International Environmental Agreements
20th December 2017

Taka Hiraishi
Senior Advisor
Japan Association for UNEP

taka.hiraishi@gmail.com
http://www.j-unep.jp/

1. Global Environment
and UNEP
2. International
EnvironmentalAgreements
3. Climate Science andUNFCCC
4. Climate actions

Contents• Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importanceespecially as Waterfowl Habitat (1971)• Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species(1973)• Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1985)• Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements ofHazardous Wastes and Disposal (1989)• Convention on Biological Diversity（CBD）(1992)• United Nations Convention on Desertification (UNCCD) (1994)• [United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (1992)]• Conventions for Chemicals Control（Rotterdam Convention (1998) andStockholm Convention (2001))• Minamata Convention on Mercury (2013)• Marine Pollution Conventions• …
• (There are more than 200 MEAｓ, including regional, or bilateral.）2

Before talking of environmental
agreements --- (1)Vienna Convention on the law of treaties (with annex).
Concluded at Vienna on 23 May 1969

• Article 12. CONSENT TO BE BOUND BY A TREATY EXPRESSED BY
SIGNATURE• Article 14. CONSENT TO BE BOUND BY A TREATY EXPRESSED BY
RATIFICATION, ACCEPTANCE OR APPROVAL• Article 18. OBLIGATION NOT TO DEFEAT THE OBJECT AND PURPOSE OF A
TREATY PRIOR TO ITS ENTRY INTO FORCE
https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%201155/volume-1155-I18232-English.pdf

Ref: Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961
http://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_1_1961.pdf
3Before talking of environmental
agreements --- (2)There are various types of environmental
agreements!
• Most of them are inspirational/encouraging/advocating, and contain registration or reporting.
• Many are meant to facilitate inter-national/regional/oligo-national environmental actions.
• Some contain legal obligations, such as restrictions
on international trade.

4Convention on Wetlands of International Importanceespecially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention)• After negotiations in 1960s, the Convention was adopted in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971.
https://www.ramsar.org/
http://www.env.go.jp/nature/ramsar/conv/treaty/RamsarConventionText_JP.pdf• It requires, inter alia, its Parties to “designate suitable wetlands within its territory
for inclusion in a List of Wetlands of International Importancer”, and to“formulate and implement their planning so as to promote the conservation of
the wetlands included in the List, and as far as possible the wise use of wetlandsin their territory”.
• Currently there are 169 Parties, 2,271 wetlands designated, covering 219 million hectars.
• It took effect for Japan on 17th October 1980.
Convention website;
http://www.ramsar.org/
Convention text , as amended in 1987 is;https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/current_convention_text_e.pdf
History of the Convention;
http://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/lib/Matthews-history.pdf
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Ramsar Sites

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Japan’s Wetlands registered Under
Ramsar Convention• 湿地の保全のみならずワイズユース（Wise use=賢明な利用）を進めていくことを目的。その手段として、交流・能力養成・学習・参加・普及啓発(Communication, Capacity
building, Education, Participation
and Awareness=CEPA)を重視。
• 日本の条約湿地は、2017年㋂現在、50ヶ所、14万8,002ヘクタール
http://www.env.go.jp/nature/ramsar/conv/RamsarSites_in_Japan_popup.
html
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Washington Convention on International Trade inEndangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora - CITESAfter 10 years of negotiation in IUCN, the text was adopted in March, 1973 in Washington, DC, and tookeffect in July 1975. Japan became a Party on 4th November 1980.
https://cites.org/eng/disc/what.php
http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/gaiko/kankyo/jyoyaku/wasntn.html
To protect endangered species, the Convention stipulates prohibition of commercial trade in Appendix I,
regulations of trade without consent of exporting country, national controls on capture and exploitation ofAppendix III.
• Appendix I shall include all species threatened with extinction which are or may be affected by trade.
Trade in specimens of these species must be subject to particularly strict regulation in order not toendanger further their survival and must only be authorized in exceptional circumstances. (- 980 species)• Appendix II shall include:;(a) all species which although not necessarily now threatened with extinction
may become so unless trade in specimens of such species is subject to strict regulation in order to avoid
utilization incompatible with their survival; and (b) other species which must be subject to regulation inorder that trade in specimens of certain species referred to in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph may bebrought under effective control. (- 34 thousand species)• Appendix III shall include all species which any Party identifies as being subject to regulation within its
jurisdiction for the purpose of preventing or restricting exploitation, and as needing the co-operation ofother Parties in the control of trade. (- 160 species)
Appendices:• https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php• https://cites.org/gallery/species/index.html

附属書: http://www.trafficj.org/aboutcites/summary.html
CITES Website: https://cites.org/8

CITES Appendices

http://www.trafficj.org/aboutcites/summary.html

Topics: https://cites.org/eng/disc/species.php9Vienna Convention on Protection ofStratospheric Ozone Layer (1985) (1)• Since 1970s, it has been recognized that certain
compounds, such as Chlorofluorocarbons, remainin the atmosphere for long time and when theyreach stratosphere, they deplete ozone layer.
• Depletion of stratospheric ozone layer might cause
increase of eye cataracts, skin cancer, or impacts onecology.
• Detection of Antarctic Ozone Hole acceleratednegotiations of the Convention.
101112

Antarctic Ozone Hole13

Vienna Convention for the Protection ofthe Ozone Layer (2)• Adopted on 22nd March 1985.
• The purposes are to promote cooperation by means of systematic
observations, research and information exchange on the effectsof human activities on the stratospheric ozone layer and to adopt
legislative or administrative measures against activities likely tohave adverse effects on the ozone layer.
• Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer(September 1986) and its later amendments stipulate detailedinternational requirements for the Parties, including, controls onproduction and consumption, and international trade in thecontrolled substances listed in the Annexes of the Protocol.
(Ozone Depleting Substances – ODS)
• http://www.ozone.unep.org/sites/ozone/files/Publications/Handbooks/VC-Handbook-2016-English.pdf• http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/gaiko/kankyo/jyoyaku/ozone.html
1415

Vienna Convention for the Protection ofthe Ozone Layer (3)• To support the control actions for ODS in developing countries, aMultilateral Fund is established.
• CFC, HCFC, and Bromine-containing compounds deplete stratosphericozone layer. They are also climate warming compounds, but they are
not subjected to UNFCCC provisions (to avoid duplicated internationallegislative) actions which was adopted in 1992.
• As control actions on ODS advance, many non-ODS substitutes (someare strong warming gases) have been introduced. After a few years
debates on this question, a Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol
was agreed upon in October 2016, which contains abatement schedules
for HFC, and others (non-ODS). It will enter into force on 1 January 2019.
• http://www.unep.org/africa/news/kigali-amendment-montrealprotocol-another-global-commitment-stop-climate-change• http://ozone.unep.org/16

Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (1)• Adopted in March 1989. Took effect in May 1992
(December 1993 for Japan). 186 Parties.
• Export of those hazardous wastes as specified under
the Convention requires written consent of theimporting contry.
• http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/gaiko/kankyo/jyoyaku/basel.html• http://www.env.go.jp/recycle/yugai/pdf/gaiyou_H28.pdf• http://www.basel.int/Portals/4/Basel%20Convention/docs/text/BaselConventionText-e.pdf• http://www.basel.int/Portals/4/Basel%20Convention/docs/convention/bc_glance.pdf
17Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (2)(Case of Japan in 2015)• Exports from Japan: Lead scraps, lead batteries, coal ash,lead ash, zinc ash, copper sludge, copper sludge, etc, for thepurpose of recovery of metal, and reuse. Main importing
countries were; Korea, Hong Kong, and Belgium.
• Imports into Japan: Electronic part scrap, metal-containing
sludge, battery scraps (of Ni-Cd, NiH, LiIon) for the purposeof metal recovery and reuse. Main exporting countries
were; Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, and thePhilippines.
• http://www.env.go.jp/press/102357.html

18Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (3)• Technical issues involved.
• Difference of legal definitions of “Wastes” among countries,
legal framework over wastes, and their “treatment”,“disposal”, and their implementation.
• Difficulties in actual decision-making and implementationof control actions on transboundary movements of wastes(avoidance of dumping export of wastes), whereenvironmentally sound treatment and disposal might notbe realistic.

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United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in
Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/orDesertification, Particularly in Africa（UNCCD)• Based on fundamental agreements reached at the UN
Desertification Conference (Nairobi, June 1992), UNCCD wasadopted in June 1994 in Paris. Japan accepted it in
September 1998)• UNCCD is the sole legally binding international agreement
linking environment and development to sustainable landmanagement, in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas.
Global Landscapes Forum 2017: 19-20 December in Bonn• http://www2.unccd.int/global-landscapes-forum-2017-1920-december-bonn
http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/gaiko/kankyo/sabaku/
http://www2.unccd.int/
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State of desertification and soil degradation

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砂漠化防止対策の困難さ

22Chemicals Management Conventions• From 1970s, there were many reports on serious environmental
contamination problems by hazardous chemicals. Together with WHO’s
central role in health assessment , FAO’s actions on pesticides andinsecticides, OECD initiated a Special Programme on Chemicals
Management on systematic and efficient chemicals management andinternational aspects of chemicals control, including prevention ofchemical risks associated with international trade in chemicals.
• Outputs from the Special Programme included agreements on “MutualAcceptance of Data”, “Good Laboratory Practice” and responsibilities
and decision making between exporting and importing countries, such as“Prior Informed Consent” principles, and international assessment
programmes for industrial chemicals – these led to the Rotterdam
Convention (of PIC), and Stockholm Convention on POPs (PersistentOrganic Pollutants).
• UNEP functions as the secretariat for these two conventions, as well as
the Basel Convention, and these three chemicals-related conventions areimplemented with high-level of coordination.
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PIC - Rotterdam Convention• ROTTERDAM CONVENTION ON THE PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT PROCEDURE
FOR CERTAIN HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS AND PESTICIDES IN INTERNATIONALTRADE• Adopted in September 1998, took effect in February 2004. It became effective
to Japan in September 2004.
• Currently, 39 chemical substances are controlled by the Rotterdam Convention.
• Parties shall inform the Secretariat whether they agree to import the PIC
chemicals, and the Secretariat inform all the Parties of such agreement. (PICCircular). Exporting Country authorities shall provide such information to its own
exporters, and require them to implement relevant regulations under theConvention.
http://www.pic.int/
http://www.pic.int/Portals/5/download.aspx?d=UNEP-FAO-RC-CONVTEXT2015.English.pdf

24Stockholm Convention on Persistent
Organic Pollutants （POPs）• Adopted in May 2001, took effect in May 2004. 178
countries, including Japan and EU, are the Parties.
• POPs (currently 28) are those chemicals, that are toxic,
environmentally non-degradable and bio-accumulative,
and therefore hazardous to human health andenvironment. E.g., PCBs, DDTs, Polychlorodioxines ……
http://chm.pops.int/TheConvention/ThePOPs/ListingofPOPs/tabid/2509/Default.aspx• The Convention requires the Parties to adopt andimplement concrete chemicals control actions, includingprohibition of production of POPs.
http://www.env.go.jp/chemi/pops/treaty.html

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Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)nd• On 22 May 1992, text agreed in NY. Opened for Signature in June atUNCED. Japan accepted it in May 1993. Took effect in December 1993. 194
Parties as at December 2016. USA is not a Party.
• The Convention provides for fundamental issues, and detailed rules andrecommendations are referred to by Protocols, and COP decisions.
https://www.cbd.int/programmes/default.shtml• It deals with not only biodiversity conservation, but also equal access tobiological resources and sharing benefits arising from use of biologicalresources.
• In October 2010, CBD COP-10 was held in Nagoya, and the Aichi
Biodiversity Targets and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefitsharing were adopted.
https://www.cbd.int/sp/targets/
http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/files/000236482.pdf
https://www.cbd.int/doc/legal/cbd-en.pdf
https://www.cbd.int/convention/

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CBD COP10 の主要な成果• 新戦略計画・愛知目標（ポスト2010年目標（2011～2020年））• 遺伝資源のアクセスと利益配分（ABS）に関する名古屋議定書• 資源動員戦略（資金）• 持続可能な利用 -ブッシュミート（食用の野生鳥獣等）の適正な利用、アジスアベバ原則・ガイドラインの実施、SATOYAMAイニシアティブの推進などを含む決定• バイオ燃料と生物多様性• 海洋と沿岸の生物多様性• 気候変動と生物多様性
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Global Assessment of Biodiversity• Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2001-2005)
http://millenniumassessment.org/en/index.html• Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
http://www.ipbes.net/• 環境省ウェブサイト：
http://www.biodic.go.jp/biodiversity/activity/policy/ipbes/index.html
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GlobalBiodiversity
Outlook 4• http://www.env.
go.jp/nature/upl
ode/upfile/gbo4/gbo4-jp-lr1.pdf
• 邦訳

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Minamata Convention on Mercury (2013)• Adopted in Kumamoto, on 10th October, 2013. Tookeffect on 18th August 2017.
• The Convention provides for; “a ban on new mercury
mines, the phase-out of existing ones, the phase outand phase down of mercury use in a number of
products and processes, control measures on emissions
to air and on releases to land and water, and theregulation of the informal sector of artisanal and smallscale gold mining.”
http://mercuryconvention.org/Convention/tabid/3426/language/en-US/Default.aspx
http://www.env.go.jp/chemi/tmms/convention/treaty_outline.pdf

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Global Mercury Assessment
2013 (UNEP)• “Global Mercury Assessment
2013: Sources, emissions,releases, and environmental
transport” was an importantbackground report for thenegoatiation.
<http://wedocs.unep.org/bitstr
eam/handle/20.500.11822/798
4/Global%20Mercury%20Assessm
ent201367.pdf?sequence=3&isAllo
wed=y>
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Largeamount of
Mercury
exists invarioussectors ofnature,especiallyin higher
food chain.

Emission
sourcesofMercury

水銀に関する水俣条約の主要規定（環境省資料のサマリー）
水銀供給源と貿易（3条）• 鉱山からの水銀の産出について、新規鉱山開発は各締約国での条約発効後に禁止。
• 既存の鉱山からの産出は各締約国での条約発効から15年以内に禁止。
• 水銀の貿易（金属水銀が対象）について、水銀の輸出は、1)条約上で認められた用途、2)環境上適正な保管（第10条）に限定。（水銀廃棄物の貿易については第11条で規定）• 水銀の輸出に当たっては、輸入国の書面による事前同意が必要。

水銀添加製品（4条・6条）••••

電池、スイッチ・リレー、一定含有量以上の一般照明用蛍光ランプ、石鹸、化粧品、殺虫剤、血圧計、体温計などの水銀含有製品（附属書A、一部例外あり）について、2020年までに製造、輸出、輸入を原則禁止。（年限については、第6条に基づき、国によって必要な場合、最大10年間まで延長可）
歯科用アマルガムについて、使用等を削減。 ○禁止された水銀含有製品の製品中への組み込みの抑制、水銀を利用した新製品の製造・販売の抑制、事務局へ附属書Aに掲載する水銀含有製品の情報の提案などを行う。
締約国会議（COP）は条約発効後5年以内に附属書Aのレビューを実施。

水銀又は水銀化合物を使用する製造プロセス（5条・6条）• 塩素アルカリ工業及びアセトアルデヒド製造施設を対象に、製造プロセスにおける水銀の使用を禁止。 （それぞれ2025年、2018年まで。ただし、年限については、国によって必要な場合、最大10年間まで延長可。）• 塩化ビニルモノマー、ポリウレタンなどの製造プロセスでの水銀使用を削減。
• 上記対象プロセス（附属書Bに記載）の既存施設での対策及び新規施設での水銀利用禁止、新規のプロセスにおける水銀利用の抑制、事務局へ附属書Bに掲載するプロセスの提案などを行う。
• COPは、条約発効後5年以内に附属書Bのレビューの実施。
人力小規模金採掘（ASGM)（7条）• 使用・環境中への放出を削減、可能であれば廃絶のため行動。
• 国内のASGMがわずかでない（more than insignificant）と判断する締約国は、国家行動計画を策定・実施するとともに、3年ごとにレビューを実施。
大気への排出（8条）• 石炭火力発電所、石炭焚産業用ボイラー、非鉄金属精錬施設、廃棄物焼却施設、セメント生産施設（附属書D）を対象に、排出削減対策を実施。
• 新設施設：各締約国での条約発効から5年以内にBAT（利用可能な最良の技術）/BEP（環境のための最良の慣行）を義務付け。
• 既存施設：各締約国での条約発効から10年以内に①排出管理目標、②排出限度値、③BAT/BEP、④水銀の排出管理に効果のある複数汚染物質管理戦略、⑤代替的措置から1つ以上を実施。
• 各国が自国内の対象排出源の排出インベントリを作成。
• COPで、BAT/BEP等に関するガイダンスを採択。
水・土壌への放出（9条） 、暫定的保管、水銀廃棄物、汚染地（10～12条） 、資金・技術支援（13・14条）、など。

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IMO-based Conventions on Marine Pollution• 廃棄物の海洋投棄の規制に関する条約（LondonDumping Convention) (1972) (有機ハロゲン、水銀、カドミウム、持続性プラスチックの浮遊物、廃油、放射性物質、生物兵器・化学兵器）及びこれらを含有する廃棄物その他の物の投機禁止など。

http://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Environment/LCLP/Documents/LC1972.pdf• 船舶からの汚染の抑制に関する条約（MarpolConvention 73/78)
http://www.mar.ist.utl.pt/mventura/Projecto-Navios-I/IMO-Conventions%20(copies)/MARPOL.pdf• バラスト水管理条約(BWM) (2004)

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UN ECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary
Air Pollution (LRTAP, 1979)• In 1970s impacts on ecology and human health by transboundary air
pollution became subject of concerns within UNECE (Economic Commissionfor Europe).
• There were many scientific research reports, in particular, OECD’s reportcontaining estimation of movement of air pollutants (Sox and NOx) among
OECD countries, which led to the adoption of LRTAP.
• Later, European countries agreed on a 30% Club, promising to reduce SOxemissions by 30%.
• In east Asia, similar transfrontier air
pollution issue has been discussed, forinstance in the context of acid rain orPM2.5 levels. Ref: EANET• http://www.eanet.asia/jpn/profile/index.html.
• http://www.eanet.asia/research/list.html
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Taka Hiraishi•Born in Tokyo on 3rd December 1944.
•B.Sc. (1966) and M.Sc. for Industrial Chemistry (1968) from Tokyo University.
•Joined Ministry of Labour (Occupational Health and Safety Department) in April 1968.
•Moved to the newly-established Environment Agency in 1971 and, till 1996, worked in the fields of offensive odour, acid rain, ozone layer,
hazardous wastes, hazardous chemicals and water pollution, except the overseas posting shown below.
•1987-1989: Director, Water Pollution Control Division, Environment Agency (current Ministry of the Environment) (1987-89)
Overseas posting:•1975-1978: Environment Attache (liaison with UNEP) and Second Secretary for bilateral technical co-operation (for Kenya, Uganda andMalawi) at the Embassy of Japan in Kenya.
•1980-1982: Principal Administrator (A-4, information exchange on chemicals control policies, including chemicals management policies indeveloping countries), Chemicals Division, Environment Directorate, OECD Secretariat.
•1989-1998: Worked for UNEP as (consecutively);Co-ordinator of Support Measures, Programme Bureau (D-1),
Officer-in-Charge, Environmental Law and Institutions Centre,Deputy Director of Policy Division,
Deputy Director of Environment Programme Division,
Assistant Executive Director for Environmental Information and Assessment (D-2).
(President, UNEP Staff Association (in 1996))
More recently,•1999-2006: Visiting Principal Researcher, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan.
•1999-2015: Member, IPCC Bureau and Co-chair, IPCC Inventories Task Force Bureau•1999-2015: Senior Consultant, and Member, Board of Directors, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan (Part-time),•February-April 2001: Special Advisor to the Minister of the Environment, Japan (Chair of Communique Drafting Group for G-7 EnvironmentMinisters).
•2002-2010: Special Advisor to the Minister of the Environment, Japan. (on OECD sustainable development activities, Part-time)•2005-2009: Specially assigned Professor (Risk Management and Global Environmental Issues), Osaka University, Japan (Part-time)•Vising Lecturer for Tokyo Institute of Technologies, Sophia University, Gakushuin University, Osaka University, Atomi University.
•2001- : Contributed to the work of the Ministry of the Environment in Japan for CDM, J-VER, JCM, adaptation and “co-benefits”•2002-2011: UNFCCC, member of CGE (Consultative Group on non-Annex-I national communications).
•2004-2008: UNFCCC, member of EGTT (Expert Group on Technology Transfer)
Currently:•Counsellor, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan (Volunteer),•Member, Board of Directors, Japan Association for UNEP (NPO) (Volunteer)