The Environment for Europe process

EfE themes: Legally binding instruments

The governing bodies of five multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) are serviced by an UNECE secretariat. 

Recent Environment for Europe Ministerial Conferences have reviewed progress in the implementation of these MEAs. In addition, several of these MEAs have been further developed at recent Environment for Europe Ministerial Conferences, including:

At the 1998 Aarhus Environment for Europe Conference, the Aarhus Convention (Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters) was signed, and, two new Protocols to the Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution Convention were adopted, obliging signatory countries to reduce emissions of heavy metals (lead, cadmium and mercury) and Persistant Organic Pollutants (POPs).

At the 2003 Kiev Environment for Europe Conference, three new Protocols to UNECE Conventions were adopted and opened for signature, including:

1. The new Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to the Espoo "Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context";
   
2. The new Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) to the Aarhus Convention;
   
3. The new Protocol on Civil Liability and Compensation for Damage Caused by the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents on Transboundary Waters to the Conventions on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents and on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Waters and International Lakes.

Paragraphs 8-10 of the Belgrade Ministerial Declaration were dedicated to above mentioned multilateral environmental treaties.

Documents related to MEAs discussed at the 2007 Belgrade Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference

The following documents related to "multilateral environmental agreements" have been submitted to the 2007 Belgrade Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference:

• Implementation of UNECE Multilateral Environmental Agreements (submitted by: UNECE). View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
• Challenges and opportunities of transboundary accidental water pollution, liability and compensation – progress towards ratification of the Civil Liability Protocol (submitted by: the Bureaux of the UNECE Industrial Accidents Convention and the Water Convention). View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
• Tackling Regional, Hemispheric and Global Air Pollution: The Potential Role of the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution. (submitted by the Global Atmospheric Pollution Forum) View document: ENG.
• Recommendations on Payments for Ecosystem Services in Integrated Water Resources Management (submitted by: the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes). View document: ENG, RUS.
• Acceptance and Implementation of UNECE Multilateral Environmental Agreements in South-Eastern Europe (submitted by: Serbia and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe). View document: ENG.
• Initiative on Strategic Environmental Assessment (submitted by Armenia, Belarus and Moldova). View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
• Assessment of Transboundary Waters in the UNECE Region (submitted by: Finland on behalf of the Bureau of the Meeting of the Parties to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes). View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
• The Pan-European Ecological Network: Taking Stock (submitted by: Council of Europe).  View document: ENG, FRE.
• Europe's Environment: the Fourth Assessment (submitted by: European Environment Agency). Note: This report will be made available during the Belgrade Conference. View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
• Policies for a Better Environment - Progress in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (submitted by: EAP Task Force). View document: full text ENG/RUS, summary.
• Environmental Policy in South-Eastern Europe (submitted by: UNDP).  View document: ENG.
• Critical Issues in Implementation of Environmental Policies Highlighted by the UNECE Environmental Performance Reviews Programme (submitted by: UNECE). View document: ENG/add./Corr., FRE/add., RUS/add.
• Belgrade Initiative: enhancing the regional South-East European cooperation in the field of climate change –Climate Change Framework Action Plan for the South-Eastern European region and the establishment of a subregional, virtual Climate Change related centre for research and systematic observation, education, training, public awareness, and capacity building (submitted by Serbia and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe). View document: ENG/add., FRE/add., RUS/add.
• Financing Energy Efficiency for Climate Change Mitigation in Selected Transition Economies (submitted by: UNECE).  View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.
• Progress Report on Partnerships in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (submitted by: EAP Task Force).  View document: ENG, RUS.
• Environmental Policy and International Competitiveness in a Globalizing World: Challenges for Low-Income Countries in the UNECE Region (submitted by: UNECE). View document: ENG, FRE, RUS.

Last update of this page: 17 April, 2008.