Opportunities for Regional Cooperation on POPs

25. Opportunities for Regional Cooperation on POPs

by Mr. F. Kanbour

B A C K G R O U D

Decision 18/32 of the Governing Council of UNEP (MAY 1995)

Washington Declaration and the Global Programme of Action of LBA (November 1995)

ROPME/UNEP Workshop and Expert Meeting on LBA

Working Group of the IFCS on POPs

Decision of the Steering Committee of Senior Executives of ROPME

THE REGIONAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION

The Regional Programme of Action has identified the following order of priorities according to source categories:

Oils (hydrocarbons) and combustion products (e.g. PAHs)

Physical Alteration, Sediment Mobilization and Destruction of Habitats

Sewage and Nutrients

Litter

Atmospheric deposition

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

Heavy metals

Radioactive Substances.

REGIONAL APPROACH FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF POPS

OBJECTIVES

Assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the production and use of POPs in the ROPME Sea Area

Reduce and/or eliminate emissions and discharges of POPs

Look for substitutions

Use cleaner production process

Promote best environmental practice for pest control in agriculture and aquaculture

ACTIVITIES

National actions, policies and measures

Regional actions:

i) Marine Monitoring Programme

ii) Contaminant Screening Project

iii) Pilot Study

THE REGIONAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION

PHASE 1 - ACTIVITIES

The first phase of the Regional Programme of Action is to be carried out in 3 years and includes the following activities:

ACTIVITY	ESTIMATED BUDGET
Updating the Surveys of Source Categories, Impacts, Capabilities and Constraints including a pilot study on POPs	US$ 150,000
Development of Guidelines, Standards and Criteria for the management of Land-Based Sources	US$ 50,000
Preparation of a River Basin Management Programme	US$ 150,000
Total budget as funds become available	US$ 350,000

THE PILOT STUDY ON POPs

The main objectives of the Pilot Study are to:

- Carry out an update of Land Based Activities/Sources in RSA.

- Identify POPs more specific to the RSA .

- Compile information on production and use of POPs by various sectors.

- Assess the amount of POPs unintentionally produced by different sectors.

- Assess inputs of POPs into the marine environment from different point and diffuse sources.

- Carry out training workshops on sampling and analyses of POPs, including a Quality Assurance Component.

- Assess the spatial and temporal distribution of POPs in the ROPME Sea Area.

- Assess capabilities and constraints for compliance and trend monitoring of POPs.

- Review existing national policies, strategies, programmes and measures for the reduction and/or elimination of emissions and discharges of POPs.

- Prepare a Regional plan of action for the reduction and/or elimination of emissions and discharges of POPs, as well as for the Regional monitoring programme.

- Propose elements for a National plan of action to reduce and/or eliminate POP emissions and discharges, as well as to provide for National monitoring programme.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Unlike other substances of global distribution, such as Ozone Depleting Substances, POPs distribution and behaviour are both location and media specific. The behaviour and fate of POPs in river delta’s is obviously different from that in a tropical or arid shallow sea. Thus, an assessment of types and distribution of POPs in the water column, sediment and biota of marine and coastal areas as well as a survey of land-based sources and routes of entry to the marine environment are necessary to assess their impacts on the environment and human health.

2. The proposed Global legal instrument is to identify the principle means to control POPs, in the form of a framework legal instrument and in accordance with Section IV of the Global Programme of Action.

3. Environmental standards and emission loads are to be region-specific, taking into consideration the carrying capacity, sensitivity and usage of the environment in the ROPME Sea Area.

4. Global arrangements to provide financial resources, technology transfer and capacity building in the areas of environmental assessment and control/treatment of emissions and effluents of POPs are to be addressed in the framework legal instrument, especially for developing countries.