Environment and Climate Change
Credit Rating Agencies and Sovereign Debt
Why Population Growth Matters for Sustainable Development
Введение
Деятельность направленная на разработку технических норм и конвенций во внутреннем судоходстве началась с созданием Подкомитета по внутреннему водному транспорту Комитетом по внутреннему транспорту Европейской экономической комиссии Организации Объединенных Наций (ЕЭК ООН) на своей шестнадцатой сессии в декабре 1956 года. Было признано что согласованные правила плавания имеют первостепенное значение для содействия развитию перевозок на внутренних водных путях и обеспечения безопасности и данный Подкомитет преобразованный в дальнейшем в Рабочую группу по внутреннему водному транспорту (SC.3) взял их под свою опеку.
Best Practice Guidance for Effective Management of Coal Mine Methane at National Level
While Methane (CH4) is the second most prevalent anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) after carbon dioxide (CO2) the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of the former is 28-34 times higher than that of the latter. Coal mining is a major source of methane emissions accounting for about 12% of global total anthropogenic emissions of that gas. Most emissions come from underground working mines but those from abandoned mines are raising. Action on methane requires a solid understanding of emission sources at national subnational and local levels. Only with reliable emissions data can policymakers design effective GHG policies evaluate mitigation opportunities and comply with their international climate commitments. National monitoring reporting and verification (MRV) programs can not only help countries better understand the contribution of coal mining to their overall methane and GHG emissions but also identify opportunities for mitigation. In particular MRV can help assess and track the effectiveness of the adopted climate policies. Setting up efficient MRV schemes is also important to deliver on international climate commitments in the context of the Paris Agreement.
ЕПСВВП Европейские правила судоходства по внутренним водным путям
The European Code for Inland Waterways (CEVNI) contains the core rules applicable to the traffic on inland waterways in the UNECE region such as marks and draught scales on vessels visual signals on vessels sound signals and radiotelephony waterway signs and markings rules of the road berthing rules signalling and reporting requirements as well as prevention of pollution of water and disposal of waste. These harmonized rules constitute the legal and technical basis for national inland waterway codes in UNECE member States. CEVNI is regularly updated in parallel with the evolution of the River Commissions regulations in the UNECE region thus ensuring that they remain harmonized.
The Protocol on Water and Health
The publication is aimed at raising awareness on the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health. It contains a section introducing the Protocol as a unique international treaty aimed at protecting human health and well-being through sustainable water management and at ensuring access to safe drinking water and sanitation for everyone. The document further discusses the key obligations of the Protocol and some of the benefits of being a Party as well as showcasing the technical areas of work in the Protocol's programme of work relating to water sanitation hygiene and health. Finally there is a Q&A section on the accession process targeted for those countries that may be considering becoming Parties to the Protocol.
Enabling Concerted Multilateral Action on Plastic Pollution and Plastics Substitutes
Turning the tide on plastic pollution requires multiple parallel and inclusive responses within the United Nations and the multilateral trading system to succeed. Improvements in trade and domestic governance including to promote plastic substitutes alternatives and increased material recovery and recycling capacities can be a sound course of action for developing countries. This paper seeks to briefly identify the current plastic pollution challenge and the role of trade explore options for devising a more coherent and concerted governance action within the United Nations and the multilateral trading system and to share findings on what the potential of plastics substitutes to reduce plastic pollution and enabling local sustainable manufacturing development in selected developing countries. The paper concludes that useful adaptable and flexible policies are at hand to contribute to mitigate the plastic pollution globally but also in developing countries by making use of oceans and circular economy principles.
Executive summary
Methane (CH4) is the second most prevalent anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) after carbon dioxide (CO2) with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) 28-34 times more potent than CO2 over a 100-year timeframe. Coal mining a major source of CH4 emissions accounts for about 12% of global anthropogenic CH4 emissions (U.S. EPA 2019). Most emissions come from underground coal mines predominantly working mines but emissions from abandoned underground mines are increasing. National monitoring reporting and verification (MRV) programmes not only help countries better understand the contribution of coal mining to their overall CH4 and GHG emissions but also identify opportunities for mitigation ranging from identifying prospective locations for coal mine methane (CMM) abandoned mine methane (AMM) and surface mine methane (SMM) mitigation projects to informing the design of policies for CMM AMM and SMM.
Foreword
The current state of the natural environment is worrisome. According to International Energy Agency outlooks if annual global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue at today’s rates by 2100 the average temperature on Earth will rise by approximately 2.6°C compared to preindustrial times. However emissions of methane (CH4) have not stabilized and if they keep growing at the current rates the planet faces a climate disaster unprecedented in human history – the earth’s atmosphere will warm by approximately 4°C by the end of the century. This humaninduced change in atmospheric conditions will wreak havoc imperilling water supplies food production and potentially causing mass migration and social destabilization.