The role of NGOs in promoting sustainable consumption and production

1
The role of NGOs in promoting sustainable
consumption and production

• Dr. Nadia Haiama-Neurohr
• Senior policy officer
• 2nd international expert meeting on 10-year
  framework of programmes for SCP
• San Jose, Costa Rica - 05 September 2005

2
Greenpeace Priority Areas

• International ENGO with offices in 4 countries
  and 2.8 million individual supporters
• Climate change and renewable energy
• Marine protection
• Ancient forests and illegal logging
• Genetically modified organisms
• Toxic chemicals and products

3
Greenpeace vision and political objectives

• Toxics-free future clean production
  substitution re persistent, toxic technologies,
  products, materials, and wastes.
• Precautionary Principle
• Ban industrial waste dumping and incineration at
  sea
• Ban hazardous waste exports to developing
  countries
• Commitments to eliminate, not control releases
• Global treaty for phasing out organohalogens

4
Some Achievements

• Globalised Precautionary Principle (London
  Convention, Helsinki Convention, UNCED)
• Commitments to eliminate (not control), (Bamako
  Convention, OSPAR 92, Stockholm Convention)
• Ocean dumping/incineration bans (Bamako, Waigani
  treaty)
• Hazardous waste trade bans (Bamako, Barcelona
  Convention, Basel Convention, Central American
  agreement, and national bans)
• Global chemical phase out treaty (Stockholm
  Convention and its key provisions)

5
Whats more dangerous?

• or

6
EU Chemicals Regulations

• EU largest chemical producer
• Large data gaps
• Continued use of dangerous chemicals
• Penalises innovation

7
Chemicals Toxicity Data
8
(No Transcript)
9
Health Environmental Fate

• The widespread presence of small amounts of many
  chemicals is causing increasing concern, because
  ... they may contribute to cancer, allergies,
  impacts on reproduction and the immune response
  system, and neurotoxic effects.
  European Environment Agency

10
REACH in a Nutshell

• Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation of
  Chemicals
• Systematic approach to deal with chemicals
• Manufacturers/importers should register chemicals
• Member States should evaluate them
• Commission should authorise the use of substances
  of very high concern

11
REACH Main Features

• Reverse burden of proof
• Extend responsibility for chemicals along the
  entire manufacturing chain
• Create a knowledge base for chemicals
• Target the most hazardous chemicals
• Drive innovation

12
Potential REACH Benefits

• Clean up costs of PCB in EU25 15 billion
  (1971-2018)
• Health benefits from reducing only 0.1 in the
  burden of disease 50 billion (30 years)

13
Retailers and chemicals

• Bear a large financial burden in trying to find
  out whats in the preparations they use in their
  products.
• Without a trusted regulatory system, retailers
  have had to self-regulate their use of
  chemicals.
• the most cost-effective and the only adequate
  control measure should be substitution HM

14
Water companies and chemicals

• Water companies warn that their waste water
  treatment facilities are not designed to deal
  with a broad range of substances, many of which
  occur in low concentrations. Removing these is
  often very difficult and, even if possible, can
  be a very expensive and energy-consuming option.

15
SCP Opportunities

• Set up clear objectives, priorities, targets,
  timelines and monitoring systems
• Improve communication and exchange of information
  about up-coming policies

16
SCP Opportunities

• Stimulate progressive companies to advocate for
  effective legislation
• Increase transparency and right-to-know
  provisions
• Get full involvement of public interest groups in
  decision-making

17
(No Transcript)
18
Nadia HAIAMA-NEUROHR

• Senior policy officer
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• nadia.haiama_at_diala.greenpeace org
• http//eu.greenpeace.org
• http//www.greenpeace.org