FEW global issues are more important than ridding the planet of its legacy of
persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Many, including the ubiquitous PCBs
(polychlorinated biphenyls), can cause severe damage to reproductive and nervous
systems in animals and humans alike. At the beginning of December, 122 nations
sent delegates to a UN meeting in Johannesburg to thrash out a global convention
on these pollutants. Reporting after the meeting, 快猫短视频 said that it
will take up to 25 years to banish these widespread industrial poisons
(16 December 2000, p 6).
It prompted me to ask Michael Meacher, the environment
minister, if he was pleased with what happened at the Johannesburg
conference.
Meacher replied that the outcome is a strong precautionary global Convention
on Persistent Organic Pollutants which, when it comes into force, will place
binding obligations on nations signing up to it to prohibit the production and
commercial use of POPs. They will also have to reduce and ultimately eliminate
鈥渦nintentionally produced POPs鈥濃�攖hose produced as a by-product鈥攁nd
to destroy in an environmentally sound manner any wastes containing POPs.
Although PCBs are no longer manufactured, they are still in use in the
electricity generation and supply systems of most countries, and it will take
time to safely replace and dispose of them. Until then, what remains must be
clearly identified, labelled and well maintained. Replacing poor or leaking
equipment must be a priority.
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Meacher added that it was generally recognised that many developing countries
will need financial help and technical support before they can stop using PCBs
completely. It may not be possible to achieve the 2025 target date agreed in
Johannesburg to rid the world of POPs. A major issue will be how to help Russia
with its PCB inheritance, particularly in the Arctic regions. Further details,
said Meacher, may be found on the Arctic Council website
www.arctic-council.org.
I feel certain that the Arctic PCB problem is the all-important one.
POORER countries tend to be at a huge disadvantage when it comes to patents,
according to James Deane of the Panos Institute, a development think-tank in London
(快猫短视频, 9 December 2000, p 4).
Last September when I led a
parliamentary delegation to Bolivia, I met scientists who complained bitterly
that they were missing out on exploiting many of the unique plants of their High
Andes. The pharmaceuticals companies had got there first.
When I returned to London I put the matter to Kim Howells, the trade and
industry minister with responsibility for patents. Howells agreed that the
information on patents should be available to all countries, rich or poor. This
encourages innovation and research, he said, and provides researchers everywhere
with useful information that might otherwise remain secret.
With this sort of thing in mind, said Howells,the Geneva-based World
Intellectual Property Organization is setting up Wiponet, a global digital
information network enabling the integration of patent information, processes
and systems worldwide. The initial goal is to have all member states of WIPO on
the Internet by the end of 2001. 鈥淲e are working closely with the organisation
to ensure this target is met,鈥� said the minister.
I鈥檒l believe it when I see it, come December.
