 |
|
V. MULTILATERAL TRADE AND ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS, AND DOMESTIC POLICY
FORMULATION
[ V | V-A
| V-B | V-C | V-D
| V-E ]
B. International environmental agreements
Tonga is signatory to four main international environmental agreements,
including:
-
London Convention. Signed by Tonga on 5 October 1995, the
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and
Other Matter, 1972, came into force in September 1975. The objectives are
to control marine pollution resulting from dumping and encourage regional
agreements that are supplementary to theConvention;
-
Waigani Convention on Hazardous Waste.
Tonga signed the treaty in the 1996 Forum but has yet to ratify it. The
objective is to prohibit imports of hazardous and radioactive wastes from
outside the region (including Australia and New Zealand) into the Pacific
island countries and to control the movement of locally generated hazardous
wastes within the region;
-
South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty. Tonga
signed the treaty on 2 August 1996;
-
South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme
Agreement (1995), which was signed by Tonga on 16 June 1995.
Another marine agreement that has an impact on the environment is the International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and Related Protocols
which is aimed at preventing pollution from ships. The objective is to
prevent pollution of the environment by the discharge of harmful substances
or effluents containing such substances from ships. Tonga signed the Convention
in 1996.
Tonga has acceded to, but not ratified, the majority of the above Conventions.
In other words, the government has yet to formulate or adopt policies which
put into practice the activities necessary for achieving the objectives
of those Conventions.
Other major IEAs to which Tonga plans to accede:
-
Vienna Convention for the Protection of
the Ozone Layer. The objective of this Convention is to protect human health
and the environment against adverse effects resulting from modifications
to the stratospheric ozone layer;
-
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete
the Ozone Layer. This protocol targets chlorofluorocarbons and other chemicals
that deplete the ozone layer;
-
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous
Wastes and Their Disposal. The objective of this Convention is to control
cross-boundary movements and disposal of hazardous wastes, especially in
developing countries through environmentally sound management of waste
and the promotion of disposal as close as possible to the source.
|
|
|
