6 May 2015
UNECE Annual Report Highlights Contributions to Post-2015 Agenda, Forestry, Energy, Water
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In its annual report for 2014, the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) emphasizes its intention to play an essential role in providing practical standards and agreements to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and develop indicators to measure progress towards the Goals.

The report summarizes UNECE's activities and achievements in 2014, and highlights key priorities for 2015.

unece_annual_report_2014April 2015: In its annual report for 2014, the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) emphasizes its intention to play an essential role in providing practical standards and agreements to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and develop indicators to measure progress towards the Goals. The report summarizes UNECE’s activities and achievements in 2014, and highlights key priorities for 2015.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were of limited relevance for the UNECE region, the report notes, but the post-2015 development agenda is “designed as a universal framework for all countries, regardless of their level of development.” UNECE emphasizes its contribution to the elaboration of the SDGs, and observes that many UNECE activities already address areas covered by the proposed Goals and targets. The report also notes UNECE’s commitment to help translate the SDGs into concrete guidelines, instruments, policies, norms and standards and to provide means of implementation (MOI) for the SDGs by: sharing norms and standards within and beyond the region; data and monitoring efforts; capacity-building; and trade facilitation, among other means.

UNECE argues that the post-2015 accountability mechanism should be multi-layered and involve mechanisms and partnerships at global, regional and national levels. It describes its experience with reviews and surveys that could inform regional review mechanisms.

UNECE addresses environmental challenges through efforts to green the economy, improve air quality, address integrated water resources management (IWRM), and promote water and sanitation for all, among other actions. Additional environmental achievements in 2014 include: contributions to developing the proposed water SDG; adoption of targets and indicator for a region-wide environmental information system; and creation of the Astana Water Action website, which shares knowledge and tracks progress on sustainable water resource management.

The section on forestry and timber discusses, inter alia: the Rovaniemi Action Plan, which addresses sustainable consumption and production (SCP) of forest products; a low-carbon forest sector; green jobs in the forest sector; forest ecosystem services; forest policy development and monitoring in relation to the green economy; the role of forests in the post-2015 agenda; sustainable forest management (SFM) projects in Central Asia and the Caucasus; and joint work by UNECE and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), including on linkages between SFM and the green economy, climate change adaptation and forest health.

On sustainable energy, the report discusses access to energy, renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and energy productivity. The report states that fossil fuels will remain the region’s most important energy source for the forseeable future, despite development of renewable and advanced energy technology, and discusses work to reduce greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions and assess carbon capture and storage (CCS) opportunities.

The report also addresses UNECE’s work on gender, housing and land management, population, statistics, including on the importance of a data revolution to support the post-2015 agenda, trade, and transport. The report further highlights: adoption of the Geneva Charter for Sustainable Housing; and implementation of the outcome of UNECE’s 2013 reform review. [Publication: Annual Report 2014] [Report Website]

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