Transcript Ratification of the UNECE Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers to the Aarhus Convention Mr.

Ratification of the UNECE Protocol
on Pollutant
Release
and Transfer
Registers
to the Aarhus Convention
Mr. Jeremy Wates
Secretary to the UNECE Convention
on Access to Information, Public Participation
in Decision-making and Access to Justice
in Environmental Matters
UNECE Protocol on PRTRs: Ready for Take-off, Side event to Sixth Ministerial
Conference “Environment for Europe”, Belgrade, 10 October 2007
Convention on Access to Information,
Public Participation in Decision-making
and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters
25 June 1998 - Adoption of the Convention at the 4th Ministerial
“Environment for Europe” Conference, Aarhus, Denmark. Signed by 39
countries and the European Community
30 Oct 2001
- Entry into force of the Convention
21 May 2003 - Adoption of the Protocol on PRTRs at extra-ordinary
meeting of the Parties, within the framework of the 5th Ministerial
Conference “Environment for Europe” (Kiev, Ukraine)
Working Group on PRTRs established in Kiev to prepare for entry into
force
Legal basis in Convention
Article 5, paragraph 9 and article 10, para. 2 (i)
Legal basis: article 5, para. 9 and article 10, para. 2 (e)
and (i) of the Aarhus Convention, requiring each Party
“to take steps to establish progressively ... a coherent,
nationwide system of pollution inventories or registers on a
structured, computerized and publicly accessible database
compiled through standardized reporting.” (art. 5, para. 9)
“… taking into account international processes and
developments, including the elaboration of an appropriate
instrument concerning pollution release and transfer registers or
inventories ….” (art. 10, para. 2(i) )
Objective of Protocol:
“… to enhance public
access to information through the establishment
of coherent, integrated, nationwide PRTRs”
PRTRs under the Protocol are required to:
• be publicly accessible and user-friendly
• present standardized, timely data on a structured,
computerised database
• cover releases and transfers from certain major point
sources
• begin to include some diffuse sources (e.g. transport,
agriculture, small- and medium-sized enterprises)
• allow public participation in their development and
modification
Pollutants covered (annex II)
include:
Facilities covered (annex I) include:
• Greenhouse gases
• Acid rain pollutants
• Thermal power stations and
refineries
• Ozone-depleting substances
• Mining and metallurgical industries
• Heavy metals
• Chemical plants
• Certain carcinogens,
such as dioxins
• Waste and waste-water management
plants
• Paper and timber industries
TOTAL: 86 pollutants
• Intensive livestock production and
aquaculture
• Food and beverage production
Status of Protocol Ratifications:
Estonia
Germany
Luxembourg
Switzerland
European Community
16 Member State ratifications are needed
for the Protocol to enter into force
Steps for Protocol’s future implementation:
institutional architecture
• Rules of procedure and compliance review mechanism
• Financial arrangements
• Capacity-building
• International cooperation and reporting

International PRTR Coordinating Group

SAICM / ICCM etc
Steps for Protocol’s future implementation:
capacity-building
• Completion of technical
guidance on implementation
• Further guidance planned on :
- PRTR reporting by enterprises
- dissemination of PRTR
information
- data users’ guide
• European Community guidance
on PRTR
• UNECE Guidelines on
monitoring and reporting by
enterprises
Providing technical guidance on approaches
to reporting releases and transfers
Main messages:
• Now is the time to ratify! Countries should speedily ratify
the PRTR Protocol, if possible so that PRTR MOP-1
can be held back-to-back with Aarhus MoP-3
• Establish PRTRs: set up registers in line with the
requirements of the Protocol, availing as necessary of
guidance and capacity building support
• To donors: support countries in transition in
establishing PRTRs: EECCA countries, esp. those
outside the orbit of future EU accession, need special
assistance to develop national PRTRs
For more information, see
http://www.unece.org/env/pp
Thank you.