United Nations Economic Commission For Europe - Committee On Environmental Policy

Committee On Environmental Policy

UNECE’s concern with problems of the environment dates back at least to 1971, when the group of Senior Advisors to the UNECE governments on environmental issues was created which led to the establishment of the Committee on Environmental Policy, which now meets annually. The committee provides collective policy direction in the area of environment and sustainable development, prepares ministerial meetings, develops international environmental law and supports international initiatives in the region. The committee’s work is based on three strategic pillars:

• Participation in the two major international cooperative processes, the "Environment for Europe" process and the regional promotion of Agenda 21;
• The development and carrying-out of Environmental Performance Reviews in the central and eastern European countries; and
• The increase of the overall effectiveness of environmental conventions and of the exchange of experience on their implementation. See for example the UNECE Espoo Convention, Aarhus Convention, Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution and Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents.