Natural Resources Water and Energy
Towards a Hydrogen Economy in the UNECE Region
The publication proposes a method for hydrogen classification needed to jumpstart production and international trade in hydrogen. It also presents several project ideas in selected UNECE member States that would accelerate deployment of hydrogen.
Foreword
Industrial accidents can have devastating impacts on people the environment and economies. In 2020 an explosion at a warehouse containing some 2750 tons of ammonium nitrate in the Port of Beirut in Lebanon led to about 300 deaths 6500 injuries and 300000 displaced people. It severely damaged critical infrastructure including port and healthcare facilities and residential and commercial areas. This and other major accidents such as the Toulouse factory explosion in France (2001) Mihăilești explosion in Romania (2004) fertilizer plant explosion in Texas United States (2013) Tianjin explosion in China (2015) and Bata explosions in Equatorial Guinea (2021) serve as urgent reminders of the need to better understand and apply instruments and tools to assess risks and prevent industrial accidents.
Background and acknowledgements
This publication was developed under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents. The Conference of the Parties to the Convention recognized the importance of risk assessment in the implementation of the Convention. Members of the Convention’s Bureau Working Group on Implementation and secretariat formed a small group on risk assessment and organized under Switzerland’s leadership the UNECE Seminar on Risk Assessment Methodologies (Geneva 4 December 2018) to support member States in implementing provisions of the Convention and to facilitate an exchange of information and share experiences in applying risk assessment methodologies. This concluded among others with a recommendation to develop a study on risk assessment due to the challenges many countries face in executing transboundary risk assessments and in exchanging knowledge and information on methodologies.
Executive summary
The effects of industrial accidents can severely harm people the environment and economies. As experienced in the past they have led to fatalities disease outbreaks injuries environmental pollution biodiversity loss conflicts political instability financial loss and more. National governments and international organizations have developed legal and policy instruments and tools to support the prevention of preparedness for and response to industrial accidents. The UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents is an international legal instrument that obliges its Parties to take safety measures to that effect. As enshrined in Article 6 and Annex V Parties have recognized risk assessment as a key element of the Convention. This publication was developed to contribute knowledge on risk assessment for industrial accident prevention.
Risk Assessment for Industrial Accident Prevention
Risk assessments for industrial facilities are essential for the prevention of industrial accidents. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents aims to help its Parties prevent prepare for and respond to industrial accidents especially ones that can have transboundary effects. It also fosters transboundary cooperation among its Parties and beyond. As risk assessment is enshrined in the Convention’s provisions UNECE held a seminar on risk assessment methodologies (Geneva 4 December 2018) to support countries in implementing the relevant provisions. The seminar resulted in conclusions and recommendations on the challenges in executing transboundary risk assessment for industrial facilities and the need for more information exchange on risk assessment methodologies used in the UNECE region including available software.
Overview of risk assessment methods
The 1992 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents entered into force in 2000 aiming to help its Parties prevent prepare for and respond to industrial accidents especially those that can have transboundary effects. The Convention fosters transboundary cooperation in industrial accident prevention preparedness and response among its Parties and beyond including in countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe the Caucasus and Central Asia beneficiaries of the Convention’s Assistance and Cooperation Programme. The workplan will guide the Convention’s Parties non-Parties in the UNECE region the Bureau the Working Group on Implementation the Joint Expert Group on Water and Industrial Accidents (Joint Expert Group) and the secretariat in their activities. Activities are mainly focused on the UNECE region but can also benefit States members of the United Nations beyond the region in line with the communication outreach and engagement strategies.
Selected case studies and available software
This report presents selected case studies where a risk assessment methodology was applied to chemical facilities in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) region. These case studies span five types of facilities: liquified natural gas (LNG)/liquified petroleum gas (LPG) storage tanks; ammonia refrigeration facilities; oil terminals (hydrocarbon loading/unloading/storage facilities); ammonium nitrate storage facilities; and chlorine facilities. The annex to the present report lists key software tools available to support chemical installation risk assessment.
Acknowledgements
This Report is published by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on behalf of UN-Water and its production is coordinated by the UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP). Gratitude goes to UN-Water Members and Partners and other Contributors that made the content preparation of this Report possible.
Gouvernance
La gouvernance de l’eau contribue à la paix et à la prospérité en résolvant la concurrence et les différends autour des ressources en eau. Ainsi une répartition équitable et efficace permet de favoriser les investissements et le partage des bénéfices et partant renforce la cohésion sociale. Les complexités de la gestion des ressources en eau du fait de l’éventail de problèmes d’acteurs et de juridictions surpassent le seul périmètre d’un bassin hydrographique et touchent tous les secteurs. Faire de l’eau un catalyseur pour la prospérité et la paix suppose des capacités de gouvernance et une volonté politique suffisantes pour relever les défis liés à la distribution de l’eau et à l’adaptation que celle-ci requiert sur l’ensemble des secteurs et des chaînes d’approvisionnement ce qui implique d’accorder des rôles clés à un éventail de plus en plus large d’acteurs au sein des administrations publiques des organisations de la société civile et des marchés (Meinzen-Dick 2007 ; Woodhouse et Muller 2017).
Education and capacity development
Freshwater is vital for human prosperity; yet humankind’s efforts to provide clean water and sanitation for all is falling behind as the indicators of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 show clearly (United Nations 2023a). Education and capacity development are key to addressing this challenge. In many parts of the world and in many developing countries in particular water and sanitation are not optimally managed. The lack of training and relevant skills is at the heart of this issue (UNESCO 2014).
Agriculture and rural development
Water is central to agriculture and is a key socio-economic driver for sustainable growth livelihoods justice food security and labour. In an era marked by increasing global population climate change and growing competition for water resources investing in agriculture will be key to addressing important challenges such as food security and poverty reduction.
Préface
En adoptant en 2020 la Déclaration faite à l’occasion de la célébration du soixante-quinzième anniversaire de l’Organisation des Nations Unies1 l’Assemblée générale a rappelé les trois engagements qui sous-tendent l’action de l’ONU à savoir la paix et la sécurité le développement durable et les droits humains établissant une feuille de route pour la mise en oeuvre du Programme de développement durable à l’horizon 2030. Cette déclaration souligne à quel point la confiance la coopération et la justice sont indispensables pour relever les défis associés à « des inégalités de plus en plus graves à la pauvreté à la faim aux conflits armés au terrorisme à l’insécurité aux changements climatiques et aux pandémies » comme pour que toutes et tous puissent vivre en paix et connaître la prospérité.
Avant-propos par Audrey Azoulay
Nous faisons face aujourd’hui à une crise de l’eau aux manifestations et répercussions multiples.
Conclusions
L’objectif initial du présent rapport était de démontrer que pour que toutes et tous puissent vivre en paix et connaître la prospérité il est indispensable d’assurer et de maintenir des approvisionnements en eau sûrs et équitables à l’avenir. Cependant ainsi que l’ont montré les chapitres précédents on peut dire que l’inverse est également vrai puisque la pauvreté (et les inégalités) ainsi que divers types ou niveaux de conflits peuvent exacerber l’insécurité hydrique.
Executive summary
Part A of the UNECE/OECD Guidelines for Measuring Circular Economy (CE) clarifies the headline definition of a circular economy provides a conceptual framework proposes a set of harmonised indicators to monitor progress and discusses important measurement considerations including links with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA).
Industrie
Le secteur industriel possède les capacités matérielles humaines et financières de façonner et d’accroître la prospérité économique tout en influençant et en améliorant le bien-être social et l’intégrité environnementale (voir encadré 1.2). Deux tiers de toute la consommation d’eau sert à faire fonctionner les chaînes d’approvisionnement des entreprises (TNC s.d.) et que 70 % de l’usage et de la pollution des ressources en eau douce mondiales reposent sur sept grands secteurs — alimentation textile énergie industrie produits chimiques produits pharmaceutiques et exploitation minière (CDP 2018). Dissocier l’eau de la productivité industrielle autrement dit réduire l’influence de l’industrie sur l’eau profitera à long terme autant à l’industrie qu’à ceux qui bénéficieront d’une amélioration de la qualité et de la disponibilité de l’eau notamment grâce à la réalisation de plusieurs cibles du sixième objectif de développement durable (ODD).