since 1990. But there are still challenges ahead.
While acidification is no longer a widespread problem, nitrogen deposition,
particulate matter, and ozone still give cause for concern. Targeting specific
emission sources such as international ship emissions and developing combined
strategies to cut emissions of pollution and greenhouse gases are likely to
be important mechanisms for future success.
The Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents has
successfully contributed to improving industrial safety throughout the region.
It helps countries to prevent industrial accidents that may have transboundary
effects, to prepare for them in case they occur, and to respond to them if
they do. It also encourages countries to assist one another in the event of
an accident, cooperate on research and development, and exchange information
and technology. Future challenges are to enhance cooperation between countries
and strengthen the Convention’s implementation, especially in countries
with economies in transition. To this end, the Convention organizes an Assistance
Programme for these countries.
Recent review of the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment
in a Transboundary Context showed increased application of its
provisions to transboundary projects; the Convention has helped provide
information on the transboundary environmental impacts of projects. However,
the Convention’s application can be further improved, for example
by the organization of public participation in a transboundary context,
which is a major challenge. Practical issues too, like the translation of
documents for authorities in “affected countries”, merit improvement;
some Parties consider this the responsibility of the “Party of Origin”,
but others have indicated that responsibility for translation varies from
case to case.
The Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in
Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus
Convention), which entered into force in 2001, has 40 Parties including
the European Community. Regarded as the world’s leading international
instrument on procedural environmental rights, the Aarhus Convention has
prompted countries from throughout Europe and Central Asia to take steps
to strengthen their laws and practices. As well as promoting environmental
protection and sustainable development, the Convention is a tool for furthering
democratization and human rights.
In the 10 years since its entry into force, the Convention on the
Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes has
provided a sound legal framework for transboundary water cooperation and
has been the basis for many agreements (e.g. Danube, Rhine, Estonian-Russian).
Challenges remain to establish efficient joint institutions to manage resources
in an integrated way and to develop joint river basin management plans addressing
old and emerging issues such as point source and diffuse pollution, and
climate change mitigation and adaptation. The entry into force in 2005 of
the Protocol on Water and Health, serviced by a joint UNECE-WHO/Europe secretariat
has triggered an intense implementation roadmap to establish appropriate
targets and target dates for providing safe water and adequate sanitation
for all and for curbing water-related disease through better water management.
Following up on their successes within the region, most MEAs are looking
to share knowledge and experience outside the region. Some instruments are
already open to countries outside the region; several others have taken steps
to become open through amendment of the legal text. Such amendments, however,
may take some time to enter into force. Some Conventions are therefore making
special efforts to link with non-UNECE countries and networks with similar
interests and to “globalize” the Convention through this means.
Mr. Miroslav Spasojević
Chairman of the Ad Hoc Working Group
of Senior Officials “Environment for Europe”
In October 2007, Serbia has the pleasure to host the Sixth Ministerial
Conference “Environment
for Europe” in Belgrade. “Building Bridges to the Future” is
the overall theme for this important gathering of Ministers of Environment
and Education, high-level representatives of international organizations,
environmental NGOs and other civil society representatives. I expect
the Conference to make important contributions in several areas to the
further development of environmental policies in the UNECE region. Ministers
are expected to adopt a Declaration which will focus on the state of the
environment in the region, the state of implementation of multilateral
environmental agreements and other commitments, the need for capacity-building
and partnerships in important areas like energy and sustainable production
and consumption patterns, and on the goals and focus for the future of
the “Environment for Europe” process.
The particular challenges and needs both of the SEE and the EECCA regions
will also be addressed.
UNECE is our main partner in steering the preparations for this Conference.
The “Environment for Europe” process with all its partners is
a complex endeavour, and it greatly facilitates the host country’s
task to benefit from a conference secretariat that brings the institutional
memory, experiences and lessons learned during five earlier conferences
to the table. In addition to this institutional knowledge, the UNECE Environment,
Housing and Land Management Division also provides considerable substantive
inputs through its programme of work. This applies to the Working Group
on Monitoring and Assessment as an important forum for the consultation
of the European Environment Agency (EEA) Belgrade Assessment Report and
through its work with member States, particularly in the EECCA region,
to improve their mechanisms for collecting and processing reliable environmental
data. The Environmental Performance Reviews (EPRs) of the UNECE provide
important insights into the challenges that individual member countries
face. Serbia will present its own EPR at the Belgrade Conference. Other
issues to be addressed at the Conference, like the implementation of legal
instruments on the environment, water and sanitation, energy efficiency
and education for sustainable development, will also benefit from substantive
UNECE input.
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