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International Context for PRTRs

International Context for PRTRs . Jim Willis, Director UNEP Chemicals. Chapter 19 of Agenda 21. Emissions inventories/right-to-know referred to in several programme areas -

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International Context for PRTRs

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  1. International Context for PRTRs Jim Willis, Director UNEP Chemicals

  2. Chapter 19 of Agenda 21 • Emissions inventories/right-to-know referred to in several programme areas - • Programme area C calls on governments and intergovernmental organizations to “improve databases and information systems on toxic chemicals, such as emission inventory programmes” • Programme area D calls on governments to “adopt, on a voluntary basis, community right-to-know programmes… and reporting on annual routine emissions of toxic chemicals to the environment” • Programme area E calls on governments to “consider adoption of community right-to-know programmes”

  3. Activities since Rio • OECD Guidance for Governments • IOMC PRTR Coordinating Group • IFCS endorsement • Country-based projects (UNEP, UNITAR) • UNECE Aarhus Convention • Regional initiatives, e.g., North America, European Union • Training/workshops/conferences • WSSD – encourages « development of coherent and integrated information on chemicals, such as through national pollutant release and transfer registers »

  4. Can PRTRs be relevant to MEAs implementation? • Montreal Protocol (ozone) • Rotterdam Convention (PIC) • Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) • Basel Convention (waste) • Stockholm Convention (persistent organic pollutants)

  5. Key PRTR Elements • Community Right-to Know • Direct Environmental Releases, e.g., • Air • Water • Underground Injection • Land • Wastes, e.g., • Off-site releases • On-site releases

  6. Possible MEA Elements where PRTRs can Help • Emissions inventories • Materials balance and tracking • Public information • Compliance monitoring • Compliance assistance • Public/private partnerships

  7. Montreal Protocol • Treaty deals with direct phase-outs of ODSs • Limited “direct” usefulness of a PRTR • A PRTR can provide “supporting” uses, e.g., • Possible compliance monitoring or assurance tool • A different look – i.e. ODS environmental releases, as opposed to amounts manufactured or used.

  8. Rotterdam Convention • Convention deals with trade in dangerous pesticides and industrial chemicals • Limited “direct” usefulness of a PRTR • A PRTR can provide: • Help in getting a broader view of PIC chemicals (facility releases) • Compliance monitoring and assurance • Stakeholder engagement • May be related to Article 15 “registers”

  9. Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) • Convention deals with global warming • Covers greenhouse gases, esp. through its Kyoto Protocol • A PRTR can provide: • Release inventories for GHGs • Targets for clean development and energy efficiency opportunities • Public/stakeholder involvement

  10. Basel Convention • Convention deals with wastes • Transboundary movements • Environmentally sound management • A PRTR can: • Provide materials balance at the facility level (e.g., on-site/off-site waste transfers) • Indicate where facilities can apply waste minimization techniques • Indicate waste management facilities that need attention

  11. Stockholm Convention • Convention deals with releases of POPs • Article 10 paragraph 5 – “Each Party shall give sympathetic consideration to developing mechanisms, such as pollutant release and transfer registers, for the collection and dissemination of information on estimates of the annual quantities of the chemicals listed in Annex A, B or C that are released or disposed of.”

  12. Stockholm Convention (2) • Releases of dioxins/furans • Release estimates • Targets for Best Available Techniques and Best Environmental Practices (BAT/BEP) • Facility-related releases of POPs pesticides • Quantities of POPs in wastes • Compliance monitoring and assurance • Targets for research, development and monitoring (Article 11) • Public/stakeholder involvement • National Implementation Plans (NIPs) (Article 7)

  13. Crosscutting Issues • A single tool can be used for many MEAs – in addition to national uses • Can help create a more integrated environmental programme • Resource leveraging • Building public involvement and stakeholder participation • May also help regional agreements, e.g., Cartegena Convention

  14. Funding mechanisms • Bilateral assistance • Multilateral fund (ozone) • Global Environment Facility (Stockholm Convention, FCCC) • PRTRs integrated into projects • « General Chemicals Management » • Basel technical cooperation trust fund

  15. Summary • PRTRs should – first and foremost – be designed to meet national priorities, but • They can also support country goals in implementing MEAs • Stockholm Convention explicitly refers to PRTRs and PRTRs should be considered as part of the Stockholm Convention NIP • External sources of funding are likely to be extremely limited, and tapping in would require imagination and creativity • Unless a PRTR is a political priority, progress is likely to be very limited.

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