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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Rapport mondial des Nations Unies sur la mise en valeur des ressources en eau 2024
Les ressources en eau alimentent la prospérité en répondant aux besoins humains fondamentaux en contribuant au maintien de la santé des moyens de subsistance et du développement économique en renforçant la sécurité alimentaire comme énergétique ainsi qu’en préservant l’intégrité environnementale. Ces ressources influent sur l’économie de bien des manières et les dynamiques du commerce mondial comme les adaptations au marché peuvent avoir des effets directs sur la manière dont les économies régionales et locales emploient l’eau. De même les répercussions des conflits sur les ressources en eau sont multiples et souvent indirectes telles celles ayant trait aux migrations forcées et à une exposition accrue aux risques sanitaires. Le changement climatique les troubles géopolitiques les pandémies les migrations massives l’hyperinflation et d’autres crises peuvent exacerber les inégalités d’accès à l’eau. En règle générale les groupes les plus pauvres et les plus vulnérables sont ceux dont le bien-être est le plus menacé. L’édition 2024 du Rapport mondial des Nations Unies sur la mise en valeur des ressources en eau expose les relations complexes d’interdépendance qui existent entre la gestion durable de l’eau la paix et la prospérité tout comme il décrit la manière dont les progrès réalisés sur l’un de ces aspects ont des répercussions positives souvent cruciales sur les deux autres.
The United Nations World Water Development Report 2024
Water nurtures prosperity by meeting basic human needs supporting health livelihoods and economic development underpinning food and energy security and defending environmental integrity. Water influences the economy in many ways and global trade dynamics and market adaptations can have direct repercussions on the water use of regional and local economies. The water-related impacts of conflict are multi-faceted and often indirect such as those linked to forced migration and increased exposure to health threats. Climate change geopolitical unrest pandemics mass migration hyperinflation and other crises can exacerbate water access inequalities. In nearly all cases the poorest and most vulnerable groups are those that suffer the greatest risks to their well-being. The 2024 edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report (UN WWDR) calls attention to the complex and interlinked relationships between water prosperity and peace describing how progress in one dimension can have positive often essential repercussions on the others.
Transboundary cooperation
Transboundary rivers lakes and aquifers account for 60% of the world’s freshwater flows (UNECE/UNESCO 2021). Over 310 river basins and an estimated 468 aquifers are shared between two or more countries (McCracken and Wolf 2019; IGRAC 2021). A total of 153 countries share rivers lakes and aquifers.
Foreword by Audrey Azoulay
We are currently facing a water crisis that can be seen and felt in a multitude of ways.
Human settlements: WASH, disaster risk reduction and migration
This chapter focuses on leveraging water in human settlements for community stability and peacebuilding especially in fragile states and conflict-affected contexts including its contribution to disaster risk reduction (DRR) and migration management.
Énergie
L’eau intervient dans tous les aspects de la production d’énergie. Dans le cas de l’énergie primaire (combustibles) elle est nécessaire à l’extraction et à la transformation du charbon du pétrole et du gaz (notamment par fracturation hydraulique). Elle est également largement employée dans la production d’électricité l’hydroélectrique ainsi que le refroidissement des centrales thermiques et nucléaires. Enfin elle sert à produire l’énergie utilisée dans l’irrigation des cultures pour les biocarburants ainsi que dans la fabrication d’équipements pour les énergies renouvelables tels que les panneaux solaires et les éoliennes.
Introduction
La justice sociale économique et environnementale repose sur un accès équitable aux ressources en eau à des services d’approvisionnement en eau et d’assainissement sûrs et abordables ainsi qu’aux multiples avantages qu’ils procurent. Autant d’éléments qui sont essentiels à l’édification et au maintien de sociétés prospères et pacifiques.
Executive summary
Developing and maintaining a secure and equitable water future underpins prosperity and peace for all. The relationship also works in the opposite direction as poverty and inequality social tensions and conflict can amplify water insecurity.
Science, technologie et information
Afin de prendre des décisions éclairées soient-elles de nature technique ou managériale il est primordial de disposer de données et d’informations précises (UNESCO/ONU-Eau 2020). Grâce aux progrès de la science et de la technologie on dispose aujourd’hui d’un volume sans précédent de données et d’informations sur l’état des ressources en eau et sur les effets concrets des mesures de gestion prises aux niveaux mondial régional et national comme au sein des bassins fluviaux et sur le terrain. Lorsqu’elles sont disponibles et accessibles ces connaissances (données et informations) servent à renseigner et à améliorer l’élaboration des politiques la prise de décisions opérationnelles pour la gestion des ressources en eau et les interventions techniques.
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.