The Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers to the UNECE Aarhus Convention, adopted in May 2003 in Kiev enters into force on 8 October 2009. The Protocol will help identify the biggest polluters in communities across Europe, including those spewing greenhouse gases, which contribute to climate change.
Sixteen countries and the European Community which have already deposited their instruments of ratification with the United Nations Secretary-General will become Parties to the treaty upon its entry into force. By year end, a total of 20 countries are set to become Parties to the treaty.
The Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers requires firms to report annually on releases into the environment and transfers off-site of 86 pollutants, including greenhouse gases, dioxins and heavy metals such as mercury. The information will then be placed on a public register accessible through the Internet. Smaller, widespread sources such as traffic, agriculture and small- and medium-sized enterprises will also be captured in the national pollutant registers. Where registers already exist, public disclosure of information about pollutant releases has led companies to improve their environmental performance.
Firms engaged in international trafficking of hazardous waste must report the name and address of the waste’s receiver (in accordance with article 7 (5)(d)(ii)). The Protocol will thus offer new tools to track the transport of hazardous waste, which is often destined for developing countries.
Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, said the Protocol “marks a milestone in the advancement towards environmental democracy. The Protocol counts 38 Signatories and 21 ratifications in the UNECE region, but many other countries are applying its right-to-know principles and developing pollutant release and transfer registers.”
Jan Kubiš, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, described this new international law as “a key tool for citizens and public authorities to measure and combat environmental pollution. The Protocol, which covers major greenhouse gas emissions, will thus contribute to UNECE's efforts to mitigate climate change in our region.”
The Protocol is open to accession by any U.N. Member State. Spain is the most recent country to ratify the Protocol, having deposited its ratification on 24 September 2009.
For further information, please visit www.unece.org/env/pp/prtr.htm or contact:
Mr. Michael STANLEY-JONES
Environmental Affairs Officer
Aarhus Convention Secretariat
UNECE Environment, Housing and Land Management Division
Tel: +41 (0)22 917 24 42
Fax: +41 (0)22 917 06 34
E-mail: [email protected]
For additional background on this story, see http://www.unece.org/press/pr2009/09env_p23e.htm.
[Source: UNECE Information Service]
