The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has released the second Environmental Performance Review of Romania, which identifies access to clean water and improved sanitation and waste management as some of the most pressing environmental challenges facing the country.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has announced that it has signed a contribution agreement to the value of €7.85 million with the European Union to address hazardous waste issues in the Pacific region. Activities under the PACWASTE agreement will focus on electronic, medical and asbestos wastes.

The 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (BC COP11), the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (RC COP6), the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (SC COP6), and the second simultaneous extraordinary meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the three conventions (ExCOPs2) convened from 28 April-10 May 2013, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are critical in creating smart sustainable cities and addressing climate change, according to participants at the Eighth International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Symposium on ICTs, the Environment and Climate Change. Participants adopted a “Turin Roadmap” that calls on ITU to promote smart technologies in cities and develop key performance indicators to assess ICTs impacts in cities and countries around the world. Participants also discussed, inter alia: climate change adaptation and mitigation; disaster preparedness; e-waste; and a transition to a green, resource efficient economy.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has released a documentary, titled 'Mission: Planet Detox,' highlighting chemicals and wastes projects in five countries. The projects are funded by GEF and implemented by the World Bank, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

The first session of the high-level political forum (HLPF) on sustainable development is expected to take place on 24-26 September 2013.

The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) will convene a meeting on "triple win" approaches to sustainable development.

The 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (BC COP 11), the sixth meeting of the Rotterdam Convention COP (RC COP 6), the sixth meeting of the Stockholm Convention COP (SC COP 6) and the second simultaneous extraordinary meetings of the COPs to the three conventions (ExCOPs 2) are convening back-to-back in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Global Water Partnership (GWP) Central Asia and Caucasus (CACENA) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) held a regional workshop on “Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) as a Practical Approach to Climate Change Adaptation in Caucasus and Central Asia,” which addressed: how to adapt; ways to implement; and means of partnership and cooperation.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) released two reports on potential environmental impacts of metals flows and cycles during the 12th International Resource Panel (IRP) Meeting: High Level Dialogue on Resource Efficiency and Sustainable Management of Metal Resources, held on 24 April 2013, in Berlin, Germany.