10th meeting

9 February 2001

 

21/4   Convention for implementing international action on certain persistent organic pollutants

 

          The Governing Council, The Governing Council,

 

          Recalling its decisions 18/32 of 25 May 1995, 19/13 C of 7 February 1997 and 20/24 of 4 February 1999 on persistent organic pollutants,

 

          Noting with appreciation that through the “POPs Club” funding effort, Governments and other actors in a position to so provided the necessary financial resources to enable the full and effective functioning of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for an International Legally Binding Instrument for Implementing International Action on Certain Persistent Organic Pollutant as called upon in paragraph 17 of Governing Council decision 19/13 C,

 

Having considered the report of the Executive Director on international action to protect human health and the environment through measures which will reduce and/or eliminate emissions and discharges of persistent organic pollutants, including the development of a legally binding instrument (UNEP/GC.21/2),

 

1.            Welcomes the completion of the negotiations of the convention for implementing international action on certain persistent organic pollutants ^[1]/ which was accomplished before the end of the year 2000 as requested in paragraph 12 of its decision 19/13 C;

 

2.            Calls on Governments and regional economic integration organizations to adopt and thereafter sign the Convention at the Conference of Plenipotentiaries to be held in Stockholm from 22 to 23 May 2001;

 

3.            Encourages countries to ratify, accept, approve or accede to the Convention with a view to its entry into force as soon as possible, preferably by 2004, as underscored in the Priorities of Action beyond 2000 adopted by the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety at its third session;

 

4.            Authorizes the participation of the secretariat of the United Nations Environment Programme in an interim secretariat and in a secretariat to the Convention, if so decided by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the Convention provided that such arrangements are satisfactory to the Executive Director and that costs are met through extrabudgetary resources;

 

5.            Requests the Executive Director to promote full cooperation between such a secretariat and the secretariats of other relevant conventions, in particular with respect to the development of support to Governments in developing implementation plans;

 

6.            Urges the Executive Director through the interim secretariat of the Convention to assist in the implementation of relevant resolutions of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries with a view to facilitating capacity-building, early entry into force and financing;

 

7.            Invites the Executive Director to take actions to facilitate voluntary implementation of the Convention prior to its entry into force if such action is called for by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries;

 

8.            Appeals to Governments as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and the private sector to provide sufficient financial resources necessary for implementation of interim arrangements for the Convention prior to the first session of its Conference of the Parties;

 

9.            Requests the Executive Director to continue taking actions as requested by the Governing Council in its decision 19/13 C, including the immediate actions identified in paragraph 13 of that decision;

 

10.          Encourages Governments as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and the private sector to provide financial and in-kind contributions for supporting implementation of the immediate actions as called for in paragraph 13 of Governing Council decision 19/13 C;

 

11.          Requests the Executive Director to invite the Council of the Global Environment Facility to take into account the relevant resolutions of the Stockholm Conference of Plenipotentiaries and consider ways and means of implementing them.