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Last updated: 25 August 2010
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Time to Ratify International Toxics Agreements – The Basel Action Network (BAN), the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) and other NGOs concerned about the global toxics and health crisis are urging all governments to make every effort to ratify four international treaties of major significance at the earliest opportunity. These treaties are, in order of adoption, the Basel Convention on the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes (1989) -- together with the Basel Ban Amdendment (1995) effectively banning hazardous waste exports from OECD and Liechtenstein to all other countries; The London Convention Protocol (1996) on forbidding most forms of ocean dumping; the Rotterdam Convention (1998) requiring prior informed consent on export of certain dangerous product chemicals; and the Stockholm Convention soon to be adopted in May 2001 which will effectively move to phase-out and reduce the release of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). We have issued the following report card in the hopes of spurring countries towards fulfilling their international committments with respect to finding solutions to the global toxics crisis.
Note: It is understood that developing countries often lack the resources and capacity to be able to implement new treaties. However, the place to address this very real matter of concern is during the treaty negotiations themselves and not by refusal to ratify. Developed countries on the other hand must wake up to the resource limitation of developing countries and finally begin to make serious provisions for capacity transfer. OECD countries (33 most developed) below are shaded in gray.
The Grading System
- Four Treaties ratified = Excellent
- Three Treaties ratified = Very Good
- Two Treaties ratified = Good
- One Treaty ratified = Fair
- No Treaties ratified = Failing
Countries that rank excellent: (4 ratifications):
-- Belgium
-- Bulgaria
-- China
-- Denmark
-- France
-- Germany*
-- Luxembourg
-- Netherlands
-- Norway
-- Slovenia
-- Spain
-- Sweden
-- Switzerland
-- Trinidad and Tobago
-- United Kingdom
* See BAN AWARD
Countries that rank very good (3 ratifications):
-- Australia (however they refuse to ratify the Basel Ban Amendment!!...see Hall of Shame)
-- Austria
-- Bolivia
-- Canada (however they refuse to ratify the Basel Ban Amendment!!...see Hall of Shame)
-- Chile
-- Cook Islands
-- Cyprus
-- Czech Republic
-- Ecuador
-- Egypt
-- Estonia
-- Ethiopia
-- EC
-- Finland
-- Gambia
-- Georgia
-- Ghana
-- Greece
-- Hungary
-- Ireland
-- Italy
-- Japan
-- Jordan
-- Kazakhstan
-- Kenya
-- Kuwait
-- Latvia
-- Liberia
-- Liechtenstein
-- Lithuania
-- Marshall Islands
-- Mauritius
-- Mexico
-- Moldova, Republic of
-- New Zealand (however they refuse to ratify the Basel Ban Amendment!!...see Hall of Shame)
-- Nigeria
-- Oman
-- Panama
-- Paraguay
-- Poland
-- Portugal
-- Qatar
-- Republic of Korea
-- Republic of Moldova
-- Romania
-- Serbia
-- Slovakia
-- South Africa
-- Sri Lanka
-- Syrian Arab Republic
-- Tonga
-- United Republic of Tanzania
-- Uruguay
Notable countries that are failing (0 Ratifications) include:
-- Russia
-- United States
-- Israel
-- Malta
Country by Country
* While the European Economic Community is not a country, it is allowed to ratify as a political and economic integration organization.
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