The UNEP POPs Convention - A Canadian Perspective

摘要

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic substances which pose significant risks to thernenvironment and health of Canadians. The international community is developing an internationalrnagreement on persistent organic pollutants under the umbrella of the United Nations EnvironmentalrnProgramme (UNEP). This paper will outline why a global agreement on POPs is an important goalrnfor Canada, describe the main elements of Canada’s domestic and international strategies to deal withrnPOPs, and indicate the status of the key issues currently being negotiated under UNEP.rnCanada has adopted legislation and policies banning or severely restricting production andrnuse of POPs of greatest concern, and is controlling domestic emissions of other priority toxicrnsubstances. However, there is continuing long-range atmospheric transportation of POPs fromrnforeign sources into Canadian ecosystems, including the Great Lakes Basin and extensive regions ofrnCanada’s northern territories. Scientific research has identified these primary foreign sources as:rnEastern Europe and Russia; the United States, Mexico and Central America; and South and SoutheastrnAsia.rnWith a view to significantly reduce and/or eliminate foreign sources of POPs, Canada playedrna leadership role in launching development of the UNEP Convention on POPs. AnrnIntergovernmental Negotiating Committee held its fourth of five meetings to develop thernConvention, from March 20 to 25, 2000 in Bonn. Key issues addressed at the session included:rncontrol measures for the twelve POPs to be initially addressed under the agreement; the process forrnadding future substances; and the capacity building needs of developing countries and countries withrneconomies in transition.