Number of questions: [9]
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Posted on 07/08/2007 00:01:29 |
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What role is the UNEP playing in ensuring that the Mafia refrain from dumping nuclear wastes in regions of our world afflicted by conflict like Somalia that has no coast guard or navy to contain current and future nuclear, biological, and chemical dumpings on land and in the coastlines? If there are measures in place, how are the culprits charged and what court has jurisdiction over such international criminals? Are there any recorded incidents of illegal dumping of noxious wastes we know of today? If so, how was the case executed?
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Adan Makina (from United States of America)
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Dear Adan,
Thanks for your question. As you may well know, the role of UNEP in international environmental governance could be broadly categorized under two major functions. The first one is the normative function of UNEP which focuses on informing national governments about emerging environmental threats and facilitating inter-governmental negotiations which will lead to common positions and agreements on possible actions. All the existing international environmental conventions and treaties are outcomes of this function. The second function is to develop and implment capacity building programmes that will enable developing countries to address their national environmental issues and meet their obligations under the international conventions and treaties to which they are signatories. This is the operative sort of function of UNEP.
Coming to the specific case of the dumping of hazardous waste, UNEP facilitated an international negotiation process which led to the signing of the 'Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal' which came into force in 1992. The Basel Convention is the most comprehensive global environmental agreement on hazardous and toxic wastes movements and disposal and it has been ratified by 170 countries around the world. The Secretariat of the Basel Convention, which is hosted under UNEP, has been working for the last 15 years on introducing the necessary mechansims for the effective implmentation of the Basel conventions which includes making the necessary amendments to the convention and enhancing the capacities of developing countries to effectively control the transboundary movement of hazardous waste. One of the mechanisms that is being promoted in this regard is the estbalishment of the Regional Collaborating Centers of the Basel Convention in different parts of the developing world. For more information on the activities of the Secretariat of the Basel Convention is doing you may visit its homepage at http://www.basel.int/.
Related to the issues of liability and compenstaion, there is another protocol under the Basel Convention which deals with this issue. The protocol is entitled the 'Basel Protocol on Liability and Compensation for Damage Resulting from Transboundary Movements of Hazardous wastes and their disposal'. But, it has not yet come into force as it is required to be ratified by 20 signatory countries in order for it to come into force. Thus, currently, any cases of liability and criminal issues related to the dumping of hazardous waste are being addressed within the context of the national jursidiction of the countries involved. Regarding recorded incidents, there were some reported incidents of hazardous waste dumping of which the most recent one is the toxic waste dumping that took place in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). This incident, which led to signiicant environmental and social damage including loss of life, led to an international condemnation of the incidents and call for concerted action against such incident. UNEP togther with other international development partners have been providing support to the government of Cote d'Ivoire in assessing the extent of the environmental damage and identifying the necessary mitigation measures in order to reduce and contain the adverse impact of the incident on the environment. The Government of Cote d'Ivoire is also working with the the Government of the countries of the operators involved in the movement of the toxic waste on the possible modalities of bringing the operators behind the incident into account.
Many thanks
Desta
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Posted on 06/08/2007 21:44:18 |
Dear Mr. Mebratu,
What do you think about the use of electronica cars and its effect over protected areas from developing countries?
What is the rol of countries like Costa Rica that exports oxygen?
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Laura Montero (from Costa Rica)
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Dear Laura,
Thanks for yoru question. The use of electric cars in prtotected areas is quite a useful approach in terms of reducing both atmospheric and noise pollution. But their effect could also be further optimized by looking at other flanking measures which enhance their effectiveness. One such a measure is to utilize electricity that is generated from reneable source to charge the battries of the electric cars. This will make the whole operation more cleaner. The other measure to develop an appropriate route planning that do not interfer or introduce any major disturbance to the various flows and movements within the ecosystem. This will contribute towards mainitaining the natural integrity of the ecosystem.
As to your second question, I think Costa Rica is showing a good example as to how the national eceonomy of a developing country can benefit from protecting its natural resources while at the same time making a significant contribution towards addressing a global environmental problem. I believe this kind of intervenetions will get more erecognition and generate more benefit to the developing world when the global community increasingly recognizes the values of maintianing ecosystems services at various levels for the advancement of human well being at all levels of the society. We hope to see more Costa Ricas in Asia and Africa in the years to come.
Many thanks
Desta
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Posted on 06/08/2007 12:39:35 |
Dear Mr. Mebratu,
What do you think are the implications of climate change for youth, and especially youth in developing countries? What would you recommend that young people do to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change?
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Caitlin (from Canada)
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Dear Caitin,
You have raised an important question which may require an extended deliberation, but I will try to share my thoughts on the subject briefly. One of the sadest implications of cliamte change on the youth in general is that they will be forced to deal with the consequences of the unsustainabel path of development that has been promoted over the decades and the inaction of the present generation in the face of a very strong scientific facts on the source and extent of the contribution of human activity to the probelm. Judging by the increasing numbers of natural disasters that we have witnessed in recent years, the youth of our planet in general and the youth of the developing world in particular will continue to face the brunt of natural disasters to be caused by climate change.
While this could be a scanario that we could face due to lack of the necessary and timely action, the global youth movement could also be a major vehicle to bring about the necessary changes that would ensure the promotion of sustainable development in all regions. Though there could be so many activities that could be carried out by the youth in addressing the climate challeng, I would like to cite the following as an example.
Climate awareness: While the report from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has conclusively linked the trend in cliamte change with human activities, the level of awareness and recognition as to the contribution of our each and every individual actions to the global problem is not yet well recognized by the society at large. I think the youth could play a vital role in developing this awareness at every community level and transforming that into concrete actions.
Shifting consumption and production patterns: the transition we need to make at every level of the society in order to avert future climate disaster is very much linked to our consumption and production patterns. This in turn is very much linked to the decision that each individual makes as a consumer. I believe the youth of today has a great opportunity to lead society by action by making an informed descion as consumer and influencing the decision of its family.
Promoting innovation: while the development of technologies that provide alternatives of fulfilling societies' needs is absolutely essential developing innovative mechanisms of adaptation and mitigations at the local level is even much more important in the transition to a more sustainable society. While some of the youth will be part of the technological development process, the majority of the youth have a huge possibility of developing and promotings mechanisms at the local level.
In general, as the principal group that may be affected by the various consequences of climate change, the youth of both the developed and the developing world have the immense possibility of bringing a fundamental change on how society moves forward in the coming decades. There are already encouraging signs of various youth movements on climate change cropping up in different parts of the world (including your home country Canada) and I hope this movement becomes a meaningful force of change in the years to come.
Many thanks
Desta
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Posted on 06/08/2007 11:11:07 |
Dear Desta
I am M. Tech student working my graduate study in environmental Engineering in Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. I know one of the great problem in developing country is luck of clean water supply, and I want to have my own contribution in this area, wher can I find the inforamtion on the mojer water polutant and their source in most of developing country.
thank you
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Kurabachew simon Duba (from Ethiopia)
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Dear Kurabachew,
Thanks for the question you raised and glad to hear that you will be working on water which is an area of global and regional concern. Since your question is about information source on water source and pollutants in developing countries, I will try to give you some information source where you could be able to find some information related to water quality and source of pollutants.
One of the major possible source of information is the work done by the Water Assessment Unit under UNEP's Division of Early Waning and Assessment. This unit has done a number of assesment works on water qualities and pollutants and you will find the available publications and reports at http://www.unep.org/dewa/assessments/EcoSystems/water/index.asp. The other possible source is UNEP's 'Global Programme of Action (GPA) for the protection of the marine environment from Land-based activities' which is based in The Hague. GPA has a Clearing House Mechanism which you may find at http://www.gpa.unep.org/. The information under this clearing house is structured under Pollutant Source Category, Regional and National Nodes. We have another programme which focuses on water and this is under the UNEP's International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC), that is based in Osaka, Japan. The focus of this programme is more on gray water and sanitation and you can get more information on this at http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/ws/index.asp.
The above three webistes would give you additional links which could be useful for your research and I hope you will be able to find the information you are looking for.
I wish you all the best in your thesis work.
Desta
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Posted on 06/08/2007 05:16:19 |
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What strategies do you propose for educating policy-makers in your area of specialization?
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Centre for Environment Education (from India)
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Hi CED,
I personally believe that the most effective way of educating policy-makers at any level is to contextulaize the subject you are dealing with to the specific issues and conditions that area prevailing in the domain of the policy makers. One possible way to do that is to design and excute the training as part of a broader activity that is addressing a specific issue or problem to which the trainees coudl associate themselves. Such an approach will enable them to appreciate the relevance and benefit of the proposed methodlogy and approach to their specific conditions. The other important point is to target the mid-level policy makers, who are the principal players of the policy development process, before reaching out to higher-level policy makers. Hence, my answer to your question is: i) make the training part of a broader activity on the ground, and ii) target the mid-level policy makers first.
Many thanks
Desta
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Posted on 06/08/2007 04:22:46 |
In your view which terms come in the cleaner production? To suggest the cleaner technology which terms neccessory to be consider?
what strategies you will suggest to mitigate the pollution from chrom leather / tanning industry?
What is the roll of EIA, strict monitoring and auditing, strict standards, penalties and laws in such strategies?
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kapil ingle (from India)
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Dear Kapil,
Thanks for your specific and to the point questions. To start with the treminologies, cleaner production i known by different names in different part of the world. In Northern America is is know as Pollution Prevention while in Asia it is know as 'Green Productivity. The World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD) promotes it as @Ecoefficiency' the emphasis being on economic and environmental benefits. While there may be slight variations in scope and emphasis, the basic principles behind all these concepts are the same. As per the definition of UNEP, Cleaner Production is about promoting efficient resource utilization in products, processes and services with an objective of reducing their impact on the environment while at the same time generating additional economic benefits.
The term cleaner technology also refers to a progressive improvement of production processes and practices. There are two important points which need to be empahsised in relation to the misconception that we have around the term cleaner technology. The first point is that, cleaner technology is not necessarily limited to the technologies that are at the cutting edge of a specific production process. It is rather defined by the specific production process and technology (the system) as a reference with a possibility of having various layers of progression. The second point is that Cleaner Technology is not only about machines and equipments (the hardware). But it is also about the production techniques and methods including product design and process control. It is the appropriate cobination of the hardware and the software component that leads to the optimal result.
The reply I am going to give for your question on tanneries coudl be a clear demonstration of what I said above about cleaner technology. As you well know, chromium tanning is the major source of pollution from tanneries. The main technical source of this problem is related to the low level of chromium uptaking by the hides and ksins to be processed. Most tanneries in developing countries are operating with an average chromium uptake of 75% chromium. This means about 25 % of the chromium input is being discharged with the effluent. One technical option you have to deal with this problem is to install a chrom-recovery unit which will allow you to recover the chrmoium that is contained in the effluent. But the second option which is more of technical is to focus on improving the chromium uptake by the hides and skins so that you will have lower volume of chromium ending up in the effluent. Such improvement of chrmium uptake could be achieved by taking process control related measures such as: keeping optimal float level, regulation of optimal temeperature of the float, appropriate dosing of chemicals, and optimal rotation of the drum including the frequency and timing of reversing the direction of rotation. Applications of such methods has shown that chrome-uptaking could be pushed above 95% there by reducing the load on the effluent.
Finally, the effective promotion and implmentation of cleaner production strtaegies would require the voluntary and proactive engagement of the industries. Nevertheless, having an effective regulatory and enforcement mechanism is one of the key factors that create the condition for the voluntary engagements of industries in cleaner production application. The experience we have so far has clearly shown that industries operating in countries where there is a functional environmental regulatory and enfoprcement mechanisms are more receptive and willing to engage in cleaner producion programmes than those operating in countries where such mechanisms are weak.
Many thanks
Desta
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Posted on 05/08/2007 23:04:20 |
Even though your specialty is in African Econmic Dvelopment, as you familiar with the region of the South Pacific where Fiji lies? I have been working on this great project www.tribewanted.com where wer are building a model for sustianable developent that is equally addressing local sustianability, as well as global sustainability. Within our organization we are thinkling of business solutions in over 35 countries under the capacity of Eco-tourism first and then our specialized fields collaborate to creat solutions that will empower the economy of the whole South Pacific.
There are 100,000 Fijians who are suceptible to global climate change severely. They live as squaters with no land rights, or that are in dispute. They have suffered from post colonial economics, as well as in coming clamite cahgne liabilites that if not sustianably developed and insured will lead to catastrophe and possible human rights violations. How ever the UNSC has begun the research for thes violations actually going againts coutries holding sanction against Fiji, as the liabilities of their industries are not sustainably developed and transtioned in our Global Political Economy.
Further more, these can tie into policies that are not help Sudan, but only making the environmental degradation situations worse. And another Refugee populations that may erupt into civil and tribal war due to unwellingness to listen to the millions of voices that are focused to bring about the Milleneum Devlopment Goals.
My main question is, will you join our organization? How can Africa build economic ties with Fiji?
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Mark Yokim Yokim (from Fiji)
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Dear Mark,
Yes I am familiar with the situation of the South Pacific islands and I do recognize the importance of the work you are doing in the area of promoting ecotourism for these countries. As you indicated, we have a major challenge of achieveing the broader goals of global sustainability while addressing the pressing issues of fulfilling the necessary conditions for local sustainability. This requires promoting development modalities that will allow us to enhance comeplementarities and synergies and not trade-offs between local and global sustainability. It is in this context that local initiatives such as yours play a critical role.
Coming to the case of Africa, As you may know, Africa is one of the few regions that has a great potenetial for the development and promotion of ecotourism. In recent years, a number of African countries have recognized the important contribution that ecotourism could make in the development of their national economy in general and the tourism sector in particular. Hence, there are increasing number of tourism operators and development institutions that are activeley engaged in the development and promotion of ecotoruism. With the development of ecotourism gaining pace, some organization such as Ecotoruism Kenya have recognized the need to have a regional platform and they are working on organizing a Regional Forum on Ecotourism in Africa sometime in 2008. I think estbalishing contacts with such organizations would help in facilitating regional collaboration and experience sharing in the field.
Mnay thanks
Desta
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Posted on 05/08/2007 19:38:51 |
Will we be able to speak directly
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Ingrid Card (from United States of America)
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Dear Ingrid,
I am not sure what you menat by your question. This platform is meant for web-based interaction. If you are asking for a one to one communication, you may reach me at desta. mebratu@unep.org.
Regards,
Desta
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Posted on 05/08/2007 07:53:22 |
Dear Sir,
As you are fully aware of the climatic crisis, partly from the belching smog emissions from transportation traffic round the World. How do I get the cities of 193 countries,to
reduce belching emissions by using www.infernofuel.com
We are inviting cities for 2weeks free trial to mitigate 90% belching emissions.
Regards,
Ron Tan
Global Marketing Director,
www.infernofuel.com
"To all members of CAI, mayor, governor and head of governments,
Dear Sir,
As you are fully aware of the recent reports release, by IPCC , Sir Nicholas Stern
and now Mr.Achim Steiner Chief of UNEP is urging the international community
"to ever greater action" on tackling climate change.
60% of ghg emission comes from the transportation sector, and 15% to 30%
from the shipping industry alone.
We are inviting cities with heavy traffic ghg pollutions to conduct free 2weeks
trial to reduce belching smog from traffics in these cities, without any obligations.
Any city or mayor/governor interested can contact us for an arrangement to
run the trial on a range of vehicles of their choice.
Thank you.
Regards,
Ron Tan
Global Marketing Director,
0065-9145-9147
www.infernofuel.com"
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Ron Tan Ron Tan (from Singapore)
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Dear Ron,
Thanks for sharing this info with us and for your interest on promoting partnership. Since your email refers to the reduction of the contribution of the transportation sector to climate change with a focus on cities, I would like to share with you information about two of the partnership that could be relevant to you activities. One of the global partnerships that were launched during teh World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in September 2002 is the Partnership for Clean Fuel and Vehicle (PCFV). PCFV, whose secretariat is housed under teh Urvan Environmental Management Unit of UNEP, has been actively enaged in promoting programmes that are aimed at reducing the imapct of transportation in urban centers. I would advise you to visit the website of the PCFV at as it will give you some ideas on on-going activities and existing partnership programmes focussing on the transportation sector.
The other initiative which could be sueful in terms of engaging cities and local governments in environment is teh International Council on Local Environmental Initiative (ICLEI). This is an assosciation of cities and local governments that are commited to work towards the inprovement of urban environment. ICLEI has a particular intiative focusing on climate change called 'Cities for Climate Protection' (CCP) Campaign which assists cities to adopt policies and implement quantifiable measures to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and enhance urban livability and sustainability. I would advise to visit the homepage of ICLEI at . You may also visit the website at to know more about UNEP's activities on the Transportation Sector.
Many thanks
Desta
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