Download PRTRs and the Multilateral Environmental Agreements

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 – 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”
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 »
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)
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
Possible MEA Elements
where PRTRs can Help






Emissions inventories
Materials balance and tracking
Public information
Compliance monitoring
Compliance assistance
Public/private partnerships
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.
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”
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
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
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.”
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)
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
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
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.