UNECE @ COP29: mobilizing for climate action
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
UNECE fosters sustainable development by translating #GlobalGoals into norms and conventions that impact people’s lives
As leaders gather in Baku, Azerbaijan for the COP29 Azerbaijan United Nations Climate Change Conference (11-22 November), Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean will lead a UNECE delegation that will be fully engaged to support urgently-needed climate action, leveraging cooperation and its practical resources in key areas. UNECE will participate in the presentation of COP29 Presidency Energy Initiatives on Green Energy Zones and Corridors, Storage and Grids, and Hydrogen, and on Water for Climate: Integrating Water Solutions into NDCs and NAPs. Other highlights from UNECE participation in over 50 events include high-level discussions on: decarbonizing transport through policies and strategies for civil aviation, maritime and inland transport (including through the ITC decarbonization strategy); climate action in cities, drawing on insights from UNECE’s Forum of Mayors and beyond; and strengthening cooperation for climate action and innovation in Central Asia under SPECA. Ten energy transition projects from Central Asia and the Western Balkans, evaluated using UNECE’s PIERS methodology, will also be showcased to investors. Read more
THE PEP
Pan-European Strategy aims to align Transport, Health and Environment policies by 2050
Transport plays a crucial role in society and in the economy, enabling access to jobs, services and people, while driving trade and tourism. However, it also brings significant socioeconomic, environmental and health challenges. In most countries, public policies at all levels do not deal with transport, health, environment, and urban planning issues holistically. This is about to change thanks to the adoption of the first Pan-European Strategy on Transport, Health and Environment – the result of a vision that connects transport policies with health and environmental goals. The strategy, adopted last week in Geneva at the 22nd session of the Steering Committee of the Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme (THE PEP), lays out a road map for the transformation of transport systems by 2050, promoting sustainable urban mobility, cleaner technologies and climate resilience. This brings synergies with other UNECE initiatives, such as the Inland Transport Committee's Strategy on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Inland Transport. Read more
Trade
UNECE launches declaration on products with embedded AI
In response to the rapidly growing complexities of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies embedded in everyday products and services, the UNECE Working Party on Regulatory Cooperation and Standardization Policies (WP.6) has issued a declaration aimed at fostering increased global regulatory coherence. This landmark initiative addresses the urgent need for a coherent, international approach to regulating AI embedded in products, such as consumer electronics, medical devices, and industrial systems and machinery. The declaration builds upon the related Overarching Common Regulatory Arrangements (CRA), a framework designed to support the development of voluntary regulatory cooperation between governments, while safeguarding global trade and technological advancements. It provides a unique platform for global regulatory collaboration, offering a flexible, non-binding methodology that adapts to the maturity levels of participating agencies. The end goal is to ensure that products entered onto the market are safe for consumers and that the AI elements do not negatively impact human autonomy, mental wellbeing or individual freedoms. Read more
Publication of the Week
Road safety
One month after the tragic school bus crash in Khu Khot, UN Special Envoy for Road Safety launches the UN campaign for road safety in Thailand
The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, visited Bangkok from 30 October to 6 November 2024, meeting with the Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, key government officials, representatives of the international community, private, and public sectors to promote road safety initiatives and advocate for enhanced measures, particularly on wearing quality helmets. His visit was also the occasion to launch the United Nations -JCDecaux campaign Make a Safety Statement in the country. The Special Envoy also spoke at the United Nations ESCAP /Alliance française Road Safety Seminar on 4 November. The visit of the Special Envoy came one month after the tragic bus road crash which caught fire while travelling on an outbound lane in Khu Khot in the Pathum Thani Province, resulting in 23 deaths of which were mainly school students. According to the World Health Organizations, road crashes kill 18,218 people in Thailand each year, representing a road traffic fatality rate of 25/100,000 population, while the rate is in 15.7/100,000 in South-East Asia and 6.5/100,000 in Europe. Read more
Public-private partnerships
Accelerating climate action through UNECE PIERS methodology
The UNECE region remains a significant source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing to 34% of the world’s CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Infrastructure alone is responsible for a staggering 79% of all GHG emissions worldwide. Sustainable and climate finance in infrastructure is crucial for the SDGs. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are an essential mechanism for countries to bridge the SDG-financing gap. Meeting the energy transition targets set by the Paris Agreement requires an annual investment of USD 5 trillion by 2030 in the energy sector alone. To ensure PPP and infrastructure projects are aligned with the SDGs, the UNECE “PPPs for the SDGs” approach emphasizes creating value for people and value for the planet, focusing on the most vulnerable. UNECE's flagship PIERS methodology assists governments, private companies, and financial actors in aligning their PPP and infrastructure projects with the SDGs, integrating climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in its evaluation and scoring process. Read more
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Water
Parties strengthen UN Water Convention to jointly address global water crises
Nearly 100 countries gathered in Ljubljana for the 10th session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP10) to the Water Convention (23-25 October), organized by UNECE in cooperation with the Government of Slovenia, to discuss how the Convention can help advance transboundary cooperation and increase resilience to climate change. Held at a time of increasing water-related crises, MOP10 brought together 500 participants, including over 40 high-level representatives. The high-level segment underscored how transboundary cooperation enhances the effectiveness of both climate change adaptation and mitigation, as well as strategies to strengthen the robustness of cooperation arrangements. Since the last session of the Meeting of the Parties in October 2021, nine new countries from three continents have joined the Water Convention, marking a 20% increase in Parties and underscoring the Convention’s growing global relevance as a unique multilateral framework for water cooperation. Read more
Public-private partnerships
UNECE supports Tajikistan to align its PPP and infrastructure projects with the SDGs
With 15 Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) projects currently implemented, Tajikistan is making significant progress in developing its infrastructure and public services across key sectors such as transport, energy, and water. By the end of 2024, the PPP Council of Tajikistan plans to add six new PPP projects to the pipeline valued at USD47 million, which are expected to provide a significant boost to the economy, including creating more than 100 new jobs. To further enhance its PPP environment, attract critical financing, and promote socioeconomic development, the Government of Tajikistan is updating its legislation on PPPs and Concessions, as well as developing a “State Programme on Promoting PPPs in Tajikistan for the Period up to 2030”. These important reforms and achievements were announced at a training session recently held in Dushanbe, co-organized by UNECE and the PPP Center under the State Committee on Investments and State Property Management of Tajikistan. Read more
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