UNECE United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) was set up in 1947 by ECOSOC. It is one of five regional commissions of the United Nations that brings together 56 countries located in the European Union, non-EU Western and Eastern Europe, South-East Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and North America.

The UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters was adopted on 1998. The subject of the Convention goes to the heart of the relationship between people and governments. The Convention is not only an environmental agreement, it is also a Convention about government accountability, transparency and responsiveness. An extraordinary meeting of the Parties of the Convention was held on 21 May 2003 in Kiev, Ukraine and adopted the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers, which was subsequently opened for signature. The Protocol became international law binding for its Parties on 8 October 2009.

IOMC Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals 

The Inter-organisation Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC) was established in 1995 following recommendations made by the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development to strengthen co-operation and increase international co-ordination in the field of chemical safety. The Participating Organisations are FAO, ILO, UNDP, UNEP, UNIDO, UNITAR, WHO, World Bank and OECD. The purpose of the IOMC is to promote co-ordination of the policies and activities pursued by the Participating Organisations, jointly or separately, to achieve the sound management of chemicals in relation to human health and the environment.

This tool was developed in the IOMC context. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or stated policies of individual IOMC Participating Organizations.

EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency

Born in the wake of elevated concern about environmental pollution, EPA was established on December 2, 1970 to consolidate in one agency a variety of federal research, monitoring, standard-setting and enforcement activities to ensure environmental protection. Since its inception, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people.

EPA supports UNITAR PRTR capacity-building activities in developing countries, providing technical and financial support to raise awareness on pollutant releases in those countries.

FOEN Swiss Federal Office for Environment

FOEN is the federal government's centre of environmental expertise and is part of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication. The centre is responsible for the sustainable use of natural resources. The FOEN's tasks include minimizing natural hazards, protecting the environment and reducing risks to human health from excessive pollution, maintaining biological diversity and promoting Switzerland in international environmental policy arenas.

FOEN supports UNITAR PRTR capacity-building activities in developing countries, providing technical and financial support to raise awareness on pollutant releases in those countries.