United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Policy and Legislation Section, TLB, DTL

Technical advice, substantive research and analysis on Transport Law and Policy. Global - part of UNCTAD’s ongoing work on transport law and policy. Brief description - As part of its work on transport law and policy, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD provides policy and legal technical advice and carries out substantive research and analysis on a wide range of legal and regulatory issues affecting transport and trade. Relevant studies and reports aim to assist traders and policymakers in their understanding of the often complex international legal framework and aid in effective national implementation of relevant international legal instruments. UNCTAD also monitors and disseminates ‎information ‎on ‎recent developments, including in the fields of environmental sustainability, ship-source pollution and GHG emissions control as part of its annual Review of Maritime Transport. - In 2017, complementing its technical assistance work on climate change impacts and adaptation for key Caribbean transport infrastructure, UNCTAD published the findings of a 'Port industry survey on climate variability and change'. The survey aimed to improve the understanding of weather and climate-related impacts on ports and to identify data availability and information needs, as well as determine current levels of resilience and preparedness among ports. The study revealed important gaps in terms of relevant information available to seaports of all sizes and across regions, with implications for effective climate risk assessment and adaptation planning.- UNCTAD also contributes to other relevant international initiatives and mechanism, such as UN-OCEANS and Sustainable Mobility for All. As part of its collaboration with intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, UNCTAD participates in a WG on climate change adaptation for maritime and inland port and navigation infrastructure, which was established in 2015 by PIANC, the key NGO representing global waterborne transport infrastructure, to prepare some industry guidelines for adaptation planning. UNCTAD also participated in the Advisory Panel for the peer-review of the Regional Framework for Adaptation to Climate Change in coastal and marine areas in the Mediterranean, which was developed by UNEP/MAP, and endorsed by the Contracting Parties to the ‘Barcelona Convention for the Protection of The Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution’ in 2016. UNCTAD continues to collaborate closely with the UNECE Expert Group on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation for International Transport Networks and Nodes, which had been established in 2011, following a joint UNCTAD-UNECE workshop on the issue and whose mandate was extended in 2015. - Starting in 2017, UNCTAD participates in an International Reference Group contributing to the development of a “Law and Climate Change Toolkit”, an online database initiated by the UN Climate Change secretariat (UNFCCC), UN Environment, and the Commonwealth Secretariat to assist national implementation of the climate change-related commitments under the Paris Agreement.