28 October 2008

1. Development of a National Capacity Assessment and National Action Plan for Implementationof the Rotterdam Convention 28 October 2008 Rotterdam Convention COP-3Rome, Italy Chemicals and Waste Management ProgrammeUNITAR

2. Overview of presentation • Introduction and objectives • Overview of methodology • Expected outcomes

3. Introduction and objectives Introduction • Rotterdam Convention COP-2 agreed to support a joint pilot project between the Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention and UNITAR for the development of national plans for implementation of the convention • Starting in April 2006, with funding from the Government of Switzerland, UNITAR and the Convention Secretariat are supporting eight pilot countries in developing national plans • Countries build on existing documentation and employ action plan development skills acquired through previous UNITAR training

4. Introduction and objectives Pilot project objectives • Ensure that all relevant national actors with a role to play in implementing the Rotterdam Convention are familiar with the convention obligations • Assess existing national capacities to meet obligations • Identify gaps in current capacities • Plan actions to address gaps and achieve full implementation • Establish priorities for action • Identify opportunities to integrate actions to implement the convention with activities ongoing at the national level, using existing structures and expanding their activities • Identify, as appropriate, those areas where further assistance might be needed

5. Introduction and objectives What is planning and why is it important? • Planning involves the establishment of clear and precise objectives…. • Objectives: meeting the requirements of specific obligations under the Convention • …together with activities required to accomplish them…. • ….in order to reach a final, stated goal • Goal: full implementation of the Rotterdam Convention

6. Overview of methodology Guidance document

7. Overview of methodology Guidance document • Part 1: Background and introduction • Part 2: Understanding Party obligations as required by selected articles of the Rotterdam Convention • Part 3: National capacity assessment: Assessingnational capacities to implement the Rotterdam Convention and analysing potential weaknesses or gaps • Part 4: Developing a national action plan for implementation of the Rotterdam Convention

8. Overview of methodology Part 2: Understanding Party obligations as required by selected articles of the Rotterdam Convention • Provides a review of the key obligations under the convention • Organised according to the relevant articles • Includes: • brief introduction to the specific obligation • overview of the legal and administrative framework required to implement this obligation • list of the responsibilities of the DNA

9. Overview of methodology Part 2: Understanding Party obligations as required by selected articles of the Rotterdam Convention • Countries are encouraged to use this section to refresh their knowledge of the Rotterdam Convention • Recommended that the national consultant prepare a list of ‘benchmarks’ for each section, against which current national capacities can be compared when conducting the National Capacity Assessment in order to facilitate the identification of gaps and weaknesses (in Part 3)

10. Overview of methodology Part 3: National capacity assessment

11. Overview of methodology Part 3: National capacity assessment • Use of guidance provides ‘leading questions’ developed by the Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention, on: • the obligation considered • issues for implementation and enforcement • Information exchange provisions • Gather information on current capacities under each obligation • Compare information against the obligations outlined in Part 2 as well as the benchmarks developed • Present to national workshop

12. Overview of methodology Part 3: National capacity assessment • Assessment draws on existing documentation on chemicals management rather than duplicating prior efforts, such as National Chemicals Management Profile, NIP for the Stockholm Convention, documents prepared for SAICM • The assessment should identify: • what has been done so far in the country • what has not yet been implemented • where there are gaps in existing capacities • where activities are ineffective in meeting obligations • where infrastructure to support the required activities are missing • where lack of action is not due to a lack of capacity, but to the action being a low priority for the DNA, to the fact that the chemicals are not used in the country, etc.

13. Overview of methodology Part 4: Developing a national action plan

14. Overview of methodology Part 4: Developing a national action plan • Outlines the application of action plan methodology to developing a NAP for implementation of the Rotterdam Convention • Steps for the setting up the NAP development process: • undertaking an overview in national workshop plenary of the Rotterdam Convention, obligations, and overall goal of the NAP • reviewing and endorsing the National Capacity Assessment • prioritising obligations where actions are required

15. Overview of methodology Part 4: Developing a national action plan • Steps to be undertaken in the working groups to develop the concrete details of the NAP: • defining activities to address gaps • breaking down activities into tasks • considering order of activities and tasks • identifying actors • establishing realistic activity timeframes • defining the budget

16. Overview of methodology Expected outcomes • Outcome of the National Workshop is typically elements of a NAP—a structured approach to the implementation of the Rotterdam Convention, identifying key activities, responsibilities, timelines, and priorities for action • A NAP that will, in collaboration between all national partners, help to ensure protection from unwanted trade through the PIC procedure and strengthen national decision-making on chemicals by making use of the information on hazardous chemicals available under the convention

17. Overview of methodology Possible format of NAP executive summary • Introduction • Statement of the purpose of the National Workshop • Brief background • Stakeholders present • Implementation of the Rotterdam Convention • Relevant related activities • Brief outline the current status of convention implementation • Summary of existing gaps in capacity • Actions needed to fill the gaps • Priorities for Action • Actions that can be undertaken within existing resources • Actions where external assistance might be needed • Next Steps • Proposed action as follow-up to the meeting, such as further developing and implementing the NAP • Adoption of the NAP

18. Thank you Chemicals and Waste Management ProgrammeUnited Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)Palais des Nations1211 Geneva 10Tel: +41 22 917 1234Fax: +41 22 917 8047Email: cwm@unitar.org