UNEP POPs Negotiations •Background •Mandate •Status Report •Relevance to Great Lakes
Dec 26, 2015
POPs Characteristics
• organic compounds• natural or anthropogenic origin• resist degradation in environment• low water + high lipid solubility• bioaccumulate in fatty tissues• semi-volatile + multi-media• regional and global distribution
POPs: International Initiatives
• Canada-USA Great Lakes Agreement• Oslo-Paris Convention: Protection of the
North-East Atlantic Ocean• Helsinki Convention (Protect Baltic Sea)• Int’l Conference to Protect the North Sea• Barcelona Resolution: Protection of the
Mediterranean Sea
POPs: International Initiatives
• Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy• NAAEC/NACEC Resolution on Persistent
Toxic Substances (1995, POPs & metals)• UNEP Global Program of Action for
Protection of Marine Environment (1995) • UN ECE LRTAP Convention:– Protocols on POPs & Metals (1998)
• New UNEP POPs Convention (2001?)
POPs: The UNEP “12”
• Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin• DDT, Heptachlor, Chlordane• Mirex, Toxaphene• Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)• PCBs• Chlorinated dioxins and furans
UNEP POPs: Mandate #1
UNEP GC Decision 18/32 (May/95):• assessment of chemistry, toxicology,
environmental fate & transport, socio-economics, sources, risks & benefits, and possible substitutes for the “12”
• IFCS to recommend any international actions to UNEP GC and WHA by 1997
UNEP POPs: Mandate #1
Conclusion:
• there is sufficient science to warrant immediate international action to protect health and environment.
UNEP POPs: Mandate #1
Recommendations:• initiate immediate international action
through:– “measures which will reduce and/or
eliminate the emissions and discharges of the 12 … and, where appropriate, eliminate production and subsequently the remaining use of those POPs that are intentionally produced”.
UNEP POPs: Mandate #1
Recommendations:
• different treatment for pesticides, industrial chemicals and by-products
• criteria and process to identify new POPs• develop global legally binding instrument• involve stakeholders in negotiations
UNEP POPs: Mandate #2
UNEP GC Decision 19/13C (Feb/97):
• develop convention, preferably by 2000,
and start in “early 1998”• governments encouraged to take
immediate action on recommendations• UNEP directed to take actions to
support countries’ efforts
UNEP POPs: Negotiations
• INC1: Montreal (June 29 - July 3, 1998)• INC2: Nairobi (Jan. 25 - 29, 1999)
• INC3: Geneva (Sept. 6 -11, 1999)• INC4: Bonn (March 20 - 25, 2000)• INC5: South Africa (November 2000)• Diplomatic Conference: Sweden (2001)• In effect by 2003-2004 (?)
UNEP POPS: Key issues
• Controls on the initial 12 POPs• Criteria and procedure for adding POPs• Implementation aspects– technical assistance– technology transfer– financial assistance
UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3
• The following summarizes the draft proposals for controls on the “12” which will be subjected to review by governments and discussed at INC4 (March 2000)
UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3
Goal for intentionally produced POPs:
• to eliminate production and use.
Aldrin, Endrin, Toxaphene:
• at entry into force of the convention
Chlordane, Dieldrin, Heptachlor, Mirex, HCB:• production limited to some critical uses,
subject to review at specified dates
UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3
Goal for DDT:• elimination of production for all except
public health uses (e.g. malaria) and• review the need for remaining uses to see
when production may be completely halted.
UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3
Goal for PCBs:• elimination of production for all new
uses, but• permit current uses in equipment• phase out “as soon as possible”• specify a deadline (?)
UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3
By-products:• dioxins, furans, HCB• no agreement on statement of a goal• “minimization, elimination”• limited support for targetted reductions
against baseline year emission levels• agreement on reducing releases
UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3
By-products:• Promote use of strategies & measures:– to reduce releases and/or eliminate
sources by feasible & practical means– to prevent formation & release– to apply BAT for new & existing sources– national & sub/regional action plans
UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3
By-products:• National & sub/regional action plans:– evaluate current & projected releases– develop & maintain source inventories and
release estimates– evaluate adequacy of laws & policies– develop strategies to prevent & reduce
release based on obligations & evaluations
UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3
By-products:• National & sub/regional action plans:– education, training & awareness of
prevention & reduction strategies– implementation schedule– monitoring progress of strategies and
review success every [x] years
UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3
POPs wastes:• strategies for identification of articles,
products & wastes• environmentally sound waste destruction
• concern for dioxin & furan generation and POPs release to environment
• technical & financial assistance for less developed countries
UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3
New industrial chemicals & pesticides:
• these should be screened for– persistence– bioaccumulation– toxicity– potential for long range transport
Relevance to Great Lakes
• Great Lakes experience should be shared with NACEC, Arctic, UNEP, etc.– what worked & what did not– multistakeholder consultation approach
• Benefits of past & future actions• Impacts of regional & global actions
POPs: UNEP Actions
• POPs web site: http://irptc.unep.ch/pops/• Support for country actions:– national POPs contact points– UNEP/IFCS sub/regional workshops: 138
countries in 8 workshops (Jul/97 - Jun/98)– PCB inventory & disposal projects– list of national, regional & global actions:• the future POPs Global Action Plan?