| |
Description |
Government of the Philippines response |
| Multilateral
environmental agreements with trade-related clauses |
| Montreal Protocol on substances
that deplete the ozone layer, 1987 |
The Montreal Protocol advocates
the reduction of the production and use of ozone-depleting substances (ODS),
particularly chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs as a means of protecting the ozone
layer and addressing the broad issue of global warming and climate change.
The developed countries are committed to a full phase-out of CFCs as of
2000 by virtue of the 1990 London Amendments. Developing countries on the
other hand have been given on additional 10 years to complete the CFC phase-out.
The 1992 Copenhagen Amendments, however, required the phase-out of ozone
layer-depleting chemicals, including the elimination of CFC production,
by 1996. |
Ratification of Philippine Senate
by virtue of Philippine Senate Resolution No. 108 dated 10 March 1993.
Drafting of the Philippine Country Programme, detailing its plan for
the phase-out of ODS (partial phase-out in the commercial, industrial and
consumer sectors by 1998 and total phase-out by 2010).
Passage of Republic Act 6969, known as the "Toxic Substances and Hazardous
and Nuclear Wastes Act of 1990", to respond to the increasing problems
associated with toxic chemicals and hazardous and nuclear wastes, and to
protect public health and the environment from unreasonable risks posed
by those substances.
Granting of policy incentives to facilitate the shift to non-ODS-technologies
by the Board of Investments (BOI).
Creation of the Programme Steering Committee (PSC), comprising representatives
from the National Economic and Development Authority, BOI/Department of
Trade and Industry, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical
Services Administration, Department of Finance, Department of Health, Department
of Foreign Affairs and the Senate, to: provide overall guidance and direction
for the development of the Country Programme; serve as a forum for discussion
of policies and operational issues; and facilitate the efficient programming
of resources.
Creation of a Technical Working Group (TWG) to mobilize individuals
and offices in the implementation of strategies and action programmes formulated
by the Steering Committee.
|
| (Montreal Protocol on substances
that deplete the ozone layer, 1987) |
|
A Montreal Protocol Secretariat,
which provides secretariat support to PSC and TWG and processes applications
for the importation of ODS, has been established at the Environmental Management
Bureau.
Conduct of study on the Philippine consumption of ODS aimed at studying
CFC consumption and patterns as basis for the country's ODS phase-out plan.
Issuance of an Executive Order mandating the production and use of low
lead and unleaded gasoline.
Formulation of "Clean Air 2000", an action plan to improve the level
of air quality by the year 2000.
|
| Basel Convention on the control
of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal |
The Convention aims, among other
matters, to: (a) limit the transboundary movement of hazardous waste among
party countries; (b) set up notice and consent procedures; (c) define the
scope of the agreement, and to define what constitutes illegal traffic
and the responsibilities of the parties. In addition to the wastes identified
in the agreement, a party may define as, or consider to be, a hazardous
waste other substances in its domestic legislation. |
Passage of Republic Act (RA) 6969
which mandates the control and management of the importation, manufacture,
process, distribution, use and transport, storage, treatment and disposal
of toxic, hazardous and nuclear substances and waste in the country. Issuance
of DENR Administrative Order No. 29 or the Rules and Regulations of RA
6969. Department Administrative Order 29 formalizes the creation of an
Interagency Technical and Advisory Council with the main task of conducting
a preliminary evaluation of the characteristics of chemical substances
and mixtures to determine their toxicity and effects on health and the
environment.
Issuance of DENR Administrative Order No. 28 which provides for the
importation of recyclable materials containing hazardous substances.
Preparation of the Philippine inventory of Chemicals and chemical substances
and priority chemical list. |
| Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) 1973 |
The Convention provides for the
protection of endangered species through regulation of their trade commercial
trade in species threatened with extinction and trading in potentially
endangered species (unless trade is strictly regulated), is authorized
by export and import permits approved by the scientific authorities of
the parties. |
|
| Multilateral
environmental agreements |
| United Nations 1992 Convention on
Biodiversity |
|
Promulgation of Republic Act 7586
in 1992 known as the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS)
Law which provides for the establishment and management of the NIPAS
Philippine Senate Resolution No. 334, October 1993.
A national assessment of the country's biodiversity was carried out,
including the formulation of an integrated national strategy and action
plan that consolidates existing sectoral priority concerns, through the
financial assistance provided by the United Nations
Environment Programme in 1994.
Formulation of the Philippine Strategy for Biological
Diversity Conservation in 1994 in coordination with the PCSD Sub-Committee
on Biodiversity, which provided the legal and institutional framework necessary
to carry out a concrete plan of action to conserve and use biodiversity
in a sustainable manner.
Creation of a National Biodiversity Unit by the Protected Areas and
Wildlife Bureau of DENR to coordinate and monitor the preparation of the
biodiversity country study, national strategies and action plans.
Memorandum Order 289 dated 5 July 1995, known
as "Directing the integration of the Philippines' strategy for biological
diversity conservation in the sectoral plans, programmes and projects of
the national government agencies and the operationalization of the objectives
of sustainable biological diversity resource management and development",
as embodied in the strategy.
Under the implementing mechanism, the Executive Order authorizes the
PCSD subcommittee on biodiversity to monitor and ensure the implementation
of, and compliance by, agencies of biological diversity conservation.
|
| (United Nations 1992 Convention
on Biodiversity) |
|
Issuance of Executive Order No.
247 (series of 1995) "Prescribing guidelines and establishing a regulatory
framework for the prospecting of biological and genetic resources, their
by-products and derivatives, for scientific and commercial purposes; and
for other purposes". The Executive Order was passed in accordance with
the provision of the Convention on Biological Diversity. |
| United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change |
The Convention aims to stabilize
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere through a reduction in the emission
of gases such as carbon dioxide, which is a by-product of the use of burning
fuels for energy. |
Senate ratification (Philippine
Senate Resolution No. 333, 3 February 1994).
Issuance in 1991 of Executive Order on Establishing the Interagency
Committee on Climate Change (IACC).
Since its creation, IACC was involved in the following activities: (a)
the first comprehensive study on climate change in the country sponsored
by the Asian Development Bank in 1992; (b) country study programme on climate
change supported by the United States; (c) Asia least cost greenhouse gas
abatement strategy under the auspices of UNDP.
Conduct of greenhouse gas emissions inventory, development of greenhouse
gas mitigation strategies, climate change vulnerability and adaptation
studies which will be integrated in the National Action Plan on Climate
Change. |
| Convention
on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) |
The Ramsar Convention aims to promote
the conservation of wetland habitats, and encourages the identification
of internationally significant wetland areas and the formulation of a wetlands
action plan. A total of 63 wetlands of international importance have been
identified in the Philippines; these are, however, not yet listed in the
Ramsar register of significant wetlands. Two wetlands sites, however, are
included under other international conservation agreements. |
Ratification in 1994.
Formulation and approval of the Wetland Action Plan. |
| Convention on the Conservation of
Migratory Species of Wild animals (Bonn Convention) |
The 1979 Bonn Convention promotes
the conservation and protection of migratory species of wild animals. parties
to the Convention are encouraged to prohibit capture of animals covered
by the global. Treaty on migratory species except in certain cases. The
treaty also stipulates the restoration of important habitats to prevent,
reduce and control factors which may endanger affected species. |
Ratified pursuant to PSR No. 261
dated 30 March 1993.
|
| International Tropical Timber Agreement
(ITTA) |
ITTA, which came into force in 1985,
seeks to: (a) improve market data on tropical hardwood; (b) upgrade the
efficiency of forest industries in producing countries; and (c) strengthen
the management practices in tropical forestry. |
|
| Multilateral
trade agreements with environment clauses |
| Uruguay Round Accord of the GATT |
GATT is an agreement on the rules
governing the conduct of international trade, which seeks to provide a
secure, predictable and stable international trading environment for all
contracting parties. Provisions in GATT which may likely have environmental
effects include: (a) production processes and methods; (b) harmonization
and convergence of standards; (c) GATT emphasis on trade; (d) non-transparency
of the GATT-WTO dispute settlement process; (e) unilateralism vs multilateralism;
(f) labeling; and (g) intellectual property rights on certain tradeable
articles. |
Philippine accession to GATT on
January 1980.
Formulation of an Action Plan for GATT-adjustment measures for global
competitiveness and safety nets for sectors which will require assistance.
Some of the major laws enacted in compliance to the Uruguay Trade related
aspects of intellectual property rights accord include: (a) Republic Act
7308 known as the Seed Industry Development Act which mandates the conversation,
preservation and development of plant genetic resources, and promotes and
accelerates the development of the seed industry; (b) RA 7900, known as
the High-Value Crops Development Act, which provides for the establishment
of experimental stations and seek farms for the development of high-value
crops as export crops; and (c) protection of new varieties of plants under
the Union for the protection of New varieties of plants during the UPOV
Convention of 1978. |
| Other relevant
multilateral agreements |
| United Nations Conference on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) |
|
The Convention was signed on 10
December 1982 and ratified on 27 February 1984 by the then Batasang Pambansa.
Creation of the Cabinet Committee on the Treaty on the Law of the Sea
on 3 October 1981, which was reconstituted into the Cabinet Committee on
Maritime and Ocean Affairs to formulate practical and viable policies addressing
the various concerns of UNCLOS and other marine-related matters.
Formulation and adoption of the National Marine Policy to serve as the
umbrella framework for addressing ocean and marine concerns and as basis
for the development of a comprehensive programme to properly manage marine
and coastal resources, and to ensure implementation of the provisions of
UNCLOS. |
