Major International Conventions: Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm, Minamata

Major International Conventions UPSC notes

Basel Convention

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was adopted in 1989 in Basel, Switzerland. The overarching objective of the Basel convention is to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes. Its scope of application covers a wide range of wastes defined as “hazardous wastes” based on their origin and/or composition and their characteristics, as well as two types of wastes defined as “other wastes” (household waste and incinerator ash).

Rotterdam Convention

The Rotterdam Convention on the prior informed consent procedure for certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade came into force in 2004. India acceded to the convention a year later. The Designated National Authorities (DNAs) for India are in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The Official Contact Points (OCPs) are designated in Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. There are 47 chemicals listed in Annex III to this Convention, which include 33 pesticides and 14 industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted for health or environmental reasons by two or more parties and which the Conference of Parties (COPs) has decided to subject to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure.

Stockholm Convention

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from POPs. The Convention sought initially 12 chemicals, for restriction or elimination of the production and release. Now, the Convention covers 23 chemicals. The Convention came into force in 2004. India ratified the Convention in 2006. As per Article 7 of the Convention, Parties to the Convention were required to develop a National Implementation Plan (NIP) to demonstrate how their obligations to the Convention would be implemented. In India, NIP has been developed through Global Environment Facility (GEF) funding. Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change serves as the focal point for GEF and Stockholm Convention. Designated national authorities are in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.

Minamata Convention on Mercury

In February 2009, the Governing Council of UNEP adopted Decision 25/5 on the development of a global legally binding instrument on mercury. At the Conference of Plenipotentiaries held in 2013 in Minamata and Kumamoto, Japan, the “Minamata Convention on Mercury”, a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury, was formally adopted.

Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management

In 2006, over 190 countries including India acceded to the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), an international policy framework to foster sound management of chemicals. Initial activities under SAICM included development or updating of national chemicals profiles, strengthening of institutions, and mainstreaming sound management of chemicals in national strategies. Towards this end, India initiated the preparation of the National Chemicals Management Profile to assess India’s infrastructure and capacity for management of chemicals.