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Establishment of partnerships
Partnerships
for sustainable development – voluntary, multi-stakeholder
initiatives aimed at implementing sustainable development – were an
important outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) has reaffirmed that
such partnerships contribute to the implementation of intergovernmental
commitments, recognizing that partnerships were a complement to, not a
substitute for, intergovernmental commitments. The CSD has encouraged partnerships
that are consistent with specific criteria and guidelines to
register in the Partnerships
for Sustainable Development
register.
The
UNEP Governing Council agreed to the development and implementation of
partnerships as one approach to reducing the risks to human health and the
environment from the release of mercury and its compounds to the
environment and urges Governments, intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations
and the private sector to develop and implement such partnerships, in a
clear, transparent and accountable manner.
Issues
covered on this page are:
IDENTIFYING POSSIBLE PARTNERSHIP AREAS
As a first step in the
process of successfully implementing such partnerships to address mercury
pollution and in accordance with decision 23/9 IV, Governments,
particularly of developing countries and countries with economies in
transition, were invited to identify, in consultation with stakeholders,
priority partnership areas as soon as possible, with the goal of
identifying a set of pilot partnerships by 1 September 2005. Responses
were received from 18 countries and one NGO. These responses and
progress reports submitted by established partnerships can be accessed here.
The information provided by Governments and
other stakeholders regarding partnerships has also been
summarized in two UNEP status
report on partnerships:
- SAICM/PREPCOM.3/INF/18;
-
SAICM/ICCM.1/INF/3.
For further information, see section on "reporting on progress"
below.
FUNDING
FOR PARTNERSHIPS
The
Governing Council also recognized the importance of
technical and financial resources to support successful implementation of
these partnerships. It encouraged Governments and stakeholders,
especially in developed countries, and relevant international
organizations within their respective mandates, to mobilize technical and
financial resources to work towards successful partnerships, which
assistance could include, among other things, identification of best
practices and transfer of appropriate technology. UNEP was asked to
assist in the mobilizations of resources in support of the partnerships.
In response to this request, UNEP Chemicals organized an informal
meeting with donor countries and stakeholders in Vienna on 17 September
2005 (limited participation), to discuss and possibly identify technical and financial support
mechanisms that could help ensure effective implementation of pilot
partnerships. Among the outcomes of this meeting was the suggestion
that, as considerable progress can be obtained in many areas with
relatively small resources, UNEP should consider establishing a "small
grants" programme where countries and other stakeholders could obtain
grants of up to USD 50,000 without too much paperwork UNEP
agreed to develop a short paper setting out possiblities for funding mercury-related activities, with suggestions on structure, criteria, etc. The
full report of the meeting is available here.
A formal letter was sent out on 31 March 2006 to Governments of donor
countries, to follow-up formally on the Governing Council's request
regarding mobilization of resources in support of the partnerships and
on the meeting held in September 2005. In the letter, 31 donor countries
were asked to inform UNEP of their interest in participating in a
funding partnership and in providing financial support for the
partnership activities, as called for in paragraphs 28 (b), 30 and 33.
Responses to this letter have been received as follows: Canada,
the Netherlands,
United
States of America.
UNEP has, through its fund raising activities since the last
Governing Council, raised some limited funding that is available to
support partnership activities and implementation projects at national
or regional level. Further information can be found here.
REPORTING
ON PROGRESS
Upon the request of the Governing Council,
UNEP reported on the mercury partnership programme:
1) At the
third session of the Preparatory Committee for the Development of a
Strategic Approach
to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) (19–24
September 2005), through document
SAICM/PREPCOM.3/INF/18;
and
2) At the International Conference on Chemicals Management
(4-6 February 2006), which
adopted the SAICM,
through document SAICM/ICCM.1/INF/3;
in order to ensure that the partnership activities relevant to mercury pollution
are fully consistent with the goals and objectives agreed through the
SAICM process.
Progress reports from governments and other stakeholders on
partnership implementation
GC decision 23/9 IV also requests UNEP to report on progress of
implementation of partnerships to the Governing Council at its
twenty-fourth session. In order to prepare this report, UNEP is seeking
input from Governments and other stakeholders involved in implementing
partnerships established pursuant to the GC decision. Governments
and stakeholders involved in any partnership activities pursuant to GC
decision 23/9 IV, were invited, through a letter sent out on 1 July
2006, to report back on progress of implementation, coordinating with
other Governments and stakeholders who might also have been involved in
the activities, by no later than 1 September 2006.
Individual reports submitted by Governments and stakeholders are
posted below. The reports will also form part of the background
materials used by UNEP to prepare a
report on progress in implementation of the pilot partnerships, in
preparation for the further consideration by the Governing Council at
its twenty-fourth session in 2007.
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