For International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (13 October), UNECE warns that climate change and the energy transition are increasing the likelihood of catastrophic accidents linked to industrial and technological facilities such as chemical plants, battery factories, mining sites and energy infrastructure. These complex "technological disaster risks" can have widespread economic, environmental and social impacts, including across national borders. A comprehensive approach and transboundary cooperation are therefore essential to increase resilience, which will be a key focus as governments and stakeholders come together for the 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-13) to the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents, co-organized with the government of France, to be held in Geneva on 27-29 November.
The UNECE Industrial Accidents Convention is a unique treaty that has for over 30 years helped countries to prevent industrial disasters, and to ensure preparedness and effective response measures within and across borders should an accident occur.
At CoP-13 Parties will deliberate on emerging risks and decide on actions to address them moving forward. The UNECE Seminar on the Global energy transition: Strengthening industrial safety to address emerging risks will cover interlinkages between industrial safety and the energy transition and entail national presentations on risks related to critical minerals needed to produce renewable energy technology, large-scale battery storage systems, hydrogen and ammonia, carbon capture and storage processes and the decarbonization of energy-intensive industries. It will also consider how the Convention can further support policy development and knowledge generation in this rapidly developing area, prior to Parties deciding on their next steps to pioneer industrial safety of the energy transition under the Convention.
A Panel on disaster risk reduction and natural hazard-triggered technological disasters (Natech) in the face of climate change will further reflect on how the growing impacts of climate change affect industrial safety and require adaptation measures. UNECE, OECD and the European Commission Joint Research Centre will launch Joint Guidance on Managing Risks from Natural Hazards to Hazardous Installations (Natech): A Guide for Senior Leaders in Industry and Public Authorities. Highlights from a new publication on Risk Assessment for Industrial Accident Prevention: An Overview of Risk Assessment Methods, Selected Case Studies and Available Software, and the UNECE publication Risk Assessment for Industrial Accident Prevention, will also be presented.
A Special session on Innovations and industrial safety: Satellite monitoring technologies for tailings safety will inform CoP-13 of the latest technological advancements in satellite imaging and encourage them to consider their use for monitoring industrial sites and particularly mining waste (or "tailings") dams. These technologies can provide data for assessing the structural integrity of facilities and provide a basis for early warnings, highlighting the role of innovation in disaster risk reduction. Through information exchange on the benefits and limitations of such technology for the mining industry and public authorities, CoP-13 will consider how these technologies may help improve the implementation of the Convention.
UNECE is working closely with member States and partner organizations to support technological disaster risk reduction policy and governance. In this respect,CoP-13 will also share insights from the UNDRR Regional Assessment Report on disaster risk reduction: Europe and Central Asia.
In addition, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Assistance and Cooperation Programme under the Industrial Accidents Convention, which continues to enhance industrial safety and prevent accidents across the pan-European region, particularly in Central Asia. Achievements and upcoming projects will be presented through a report and dedicated discussion, which will also highlight future support to countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
