 |
 Latest
update:
At
07:28 am, Chair Buccini declared: "... my understanding is, ladies
and gentlemen, you've just made a convention" ( listen
in RealAudio).
Delegates
cleared the last article - W, on reservations - and have a clean, bracket-free
text ready for signing in Stockholm. After numerous and sincere expressions
of thanks to the Chair, the Secretariat and the host country, Buccini
gaveled INC-5 to a close at 8:20 am, Sunday morning. RealAudio
of Buccini's emotional closing of INC-5: "... the only thing
that comes to mind is: we have a legal document today which constitutes
a declaration of war on POPs. Congratulations".
 |
|
A standing
ovation for the completion of the INC's work, and for the
dedicated chairmanship of John Buccini (Canada) over the two
and a half years of the INC negotiations. Delegates were unanimous
in their thanks for Buccini's work. Several participants jokingly
suggested that the new agreement should be named 'The Buccini
Convention'.
|
|
 |
| Chair
Buccini holds aloft the Inuit statue that was given to him at
INC-1. The statue, representing a mother with a baby in arms,
has sat by Buccini's side on the dias at every INC meeting.
It served to remind participants of the health effects of POPs
and the importance of their work. |
|
06:30
- The Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Art. F introduced the last piece
of the jigsaw puzzle, a package proposal on Article F (Listing of Chemicals
in Annexes A, B and/or C and relevant references in the preamble, the
objective and  Annex
C. The Co-Chair noted that package is intended to resolve all issues related
to the principle or approach of precaution, and the Plenary agreed to
the package. Two preambular clauses were added: Acknowledging that precaution
underlies the concerns of Parties to the Convention and is embedded within
it; and Recognizing that the Convention and other international agreements
in the fields of trade and the environment are mutually supportive. It
was agreed to reference the precautionary approach as set forth in Principle
15 of the Rio Declaration in the objective of the Convention. Precautionary
language was also added to Article F, including in the final step of the
procedure, which states that the COP, taking due account of the recommendations
of the POPs Review Committee, including any scientific uncertainty, shall
decide, in a precautionary manner, whether to list the chemical in Annex
A, B and/or C. RealAudio
of the presentation on Article F and 'precaution'
05:30
- Plenary has recessed for a short break and will reconvene at 6 am,
without interpretation.
05:05 - the Facilitator of the informal group on Article K (Financial
Resources and Mechanisms) has made her presentation, and after a short
debate Plenary accepted the consensus text. The package consists of
Article K (Financial resources and mechanisms), Article K bis
(Interim Financial Arrangements), which designates the GEF as the interim
financial mechanism, and a draft resolution for the Conference of
Plenipotentiaries on interim financial arrangements. Agreement on a
provision in Article K - on making implementation of developing country
Parties commitments dependent on implementation of developed country
Parties commitments related to financial and technical assistance - was
dependent on deletion of the qualifiers in Article D (Measures to reduce
or eliminate releases) and Article E (Implementation plans) on
capabilities and availability of financial and technical assistance.
RealAudio
of report on consensus on Art. K
02:35 - Participants in the Contact Group on Art. K were seen in the
hallways drinking champagne, in celebration of their achievement of a
consensus (see photos on the right). The Group on Article F
(Listing of Chemicals in Annexes A, B and C) is also said to have
successfully completed its work. The presentations of the Co-Chairs from
the two Groups to Plenary are expected shortly.
02:00
- During the 3 hours of today's third Plenary session, delegates inter
alia: [1] approved compromise text on the import and export of Annex
A&B chemicals; [2] agreed that countries shall "take measures to
regulate, with the aim of preventing" the production and use of new
chemicals which exhibit the characteristics of POPs; [3] approved text
regarding the establishment of a register of country-specific exemptions (CSE).
This text, developed by the Legal Drafting Group, was more detailed than
the 'bare-bones framework' previously expected. Regarding the register,
delegates agreed, inter alia, that "the COP may decide to extend the
expiry date of a CSE for a period of up to five years, taking due account
of the special circumstances of developing countries and CEITs." RealAudio
of Co-Chair Hinchcliffe's report; [4] heard a progress report from the
Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Art. D4 (Wastes) in which he noted that
numerous brackets still remain. Plenary is scheduled to reconvene for its
fourth, and possibly last, session at 2:30 am.
|
|
|
Above and
below: South African hospitality, at 01:30. On the menu
tonight: coffee and Plenary.
|
|
|
21:30
- 9 o'clock Plenary has been delayed until 10:30 pm, in order to allow
for document reproduction and in the hopes that consensus can be achieved
in the Groups on Articles F and K, which continue to their deliberations.
19:15
- Afternoon Plenary: [1] Delegates agreed to the Preamble, except for
a US objection to Norway's proposed language on manufacturers'
responsibility for POPs. These two delegations are now drafting revised
language. Delegates also discussed Australia's submission on trade and
environment and relationship among international conventions, which was
taken from the preambular text of the PIC Convention. Many delegation
opposed and the matter is pending. [1] The Co-chair of the Contact
Group on Wastes (Art. D4) began introducing revised text, but since the
new document was not available for distribution the discussion was
suspended. Chair Buccini urged members of the group to seek consensus on
outstanding issues in the interim. [3] There was a short report from the
Contact Group on Financial Resources and Mechanisms (Article K) noting
that the package was still under development with many brackets remaining.
The Co-Chair of the Group requested more time for discussions. Chair
Buccini gave them a final deadline of 8 pm to submit their package to the
Secretariat for translation.
15:30 - Before the resumption of work in the afternoon, rumours
were swirling about that the small contact group on Art. D4 (Wastes) will
bring forward new text. Reports and text from the groups on Art. K
(Finances), F (Listing of new chemicals and the Precautionary Principle)
are also expected before the end of the afternoon session.
Before
the lunch break, delegates revisited the issue of chapeau language on
byproducts, in particular language on ultimate elimination. They agreed to
"a goal of, where feasible, ultimate elimination". Reservations
from Australia and EU will be reflected in the report of the meeting. The
US's brackets in Article D3c - substitutes, around the words "where
deemed appropriate, require the" were lifted. Informal meetings on
the Precautionary Principle in Article F and Article K (Finances)
continue.
In
the first half of the morning Plenary, delegates agreed to: a Canadian
proposal on Article L bis regarding evaluation of the effectiveness
of the convention; and to a submission on Article P regarding the
Secretariat making available to the Parties periodic reports based on
information received pursuant to the  article
on reporting. Delegates also agreed to convene a contact group to discuss
resolutions to send to the Diplomatic Conference to be held in Stockholm,
Sweden in May 2001. After announcing a deadlock on text relating to the
relationship between this convention and the Basel Convention, the Contact
Group on Art. D4 (Wastes) has been reconvened to find a way forward.
Should the group fail, the Chair has indicated that he will propose the
Chair's Draft Text (INC.5/5) for adoption by Plenary. The informal
discussions on Article F, and particularly on the Precautionary Principle,
continue. Left: Chair Buccini having a word with a Colombian
delegate as Jim Willis looks on.
10:45
- Chair Buccini opens Plenary, delegates start their work with CRP.60
relating to L bis
RealAudio
of Chair Buccini's opening remarks, agenda, and Willis' introduction of
documents
 |
Into the
night: Patrick Szell, Chair of the Legal Drafting Group, gives
Chair Buccini an update on the status of drafts (below) while
Jim Willis works through his dinner break (right) |
|
 |
 |
Chair Buccini
and Viveka Bohn of the Swedish Delegation. The High-Level Diplomatic
Conference (DIPCON) will be held in Stockholm, 22-23 May 2001. |
| A
champagne toast to the new convention, 08:35 |
 |
 |
Rejoice Mabudafhasi,
South African Deputy Minister for Environmental Affairs and Tourism,
returned to the Sandton Convention Center to offer her congratulations.
Mrs. Mabudafhasi officially opened POPs-5, and unofficially closed
it. |
|
Right: WWF's
ominous
poster was taken down during the champagne celebration. WWF
submitted it to the Secretariat (by presenting to Jim Willis) as
UNEP/CHEM/POPS/INC/5/Poster/Rev.1, with the following amendment:
"Don't DIDN'T
Repeat The Hague".
|
 |
|
The
ENB would like to extend its congratulations to all those involved
in achieving this Convention.
Below: During
INC-5, POPs-5 participants were called to Plenary not by a bell
or a
dimming of lights but, in keeping with the local context, by the
beating of a drum.
|
 |
 |
| Archive
of past multimedia coverage: ||
Monday
04 | Tuesday
05 | Wednesday
06 | Thursday
07 | Friday
08 | Other images || |
|
article
on reporting. Delegates also agreed to convene a contact group to discuss
resolutions to send to the Diplomatic Conference to be held in Stockholm,
Sweden in May 2001. After announcing a deadlock on text relating to the
relationship between this convention and the Basel Convention, the Contact
Group on Art. D4 (Wastes) has been reconvened to find a way forward.
Should the group fail, the Chair has indicated that he will propose the
Chair's Draft Text (INC.5/5) for adoption by Plenary. The informal
discussions on Article F, and particularly on the Precautionary Principle,
continue. Left: Chair Buccini having a word with a Colombian
delegate as Jim Willis looks on.
