10th Conference of the Parties to the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents

Over the past few decades, the far-reaching effects of industrial accidents have reminded us that industrial facilities that produce, handle or store hazardous substances remain a serious sometimes transboundary threat to our societies and to the environment. Therefore, the Parties of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents are continuing the implementation of more effective industrial accident prevention, preparedness and response policies within the Conference of the Parties.

The upcoming tenth meeting of Conference of the Parties to the UNECE Convention on Industrial Accidents will be held from 4 to 6 December 2018 in the Palais des Nations in Geneva. This conference gathers delegates from more than 40 countries to review the work of the Convention and determine future directions and priorities.

This conference provides a significant occasion to celebrate, among others, the 20th anniversary of the Joint Ad Hoc Expert Group on Water and Industrial Accidents and the completion of the Convention’s first project in Central Asia on strengthening industrial safety.

The meeting will begin with a seminar on risk assessment methodologies (4 December), which will provide an opportunity to exchange experiences and good practices in the use of effect and risk assessment methodologies (for more information about the Seminar, please visit http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=50370).

The Conference of the Parties will be invited to adopt a number of important decisions, such as the revised long-term strategy for the Convention towards 2030 in the light of relevant international developments, namely the Sendai Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals. Taking into consideration the long-term strategy and the decision on sustainable financing, the Conference of the Parties will be invited to adopt a workplan and decide on the necessary resources for its implementation over the next two years (2019-2020).

In order to promote harmonized safety standards that help to prevent transboundary water pollution, the Conference of the Parties will be invited to take note and recommend the use of the Safety guidelines and good practices for the management and retention of firefighting water, prepared by the Joint Ad Hoc Expert Group on Water and Industrial Accidents.