At its 65th session, held from 9 to 11 April at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) adopted the outcome document of the review of the 2005 UNECE reform, which defines the strategic priorities for UNECE’s work for the coming years.

The high-level debates were centred on two issues that are most pertinent to the current development debate and are at the core of UNECE’s activities and member States’ priorities:

1.         Follow-up to Rio+20 and post 2015 development agenda.

Some of the main points arising from the discussions, the summary of which will serve to inform the global processes, in particular the high-level meeting of the General Assembly in September 2013, were:

• Messages in the Rio+20 outcome document “The Future we want” provide a sound basis for further work on achieving sustainable development. Next steps include creating a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), beginning to address the financing needs of developing countries, and creating a range of new partnerships.
• the UNECE region’s diversity in terms of the level of development, the range of economic models, climatic conditions, natural resource endowments and the overall challenges facing each country, need to be recognized in any policy framework as there is no ‘one size fits all’. In addition, this diversity can act as a laboratory for testing different approaches towards addressing these challenges.
• the need to eliminate or reduce fossil fuel subsidies was highlighted as a quick policy change that can have immediate impact by changing consumer behaviour.

As regards the sustainable development institutional set up:

• Delegations stressed that the new high-level political forum (HLPF) currently under development should take into account the lessons learned from the Commission en Sustainable Development (CSD). In order to make better use of existing United Nations processes and institutions, delegations called for the HLPF to serve as a dynamic platform directly linked with ECOSOC.
• Sustainable development goals (SDGs) should be global in nature and universally applicable to all countries, limited in number, action-oriented and easy to communicate. However, some flexibility in the definition of indicators will be required to take into account regional and national circumstances.
• The regional commissions should assume an active and strong role in both the HLFP and SDGs processes, also acting as a “conductor” between global and national levels.

2.         Economic developments and challenges in the UNECE region

During the discussion on the “The role of innovation in creating a dynamic and competitive economy”, some key points made included:

• Innovation has acquired heightened importance in current economic circumstances as a way to improve productivity and competitiveness, and overcome tight budgetary constraints.
• Greening the economy is a large-scale structural transformation that requires a regulatory and policy environment that encourages innovation in multiple sectors.
• Successful innovation requires collaboration between the public and private sectors, and between academia and industry.

There were several proposals to strengthen the role of UNECE on innovation, in particular regarding issues such as the creation of mechanisms to facilitate cross-border policy learning and the exchange of good practices on eco-innovation, the promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises and the linkages between standard- setting and innovation.

The results of this panel discussion will serve as regional input to the 2013 ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review whose theme is “Science, technology and innovation, and the potential of culture, for promoting sustainable development and achieving the MDGs”.

New bureau

The Commission elected its new Bureau, with the Netherlands as Chair (Ambassador Roderick van Schreven, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva), and Switzerland and Turkmenistan as Vice-Chairs (Ambassador Remigi Winzap, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA); and Ambassador Esen Aydogdyev, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to UNOG and other international organizations in Geneva).

All delegations paid tribute to the outgoing Chair, Ambassador Zvekic of Serbia, and Vice-Chairs, Ambassadors Manor of Israel and Ciobanu of Romania, for the leadership demonstrated over the last two years in the negotiations on the outcome document of the review of the 2005 UNECE reform.

The Executive Secretary stressed that this 65th session was of particular relevance since it constituted the regional contribution to global processes led by ECOSOC and the UN General Assembly. The 65th session strengthens trust and confidence amongst member States and between member States and the Secretariat, he said.

Among other decisions, the Commission also decided that the Timber Committee be renamed “Committee on Forest and Forest Industry” in order to better reflect its current focus and tasks.

The 66th session of the Commission will be held in 2015

Published: 27 February 2013

On the occasion of the 75th Jubilee session of the Inland Transport Committee (ITC) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), a high-level Ministerial meeting was held on 26 February 2013. More than fifty Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other high-level officials from across Europe and Asia gathered in Geneva to endorse the final report of Phase II of the Euro-Asian Transport Links (EATL) project. The report identifies overland transport routes that could save both time and costs of delivery of freight and trade between two continents. In addition, the Ministers and other heads of delegations from thirty two countries signed a Declaration future cooperation on the EATL project.

The EATL Phase II report identified 9 rail and 9 road routes between Europe and Asia as well as 17 water transport links, and several inland and maritime ports. Road and rail routes are new versions of the “old silk road”, but they are extended far beyond this traditional lifeline of ancient times. EATL road and rail routes will stretch eastward from Central and Eastern Europe all the way to Russian ports on East Sea, Chinese ports on Eastern China Sea, and southward toward Iran and Pakistan and their ports in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean. The routes will criss-cross the land mass between Europe and Asia thus connecting regions and countries that have so far suffered from lack of access to seaports and good transport connections to their neighbours.

The project resulted in a multi-country transport investment plan, which is the outcome of the review and prioritization of 311 priority projects The total cost of these projects is over US $200 billion. Out of them, 188 projects have been identified as high priority requiring special attention. Their estimated costs are US $78 billion.

In addition, The EATL project had other tangible results, all included in the study that was launched during the Ministerial meeting. Among them, you can find the Geographic Information System (GIS) data base which is an innovative feature in the project that governments may wish to use and further develop in their national planning processes. Furthermore, the comparison of maritime and land transport – described in details in the publication – has challenged   conventional wisdom that maritime transport is per se more competitive than land transport. A door-to-door approach however, showed that railway transport between Europe and Asia can be a viable alternative both in terms of time and cost.  Accordingly, maritime transport is cost-effective, but in most cases standard deliveries take up to 30 days port-to-port while hinterland connections may pose a challenge. Being twice as fast as maritime transport, railways could provide a viable alternative for Euro-Asian freight transport, and could also deliver door-to-door. In addition, costs could be reduced between 10 and 30 per cent compared to maritime transport.

Mr. Sven Alkalaj, Executive Secretary of the UNECE said: “Development of Euro-Asian transport links is a long-term process which requires, first and foremost, strong political will and commitment of the countries concerned, as well as careful use of scarce financial resources”. He also added: “This makes it a complex exercise, requiring Governments to strike a balance with other national priorities and weigh them with international interests. They also need to ascertain the economic, social and environmental net benefits, coordinate programmes and timetables in close cooperation with neighbouring countries, as well as to balance private sector versus public participation, all while factoring-in security considerations”.

Mr. Yang Zan, Director-General of the International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China, said … that “the early realization of Euro-Asian Transport Linkage and transport facilitation will be beneficial to the economic and social development of Euro-Asian countries. However, we are also aware that there still exist in practice many difficulties to be tackled. The Chinese government greatly appreciates the measures taken by UNECE in this respect”…. and that “China is ready to work with all the interested parties to make more contribution to the economic development and social progress in the region”.

Mr. R. V. Sklyar, deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of Kazakhstan, said that, due to its geographical position at the crossroads of routes between Europe, China, Japan and South-East Asia, Russia, Turkey, Persian Gulf, and Black Sea, Kazakhstan attaches great importance to development of transport infrastructure and invests considerable amount of financial resources in 5 major transport corridors, which are part of EATL links, passing through his country.

Another part of the report brings out analysis of non-physical obstacles to international transport between Europe and Asia. A comprehensive set of recommendations concludes this analysis highlighting remedies for concrete obstacles at border crossings, along transport route corridors as well as logistics obstacles. As an integral part of the project, a Geographic Information System (GIS) data-base was set up and GIS maps developed showing the planned projects.

The Phase II of the EATL project which has recently been completed covered 27 countries[1], with more countries expected to join the project in the next phase. By signing the Declaration, Ministers reiterated their support to Phase III of the project, which would focus on specific trade and transport facilitation measures to make EATL links not only more efficient and attractive to investors, but also contribute to faster economic growth, increased employment and better regional connectivity. Mr. Sergey Aristov, Secretary of State – Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation, outlined the focus of the Phase III of the project, by underlying market oriented analysis, investigation of trade flows attracted to EATL routes and issues related to application of modern technologies and innovations.

For further information on Ministerial meeting visit: http://www.unece.org/trans/events/2013/itc75_2013/ministerial_meeting.html

You can download the full EATL report at:

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Under the Protocol, Parties are obliged to reduce their emissions for three heavy metals — cadmium, lead and mercury — below their levels in 1990 or an alternative year, at the choice of each Party, between 1985 and 1995. The amendments adopted last week introduce more stringent emission limit values for emissions of particulate matter and of the specific heavy metals cadmium, lead and mercury applicable for certain combustion and other industrial emission sources releasing them into the atmosphere. The emission source categories for the three heavy metals were also extended to the production of silico- and ferromanganese alloys, thus expanding the scope of industrial activities for which emission limits are established.

To meet these limit values, a key obligation of the Protocol is the application of best available techniques to existing and new stationary emission sources such as combustion, manufacturing and other production plants. The amendments also include updated references in this matter. In addition, Parties adopted a guidance document on “Best available techniques for controlling emissions of heavy metals and their compounds from the source categories listed in annex II”. This document will provide guidance on how to meet the emission reduction obligations not only for current Parties to the 1998 Protocol, but also for Parties aspiring to accede to the amended Protocol.

Following the approach used for the amendments to the Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone (Gothenburg Protocol) adopted in May 2012, the amended Heavy Metals Protocol contains considerable flexibilities to enable the accession of the countries in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia in the coming years. Representatives of these countries participated actively in the negotiations, which take into account the economic difficulties and obstacles faced by countries with economies in transition.

Parties expressed their willingness to contribute their experience as regards mercury and the updated guidance document on best available techniques to the negotiations on a global legally binding instrument on mercury currently ongoing in the framework of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). To ensure coherence between regional and global commitments, the Parties agreed to revisit the issues of mercury-containing products and emission limit values for heavy metals in 2014. In addition to emissions to the atmosphere, these negotiations on a global mercury instrument also cover releases to water and land, mercury supply sources and trade, stocks and products.

The unedited version of the amended Protocol on Heavy Metals showing the amendments is available at:

http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/documents/2012/EB/Provisional__unedited_version_of_the_PHM_with_amendments_indicated__as_adopted_on_13_Dec_2012.pdf

Note to editors

The 1998 Protocol on Heavy Metals under the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution entered into force on 29 December 2003. It currently counts 31 Parties – see list at: http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/status/98hm_st.html.

Heavy metals released into the atmosphere and subsequently deposited on ecosystems, such as forests, water and vegetation, can cause significant environmental and health damage Through the Protocol, Governments take measures to prevent and minimize emissions of the heavy metals cadmium, lead and mercury, by regulating combustion and industrial processes as predominant anthropogenic sources of their emissions, in line with the precautionary approach.

Heavy Metals: sources, their health and environmental effects

Cadmium compounds are currently mainly found in rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries as well as cigarette smoke. Food is the most important source of cadmium exposure. In heavily contaminated areas, dust resuspension can constitute a substantial part of the crop contamination and exposures via inhalation and digestion. The main critical effects include increased risk of osteoporosis and lung cancer.

Emissions of mercury into the air from both anthropogenic and natural sources are in inorganic forms that can be converted biologically to methylmercury in soil and water. Methylmercury bioaccumulates and enters the human body readily via the dietary route. Methylmercury is a potent neurotoxic chemical. Unborn children (i.e., fetuses) are the most susceptible population group, the exposure being mainly from fish in the diet of the mother. Methylmercury is also excreted in mothers’ milk.

Historical data, e.g., from lake sediments in Scandinavia, show a two- to fivefold increase in mercury concentrations with respect to the preindustrial era, reflecting anthropogenic emissions and long-range transport. Methylmercury in freshwater fish originates from inorganic mercury in the soil and direct atmospheric deposition.

The general population is exposed to lead from air and food. During the last century, lead emissions into the ambient air have caused considerable pollution, mainly due to lead emissions from petrol. Food is the predominant source of lead uptake in the general population. Ingestion of contaminated soil, dust and old lead-based paint due to hand- to-mouth activities may also be important regarding lead intake in infants and young children. When tap-water systems with leaded pipes are used, drinking-water can be an important source of lead intake, especially in children. Inhalation exposure may be significant when lead levels in the air are high.