Signals under-utilisation of the subsidiary body of Rotterdam Convention
.jpg "More than 50 delegates participated in the 10th Chemical Review Committee meeting held in Rome")
With the aim of making agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable, the 10th meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC-10) to the Rotterdam Convention was held in Rome, Italy, from October 22 to 24. A total of 59 delegates—committee members, government and party observers and representatives of intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations—adopted decisions on the use of a range of chemicals, including methamidophos, fenthion, polychlorinated naphthalenes, tributyltin and chlorinated paraffins.
According to Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB), a reporting service for environment and development negotiations, CRC is the gradual result of a growing awareness on internationally traded chemicals during the 1960s and 1970s, which prompted efforts by the international community to safeguard people and the environment from the harmful effects of such chemicals. This led to the adoption of the International Code of Conduct for the Distribution and Use of Pesticides by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
CRC is a subsidiary body of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade. The first session of CRC was held in Geneva, Switzerland, in February 2005.
The 10th session had no new notifications of final regulatory action for pesticides, says the ENB report. This signals that CRC, despite its potential, remains underworked. But the few reviews that CRC-10 had on its agenda were efficiently handled. According to the report, CRC’s primary work is to review the notifications put forward by parties to restrict the use or production of a chemical from a developing country.
A second round of CRC meeting is being currently held at FAO headquarters which will conclude on October 30.
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
.png)
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.