PRTR initiation - Obtaining international support
Numerous resources are available to countries working to develop and implement PRTRs. To explore opportunities for support from organizations outside the country, your country may review international activities related to existing pollution prevention, cleaner production, emissions monitoring, or waste management programs other countries have developed. These countries may be willing to share their knowledge to help support PRTR harmonisation.
Bilateral Cooperation
Countries may identify opportunities for support through bilateral cooperation with countries that have established PRTRs and from international organizations that encourage the development or enhancement of PRTRs. Working with a country that has an established PRTR, your country can obtain assistance that might not otherwise be available due to lack of resources. In addition, bilateral cooperation allows countries with established PRTRs to share their knowledge and expertise. It appears there are ample opportunities for bilateral assistance; a 2012 United Natinos Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) survey found 15 countries are willing to provide bilateral assistance covering multiple functional areas.
Examples of bilateral cooperation involving OECD countries include:
- Japan is currently working with Thailand to develop the basic design and emissions reporting scheme for a PRTR system in the Kingdom of Thailand and to strengthen capacity for estimating emissions, using PRTR data, and communicating risk;
- The United States worked with UNITAR to develop a strategy for the development of pollutant release & transfer registries (PRTRs) in each Central American country and the Dominican Republic; and
- Germany is working with Israel to improve Israel’s PRTR and to provide training for regulators, data producers, and industry.
Support from International Organizations
Considerable support is available from international organizations for countries working to design and implement PRTRs. This support takes a variety of forms, including capacity building tools and funding programs. Current activities and resources include:
- OECD’s Task Force on PRTRs provides outreach, including the provision of information and technical support related to PRTRs.
- The International Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers Coordinating Group promotes capacity-building for PRTR systems in developing countries and countries with economies in transition through intergovernmental coordination.
- PRTR:Learn is an interactive website that shares insights, information, knowledge and resources on PRTRs.
- PRTR.net provides a global portal to PRTR information and activities from countries and organisations around the world to assist countries in the development, implementation and improvement of PRTR programmes.
- The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) Quick Start Programme provides support for initial enabling activities in developing countries, least developed countries, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and countries with economies in transition.
- The Global Environment Facility (GEF) provides co-financing to support inventories, monitoring, reporting and information dissemination on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury using PRTRs.
- UNITAR’s PRTR Programme, in cooperation with OECD and UNEP Chemicals, assists countries in the design and implementation of national PRTRs.
- The North American Commission of Environmental Cooperation’s (CEC’s) PRTR Project seeks to promote comparability of North American PRTR data, improve the quality of the data, and engage stakeholders to exchange information and seek input on matters of mutual interest.
- UNECE provides guidance on implementation of the Protocol on PRTRs.
For a cost-effective management scheme, you may wish to implement the next element (Staffing/Governance) or choose another element from the Management scheme elements list.
Relevant tools
- OECD: Guidance on Elements of a PRTR: Part 2 (Not Yet Available)
- UNITAR, UNEP, and GEF: First Meeting of the Steering Committee for the GEF Medium-sized project on “POPs Monitoring, Reporting and Information Dissemination using Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs)” (2009)
- UNITAR, UNEP, and GEF: Final Meeting of the Steering Committee for the GEF Medium-sized project on “POPs Monitoring, Reporting and Information Dissemination using Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs)” (2012)