UNEP POPs Negotiations

1. UNEP POPs Negotiations • Background • Mandate • Status Report • Relevance to Great Lakes

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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?)

5. POPs: The UNEP “12” • Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin • DDT, Heptachlor, Chlordane • Mirex, Toxaphene • Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) • PCBs • Chlorinated dioxins and furans

6. 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

7. UNEP POPs: Mandate #1 Conclusion: • there is sufficient science to warrant immediate international action to protect health and environment.

8. 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”.

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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 (?)

12. UNEP POPS: Key issues • Controls on the initial 12 POPs • Criteria and procedure for adding POPs • Implementation aspects • technical assistance • technology transfer • financial assistance

13. 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)

14. 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

15. 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.

16. 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 (?)

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3 New industrial chemicals & pesticides: • these should be screened for • persistence • bioaccumulation • toxicity • potential for long range transport

23. 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

24. 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?