Mandate

The mandate given by the Governing Council of UNEP, as it relates to lead, at its 22nd session/Global Ministerial Environment Forum in February 2003 is provided in full text below.

EXCERPT OF THE DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNING COUNCIL AT ITS
TWENTY-SECOND SESSION/GLOBAL MINISTERIAL ENVIRONMENT FORUM

10th and 11th meeting
7 February 2003

   22/4.  Chemicals

III

 Lead

 The Governing Council,

 Recalling its decision 21/6 of 9 February 2001, on lead in gasoline, reaffirmed in decision SS.VII/3 of 15 February 2002, calling upon Governments to eliminate the use of lead in gasoline and urging Governments, international organizations, the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety and civil society to participate actively in assisting national Governments in such a phase-out, including making available information, technical assistance, capacity-building and funding necessary to enable developing countries to take an active part in the phase-out,

 Recalling also the commitment in the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development³ to reduce respiratory diseases and other health impacts resulting from air pollution, with particular attention to women and children, by supporting the phasing out of lead in gasoline and in lead-based paints and other sources of human exposure, working to prevent, in particular, children’s exposure to lead, and strengthening monitoring and surveillance efforts and the treatment of lead poisoning,

 Noting efforts undertaken by the United Nations Environment Programme to assist in the phase out of lead in gasoline, including the partnership initiative bringing together Governments, industry, international organizations and non-governmental organizations worldwide to facilitate a wider use of cleaner fuels, including the elimination of lead,

 Noting with appreciation the efforts of the Technical Working Group of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, to develop technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of waste lead-acid batteries,

 Expressing its appreciation to the Governments that have taken action to eliminate the use of lead in gasoline,

 Having considered the report of the Executive Director on progress in phasing out lead in gasoline (UNEP/GC.22/2, chap. II.E),

 1.                       Encourages Governments, relevant organizations and other stakeholders to apply the technical guidelines, as appropriate, for ensuring the environmentally sound management of these lead-containing wastes;

 2.                       Calls upon Governments that have not yet done so to act urgently to eliminate the use of lead in gasoline;

 3.                       Urges Governments, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to work with the private sector to identify effective ways of reducing exposures to lead and to strengthen monitoring and surveillance efforts and the treatment of lead poisoning;

 4.                       Also calls upon Governments to act urgently on the commitment of the World Summit on Sustainable Development to phase out lead in lead-based paint and other sources of human exposure, to prevent exposure to lead, in particular children’s exposure to lead, and to strengthen monitoring and surveillance as well as treatment of lead poisoning;

 5.                       Requests the Executive Director, in cooperation with other members of the Inter‑Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals, in particular with the World Health Organization, as well as with other partners, including the private sector, to assist Governments, through information exchange and capacity-building, in their efforts to phase out lead in gasoline, lead-based paint and other sources of human exposure, to prevent exposure to lead and to strengthen efforts for monitoring and surveillance as well as treatment of lead poisoning;

 6.                       Appeals to Governments, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and civil society to participate actively in assisting national Governments in their efforts to prevent and phase out sources of human exposure to lead, in particular the use of lead in gasoline, and to strengthen monitoring and surveillance efforts as well as treatment of lead poisoning, by making available information, technical assistance, capacity-building, and funding to developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

 7.                       Requests the Executive Director to provide additional resources[3] for the implementation of the present decision to cover its core infrastructure costs.