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Webinar on How to Trigger the Emergency Mechanism of the Basel Convention

Webinar on How to Trigger the Emergency Mechanism of the Basel Convention

Webinar on How to Trigger the Emergency Mechanism of the Basel Convention

Webinar on How to Trigger the Emergency Mechanism of the Basel Convention

Background

In cases of emergency resulting from incidents arising from transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and other wastes and their disposal, developing countries or countries with economies in transition can apply for assistance from the Technical Cooperation Trust Fund of the Basel Convention. With the adoption of decision BC-V/32, the Parties decided to enlarge the scope of the Technical Cooperation Trust Fund to provide assistance in case of such incidents. This emergency mechanism allows the Secretariat, upon request, to use the funds to assist a Party in case of an incident occurring during a transboundary movement of hazardous wastes or other wastes covered by the Basel Convention in order to:

  1. Estimate the magnitude of damage occurred or damage that may occur and the measures needed to prevent damage;
  2. Take appropriate emergency measures to prevent or mitigate the damage;
  3. Help find those Parties and other entities in a position to give the assistance needed;

In addition, the Secretariat can assist a Party which is a developing country or a country with economy in transition in developing its capacity-building and transfer of technology, following such incidents, putting in place measures to prevent accidents and damage to the environment caused by the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and other wastes and their disposal.

Objectives

The objectives of this webinar are to inform Parties to the Basel Convention on how to request assistance under the emergency mechanism in case of incident caused by transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and to request the support of the international community in case of incidents. Also, the webinar will introduce the procedure to be followed by Parties to request funds as well as measures to respond to incidents involving the dumping of hazardous wastes. The webinar will briefly introduce measures that Parties could put in place to prevent accidents and damage to the environment caused by the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and other wastes.

 

Contents

  1. Introduction – 5 min.
  2. The Emergency mechanism of the Basel Convention - Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions - 20 minutes
  3. International Response to Environmental Disasters – UNEP/OCHA Unit- 20 minutes
  4. Questions and Answers - 15 min.

Target audience

Basel Convention focal points, Basel competent authorities, Basel regional centres, UNEP regional offices, officially designated national focal points and staff of the Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit.

Schedule and registration

Date and Time
(Geneva time: UTC/GMT+1 hours) 		Please register a few days in advance of the webinar.
To register, please use the following link:
28 May 2013, at 10 am
(Session in English)
 Register
 30 May 2013, at 4 pm
(Session in English)		  Register

Equipment requirements

The internet-based software, Webex, will be used for the video/teleconference session which allows sharing voice and data, such as PowerPoint presentations. Webinar participants would need to use the following items: a computer, preferably a headset or a microphone and speakers and a good internet connection.

Additional information

For more information, please contact:
Technical Assistance Programme
Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
Email: TA@pops.int

Emergency mechanism

Emergency mechanism

Emergency mechanism

Emergency mechanism

In cases of emergency resulting from incidents arising from transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and other wastes and their disposal, developing countries or countries with economies in transition can apply for assistance from the Technical Cooperation Trust Fund of the Basel Convention.

Download
English: Download Emergency mechanism in English - PDF    

Emergency Fund

The Emergency Fund was established to assist Parties that are developing countries or countries with economies in transition in cases of emergency and compensation for damage resulting from incidents arising from transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and other wastes and their disposal.

By its decision V/32, the Conference of Parties decided on an interim basis to enlarge the scope of the Technical Cooperation Trust Fund of the Basel Convention to assist Contracting Parties that are developing countries or countries with economies in transition in cases of emergency and compenstion for damage resulting from incidents arising from transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and other wastes and their disposal. The Draft report on the implementation of Decision V/32 in responding to emergency situations (as per 17 October 2012) is available.

By its decision VI/14, the Conference of Parties adopted Interim guidelines for the implementation of decision V/32 on enlargement of the scope of the Trust Fund to Assist Developing and Other Countries in Need of Technical Assistance in the Implementation of the Basel Convention

By its decision VIII/10, the Conference of the Parties mandated the OEWG to review the implementation of decision V/32 and provide guidance to the Secretariat on steps to be taken, which may include the development of a strategic plan to strengthen the capacity of countries to respond to emergencies and the transmittal of a questionnaire regarding incidents as defined under paragraph 2 (h) of article 2 of the Protocol on Liability and Compensation for Damage Resulting from Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.

By its decision OEWG-VI/14, the OEWG requested the Secretariat, among other things, to transmit any lessons learned on any case for emergency assistance to assist the consideration of the Conference of the Parties in the context of a review of the implementation of decision V/32. The OEWG also invited Parties to provide comments and suggestions on the draft form for requests for assistance on the basis of comments received from Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom.

In its report to COP-9 (document UNEP/CHW.9/27), the Secretariat put forward a revised draft standard form for request for emergency assistance from the Technical Cooperation Trust Fund by developing and other countries in need of assistance. It also transmitted lessons learned on the only case in which the emergency mechanism had been triggered: to provide assistance to Côte d'Ivoire following an incident which involved the dumping of hazardous materials in September 2006.

By decision IX/22, the Conference of the Parties, inter alia, requested the OEWG to develop recommendations addressing the expediency of the procedures under the mechanism for emergency assistance adopted therein, the adequacy of resources available for use under the mechanism and cooperation with other international organizations and agencies in responding to emergency situations and to transmit those recommendations to the Conference of the Parties for consideration at its tenth meeting. The COP also adopted the standard form for request for emergency assistance put forward by the Secretariat in document UNEP/CHW.9/27 and requested the Secretariat to place it in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish on the Basel Convention website.