Mandate

The mandate given by the Governing Council of UNEP, as it relates to lead and cadmium, at its 23rd session/Global Ministerial Environment Forum in February 2005 is provided in full text below.

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

 Decision 23/9:   Chemicals management

The Governing Council,

Recalling chapter 19 of Agenda 21[1] and Governing Council decisions 18/12 of 26 May 1995, 18/32 of 25 May 1995, 19/13 of 7 February 1997, SS.V/5 of 22 May 1998, 20/22 of 4 February 1999, 20/23 and 20/24 of 4 February 1999, 21/3, 21/4, 21/5 and 21/6 of 9 February 2001, SS.VII/3 of 15 February 2002 and 22/4 of 7 February 2003 concerning global policies related to chemicals management,

Welcoming the entry into force of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants,

Welcoming also the continuing good cooperation between the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, the Rotterdam Convention, the Stockholm Convention, the Chemicals Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Customs Organization in addressing international illegal trafficking of hazardous chemicals and hazardous wastes,

Noting the existing good cooperation and the potential for further enhancing coherence and synergies between the Montreal Protocol, the Basel Convention, the Rotterdam Convention, the Stockholm Convention and the Chemicals Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme,

Recalling paragraph 23 of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation,[2] adopted by the World Summit on Sustainable Development on 4 September 2002, concerning the renewed commitment on the sound management of chemicals throughout their life cycle and of hazardous wastes for sustainable development and for the protection of human health and the environment, as well as the aim of achieving, by 2020, that chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment, using transparent, science-based risk assessment procedures and science-based risk management procedures, taking into account the precautionary approach, as set forth in principle 15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development,[3] and the call for support to developing countries in strengthening their capacity for the sound management of chemicals and hazardous waste by providing technical and financial assistance,

Recalling also paragraph 23 (b) of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, in which the World Summit endorsed the further development of a strategic approach to international chemicals management,

Recalling further paragraph 23 (d) of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, in which the World Summit encouraged partnerships to promote activities aimed at enhancing the environmentally sound management of chemicals and hazardous wastes, implementing multilateral environmental agreements, raising awareness of issues relating to chemicals and hazardous waste and encouraging the collection and use of additional scientific data,

Recalling paragraph 23 (g) of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, which called for action at all levels to promote the reduction of the risks posed by heavy metals which are harmful to human health and the environment, including through a review of relevant studies, such as the United Nations Environment Programme global assessment of mercury and its compounds,[4]

Welcoming the participation of Governments, non-governmental organizations and intergovernmental organizations from multiple sectors such as agriculture, environment, foreign affairs, health, industry, labour and science at the first session of the Preparatory Committee for the Development of a Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, held in Bangkok from 9 to 13 November 2003, and at its second session, held in Nairobi from 4 to 8 October 2004,

Noting the Sirte Declaration on the Environment for Development[5] adopted by the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment at its tenth session, held in Sirte, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, from 26 to 30 June 2004, in which ministers committed themselves further to prioritizing and drawing synergies from, among other things, the strategic approach to international chemicals management process, and decision 5 of the same session[6] in which ministers endorsed and encouraged the development of a strategic approach to international chemicals management,

Noting with appreciation those Governments which have made financial contributions to the activities of the United Nations Environment Programme relating to sound chemicals management,

Having considered the progress report of the Executive Director on chemicals management,[7]

III

Lead and cadmium

15.       Reaffirms its decision 22/4 III of 7 February 2003 on lead;

16.       Requests the Executive Director to undertake a review of scientific information, focusing especially on long-range environmental transport, to inform future discussions on the need for global action in relation to lead and cadmium;

17.       Encourages Governments and other stakeholders to increase contributions in order to facilitate the timely implementation of the work required by the present decision;

18.       Requests the Executive Director to report on implementation of the present decision as it relates to lead and cadmium to the Governing Council at its twenty-fourth session;