#expert group

The combined effects of ambient and household air pollution cause approximately 7 million deaths each year. 99% of the world's population breathes air that exceeds the WHO Guidelines, according to this Organization's data. It is low- and middle-income countries that face exposure to the highest concentrations. The Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health will be, in this context, a great opportunity to present the region's progress in the initiative to eliminate the use of polluting fuels in homes and in the actions developed to address air pollution as a risk factor for non-communicable diseases.

The event, which includes pre- and post-conference sessions on March 24 and 28, will bring together ministers of health, environment and energy, as well as officials from national, intergovernmental and development agencies. The Second Conference aims to highlight solutions needed to reduce ambient air pollution and lack of access to clean household energy, strengthen policy and technical cooperation among stakeholders, as well as help catalyze evidence-based, multi-sectoral actions in cities, countries and regions aimed at preventing disease, saving lives, improving public health, boosting sustainable economic development and mitigating climate change.

Colombia, as a co-host country of the Conference, is also one of the regional leaders for air pollution response. In 2023, the country hosted the first AirQ+ regional expert group meeting and is advancing a broad application of the tool in the country.

367,000 deaths per year from air pollution in the Americas

Air pollution is one of the main environmental risk factors for noncommunicable diseases and exposure to these pollutants can weaken the immune system, making people more susceptible to communicable diseases. It has been shown, for example, that exposure to household air pollution causes noncommunicable diseases such as stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. In addition, the use of biomass for cooking and exposure to fumes and particulate matter is associated with respiratory infections and inadequate living conditions, which exacerbate the burden of disease from noncommunicable diseases in the region.

In the Americas, 367,000 deaths are caused by air pollution each year, and there is growing evidence linking ambient and household air pollution to various health problems.

PAHO's response to this problem is strong: it is necessary to reduce inequities and the burden of disease attributable to air pollution. To this end, the elimination initiative includes the elimination of biomass for cooking as one of the environmental health risk factors. Thus, PAHO's Departments of Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity and Noncommunicable Diseases are joining efforts to reduce exposure to air pollution as one of the risk factors for noncommunicable diseases.

Both PAHO departments, together with the country offices, lead the development of integrated roadmaps on air quality, mitigation of short-lived climate pollutants and health at the national and local levels. In addition, PAHO has worked in coordination with the countries in the development or adjustment of air quality and health regulations; in the implementation of health impact assessment tools, such as BARHAP and AirQ+, with example exercises such as those carried out in Quito and Barranquilla; and in capacity building through the region's AirQ+ Expert Group, among other actions.

PAHO calls on the entire community of the Americas to actively collaborate in promoting solutions to improve air quality and to join this global effort to protect the health and well-being of our communities. Everyone's participation is essential to achieve cleaner and healthier air for future generations.

The UNECE Resource Management Week 2024, including the 15th session of the Expert Group on Resource Management (EGRM-15), will be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, 22-26 April 2024. Leaders, experts, and stakeholders in resource management will gather to discuss sustainable development challenges and opportunities. Our theme, "Assuring sustainability in resource management", will focus on the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) and the United Nations Resource Management System (UNRMS) and their pivotal role in resource management worldwide. 

Agenda highlights:

Seminars, Workshops, and Short Courses: Focusing on the UNFC and UNRMS as catalysts for transforming raw materials management.

Minerals for the Energy Transition: Highlighting the work of the UN Working Group on Transforming Extractive Industries for Sustainable Development.

Responsible Resource Management: The development and deployment of UNRMS.

Navigating the Future: Exploring various applications of UNFC.

Building capacity: International Centres of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management.

Empowering Sustainability: Discussing global initiatives and case studies.

Lunchtime lectures: Professor Peter Hopkinson, Co-Director, Exeter Centre for the Circular Economy, Exeter University, and Professor Markus Zils, Circular Economy and Management Science, University of Exeter Business School, UK, on Circular Data (23 April) and Sarah Gordon, CEO, Satarla on The beauty of interconnected natural resource ecosystems, with a focus on ESG issues (25 April).

Session 3: Responsible resource governance

Chair: Karen Hanghøj

Agenda item 8: Building Capacity: International Centres of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management

ICE-SRM Russia – Igor Shpurov and Vera Bratkova, Chief Executive Officer

ICE-SRM UK – Nick MacInnes, Circular Economy Lead, Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), UK and Lynsay Blake, Head of Science in Resources and Waste, Defra, UK

ICE-SRM Mexico – Ulises Neri, Executive Director & Ministries of Energy and Economy of Subnational Governments of Mexico:

     José Ramón Silva - Secretary of Energy Development of the State of Tamaulipas

     Carlos Adrian García Basto - Director General of the State Energy Agency of the State of Campeche

     Esaú Garza - Secretary of Economy, Science and Technology of the State of Aguascalientes

ICE-SRM Criteria for Recognition and Terms of Reference (ECE/ENERGY/GE.3/2024/4)

ICE-SRM EU – Meta Dobnikar, Head of Mineral Resources and Geochemistry Department, Geological Survey of Slovenia

ICE-SRM Central Asia – Farkhat Abytov, Executive Director

ICE-SRM Africa – Tunde Arisekola, Senior Advisor, Geological and Minerals Information, African Minerals Development Centre

Dario Liguti, Director, UNECE Sustainable Energy Division

Discussion

Agenda item 7.2: Development and deployment of UNFC - Technical Advisory Group Annual Report - Updated Injection Projects Specifications (ECE/ENERGY/GE.3/2024/9)

Aleksandr Shpilman, Co-Chair, Technical Advisory Group

Serge Van Gessel, Chair, Injection Projects Working Group and TNO

Agenda item 7.2: Competency in resource management 

Vitor Correia, Chair, Competency Working Group, EGRM

Michael Neumann, Global Geoscience Professionalism Group

Gbenga Olugbenga Okunlola, President, Geological Society of Africa and Member, AMREC Working Group

Craig Waldie, Ontario Securities Commission, Canada - presentation to be delivered by Hendrik Falck, Chair, EGRM Minerals Working Group

Watch the 7th Meeting, 15th Session of the Expert Group on Resource Management

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GENEVA | UN: Ebola outbreak is worrying but not a global emergency

GENEVA — The World Health Organization says it is “deeply concerned” by the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo but the situation does not yet warrant being declared a global emergency. After convening an expert group to assess the epidemic on Wednesday, the U.N. health agency said “response activities need to be intensified and ongoing vigilance is critical.”

Aid organizations have expressed alarm…

Swiss Economy continues dynamic recovery

Economic forecasts by the Federal Government’s Expert Group – spring 2018*. The Federal Government’s Expert Group expects the economy to continue its dynamic recovery and anticipates strong GDP growth of 2.4% in 2018. The buoyant international economy is supporting foreign trade, while a favourable…

Swiss economy resumes stronger growth

Economic forecasts by the Federal Government’s Expert Group – autumn 2017* – Because of the weak performance in the first half of the year, the Federal Government’s Expert Group anticipates only moderate GDP growth of 0.9% in 2017. Over the coming quarters, though, solid momentum in the global…

Swiss Seco: Positive economic outlook continues despite tentative recovery to date

Economic forecasts by the Federal Government’s Expert Group – summer 2017* – Although growth in the Swiss economy has steadily accelerated over the past two quarters, it has nevertheless fallen short of expectations. A further marked increase in economic momentum is to be expected over the coming…