UNDAC

1. UNDAC Role and Responsibilities in Environmental Emergencies & Environmental Impacts of ND

2. Session Objective • To provide an overview and basic guidance to UNDAC team members on expectations in addressing environmental threats—whether environmental emergencies or natural disasters with significant environmental impacts • Introduction to the newly-developed chapter on Environmental Emergencies for the UNDAC Field Hand Book

3. Definition What is an environmental emergency? “ a sudden-onset event out of the normal course of events that has the potential to significantly affect the environment and human health”

4. Environmental Disaster An event that has actual or potential severe environmental impacts such as: • Floods • Earthquakes • Landslides • Volcano eruptions • Droughts • Industrial & Technological Accidents • Forest Fires • Environmental Impacts from Conflict Emergencies • Combinations of the above

5. Impacts on the Environment • Water resources - surface and ground water • Forest resources - timber and non-timber • Biodiversity - flora and fauna • Land resources - soil and soil nutrients • Atmosphere - air • Marine & Aquatic resources - sea and aquatic mammals & birds, fish, other flora & fauna, amenities

6. An Integrated Approach environmental - humanitarian Why? • All environmental emergencies have a humanitarian impact • Humanitarian consequences may not be evident/visible immediately • There is a strong connection between environmental emergencies and natural disasters, particularly within the context of humanitarian assistance

7. UNDAC and Environmental Emergencies The value: • Internationally recognized • Impartial and independent • Rapid deployment • Practical experience in environmental emergencies • Well-developed training and methodology • Multi-disciplinary and multi-national • Ensures integrated approach to both humanitarian and environmental concerns

8. Role of UNDAC • As part of overall assessment process, identify potential risks to environment and human health • Define nature and scope of immediate and longer term hazards • Take mitigation steps where appropriate • Determine needs (response resources, technical expertise) and request specific expertise as required

9. Assessment Steps Need to ascertain: • Nature of incident • Location of actual or potential threat • Hazard identification • Assessment of Hazard implications • Response requirements • Short and long term environmental considerations Then identify:

10. Assessments should consider and identify: • short and long term implications • impacts on human health • water and soil contamination • implications for wildlife • destruction of habitat • immediate or chronic threat • food chain implications

11. Response Requirements • Establish clear priorities • Determine whether mitigation is possible and take immediate steps where appropriate • Establish an action plan • Identify expertise required • Identify equipment requirements

12. Environmental Emergencies Section’s Mission Mobilization and coordination of urgent international assistance for environmental emergencies and other disasters with significant environmental impacts

13. What Services does the Section provide? • Acts as an independent neutral body that can respond quickly to requests for assistance on a 24/7 basis, free-of-charge to requesting nations. • Access to an International network of resources & expertise • Timely Alerting and Notification of environmental occurrences worldwide • Brokering and Coordination of International Assistance and...

14. The Section’s Services cont’d • Emergency Assessments • Situation and mission reports • Emergency Cash Grants up to 50,000 $$ (in special circumstances) • Access to tools such as guidelines on assessment and contingency and emergency response planning

15. How Can these Services be Accessed? • By official government request from an affected country • In close cooperation with UNDP field offices • Using the Notification/Request for International Assistance Form

16. Contact phone numbers Placards Yellow Pages Blue Pages Orange Pages Green Pages 2000 Emergency Response Guidebook Downloadable and Interactive web version of manual available at: http://www.tc.gc.ca/canutec/en/menu.htm

17. The New Chapter on Env.Emerg Some Background……… • The Chapter was developed in recognition and response to UNDAC’s changing role in addressing the environmental dimension of disasters • It is part of a multi-pronged approach currently being undertaken between FCSS and the JU in building capacity within the UNDAC system to recognize, conduct a basic assessment, and address environmental threats

18. The New Chapter on EE • The chapter was developed and designed to be used by average users with no specialised expertise in EE • The final version will be printed in a format that will be easily added to tab P of your existing UNDAC Field Handbook • It is not comprehensive— specialised advice and guidance is always available through the Joint Unit

19. Important Points • The book is a reference for team members and is not designed to provide comprehensive information on the subject. • Your main focal point for an environmental event will be the UNEP/OCHA Environmental Emergencies Section // Joint Unit either: • Directly, or; • Through your UNDAC Mission focal point (within FCSS)

20. Chapter Overview Sections: • 1 – Introduction • 2 – Environmental Emergencies defined • 3 – Assessing environmental impacts • 4 – Product characteristics and hazards • 5 – Hazardous materials identification • 6 – WMD • 7 – Information sources • 8 – Environmental impacts • 9 & 11 – The Response • 10 – Role and function of the JU

21. Section 3 • Section 3 provides: • an overview of assessment and assessment steps • Indicators of where hazardous substances might be found and recognizing when a chemcial reaction might have occurred • Factors that will influence the response (physical state, nature of hazard quantity, weather conditions),

22. Section 4 • Types of hazards: this section lists three most important but there are others • Toxic • Corrosive • Flammable/inflammable

23. Section 5 • Identification of hazardous materials by: • UN number • UN Transport Symbols (labels,placards) • Int’l Chemical Safety Cards • CAS number • Hazard Identification numbers (Europe & SA)

24. Section 6 – Weapons of Mass Destruction • UNDAC team members will not be placed in environments involving WMD (or NBC) • This table is provided as information only within the chapter’s broader hazmat context

25. Section 7-Tools & Info Sources • The main reference documents listed are : • NAERG 2000 • ENRA Form • REA Guidelines • These are the materials that will be found in the UNDAC kit!! • A summary list of additional web-based info sources is provided to be consulted as needed

26. Sections 8 -Environmental Impacts • Impacts to…air,water and soil, • from both short and long term perspectives

27. Sections 9&11-The Response • Section 9 provides general guidance on intervention for different types of releases • Section 11 provides more detailed guidance on specific steps in responding to incident • This includes: • Golden Rules • PPE • Health and Safety • Work zones: hot, warm, cold

28. Section 10-The Joint Unit/EES • Since the JU will be the primary focal point to provide support and guidance of UNDAC teams in responding to environmental threats…… • Section 10 provides an overview of the work of the Joint Unit and to the types of expertise and services that can be provided for environmental emergencies

29. Next Steps • Posting of chapter to Virtual OSOCC for a period of review and comment by UNDAC team members • Final draft completed, based on comments received • Printing • Distribution to team members for inclusion in Handbook