Noway
NORWAY: Statement on Chemicals - IPM CSD 19
Norway agrees with the report of the Secretary General1 that ensuring the sound management
of chemicals is an important element of achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
Much has been done to reduce the health and environmental risks associated with hazardous
substances. The area of chemicals and waste is one where significant progress has been made
the last 10-20 years. For Norway, the entry into force of the Stockholm Convention in 2004 was
particularly significant. We place a similar importance on the ongoing negotiations of a new
mercury treaty.
Norway also considers the overarching policy framework provided by the Strategic Approach to
International Chemicals Management a milestone. This constitutes an important policy
framework to promote chemicals safety, capacity building, as well as a tool to achieve the 2020
goal of ?using and producing chemicals in ways that lead to the minimization of significant
adverse effects on human health and the environment?.
Nationally, Norway has implemented a precautionary, ambitious chemicals policy. An important
building block is the REACH Regulation, which we share with the EU.
Still, our efforts are not sufficient to deal with the long term problems.
We therefore welcome the on-going processes to improve the international management of
chemicals. We have mentioned the mercury negotiations. We welcome the focus on synergies
in the chemicals and waste cluster, and believe these can be deepened and strengthened even
further. In this regard, we welcome the decision of the UNEP Governing Council this year to
take this process further. Norway also wishes to highlight the process of developing the Global
Chemicals Outlook. This will be an important source for considering further action in the field.
There is a need to strengthen the chemical safety in developing countries, and further national
and international financial resources will be necessary to achieve this. We therefore welcome
the UNEP consultative process on financing options for chemicals and waste, which in our view
provides a process whereby a path forward towards a strengthened financial regime for
chemicals and waste can be achieved.
Norway in particular wishes to underline that chemicals policy is not only an environmental
issue. As emphasized in the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, many
sectors are involved, not least the health, agriculture and worker protection. We need a broad
cross-sectoral effort if we are to move to a truly safe management of chemicals, both nationally
and internationally.
1 E/CN.17/2011/5 Policy options and actions for expediting progress in implementation: chemicals
Norway agrees with the report of the Secretary General1 that ensuring the sound management
of chemicals is an important element of achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
Much has been done to reduce the health and environmental risks associated with hazardous
substances. The area of chemicals and waste is one where significant progress has been made
the last 10-20 years. For Norway, the entry into force of the Stockholm Convention in 2004 was
particularly significant. We place a similar importance on the ongoing negotiations of a new
mercury treaty.
Norway also considers the overarching policy framework provided by the Strategic Approach to
International Chemicals Management a milestone. This constitutes an important policy
framework to promote chemicals safety, capacity building, as well as a tool to achieve the 2020
goal of ?using and producing chemicals in ways that lead to the minimization of significant
adverse effects on human health and the environment?.
Nationally, Norway has implemented a precautionary, ambitious chemicals policy. An important
building block is the REACH Regulation, which we share with the EU.
Still, our efforts are not sufficient to deal with the long term problems.
We therefore welcome the on-going processes to improve the international management of
chemicals. We have mentioned the mercury negotiations. We welcome the focus on synergies
in the chemicals and waste cluster, and believe these can be deepened and strengthened even
further. In this regard, we welcome the decision of the UNEP Governing Council this year to
take this process further. Norway also wishes to highlight the process of developing the Global
Chemicals Outlook. This will be an important source for considering further action in the field.
There is a need to strengthen the chemical safety in developing countries, and further national
and international financial resources will be necessary to achieve this. We therefore welcome
the UNEP consultative process on financing options for chemicals and waste, which in our view
provides a process whereby a path forward towards a strengthened financial regime for
chemicals and waste can be achieved.
Norway in particular wishes to underline that chemicals policy is not only an environmental
issue. As emphasized in the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, many
sectors are involved, not least the health, agriculture and worker protection. We need a broad
cross-sectoral effort if we are to move to a truly safe management of chemicals, both nationally
and internationally.
1 E/CN.17/2011/5 Policy options and actions for expediting progress in implementation: chemicals
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