1. Agenda item 4(a) Reporting mechanism Presentation of the synthesis report
This is a sample Title Slide with Picture ideal for including a dark picture with a brief title and subtitle.
Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision- making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters
15 September 2017, Budva

2. INTRODUCTION We work collectively
Colleagues lead on individual contributions
Tremendous support from the Secretariat
Text:
A reminder of what I said last meeting
Synthesis report a compilation of individual contributions
Most certainly not just me
Hugely grateful for support of colleagues and secretariat

3. Decision I/5 mandate Synthesis report
summarises the National Implementation Reports
identifies “significant trends, challenges and solutions” (para. 5).
Text: brief overview of the implementation of the Protocol in order to explain what patterns emerge, what issues are faced and in some cases ideas on how they may be resolved.

4. Importance of reporting under the Protocol
“Important contextual material” (Decision I/5)
Raw material for Compliance assessment
Helps Parties to understand whether Protocol is working
Should inform strategic direction that MOP takes
Text: brief overview of the implementation of the Protocol in order to explain what patterns emerge, what issues are faced and in some cases ideas on how they may be resolved.

5. Obviously…. Parties should submit reports
Should submit reports on time
Should involve the public in the preparation of reports
And most do

6. Presentation of data
Overwhelming majority of Parties make all PRTR data available through direct electronic means and aim to make data user-friendly, but still a few who don’t
Common practice for environmental information web pages and PRTR pages to cross-refer
Parties are collecting information on web page visitors

7. Access to information Nearly all reporting countries have
sufficient legal framework to handle requests for environmental information pursuant to the Aarhus Convention and the Protocol
administrative and judicial review procedures with regard to a denial of access to PRTR information
Longstanding requirement

8. Protection of whistle-blowers
widely perceived as a fundamental part of the Parties’ existing law and constitution
few Parties report on practical measures to protect whistle-blowers, and there should be more detailed reporting on that issue in future

9. Reporting and sources of data
Most Parties say operators report electronically and data are stored in electronic databases
But some reports failed to answer certain questions relating to the record-keeping, data storage and using the best available information.
Almost all Parties’ PRTRs are more extensive than the minimum requirements in the Protocol (e.g., by covering more activities or pollutants or lower thresholds)
A wide range of ways of recording emissions from diffuse sources
Room for improvement in some Parties – they don’t include or link to information on diffuse sources

10. Confidentiality
Operators or owners required to report under the Protocol do not claim confidentiality very often, and in some countries confidentiality claims are decreasing
In several countries confidentiality claims relate to waste generation and waste shipment
Little reporting on practical experience with confidentiality claims (as opposed to legal basis)

11. Article 13 obligations on public participation in the development of national PRTRs
Many countries reported the active development of various electronic tools to make information more easily available, for example through governmental websites
Some countries report they used meetings or workshops to deliver public participation and distribute information with regard to PRTRs.

12. Article 15: capacity building
(Article 15 deals with the national level)
Divided into two broad categories
the provision of information to, and education of civil servants in charge of the PRTR
awareness-raising among the potential users
Awareness-raising measures include
press releases,
campaigns for journalists,
videos available on the web,
online tools, including Q&A

13. Article 16 capacity building (international level)
Many Parties use Article 16 to help States with economies in transition to establish national PRTRs
Some Parties promote the Protocol by collaboration with non-Parties outside the ECE region, although, strictly speaking, that falls outside the ambit of the synthesis report
Area where extra effort can bring real added value: room for focus

14. Challenges and solutions
Now the majority of countries have functioning PRTR systems, they need to focus on
the promotion of those systems and engaging stakeholders
addressing specific challenges raised in the synthesis report (many of which are the same as the last reporting cycle
delivering compliance throughout the UNECE area

15. Involvement of Civil Society
Some Parties still report a lack of involvement of civil society and lack of interest in the development of PRTRs
We have identified a range of measures that could be taken (e.g. publications, training, workshops, seminars, etc.)
Room for more work here

16. PRTR web pages
Level of awareness of the public about PRTR web pages should be constantly raised (remaining from last reporting cycle)
the functionality and accessibility of PRTR web pages should be gradually improved
some activity on statistical data on the number and other characteristics of web page visitors
this data should help understand how awareness and accessibility might be improved

17. PRTR web pages Focus on the user:
We suggest surveying who is using the data already and targeting further potential users
Potential users in the non-profit sector (governmental and non-governmental organizations), as well as in the business sector.
Objective: raise awareness for the potential added value PRTR data can generate
Data input and quality of data
improve electronic reporting in order to make it easier for facilities and competent authorities to report
This unpacks what the last slide and repeats what we said last time

18. Other improvements to PRTRs
make registers more up to date: Parties that publish their data later than 12 months after the end of the reporting year could consider earlier deadlines for reporting
minimise duplicative reporting by analysing existing legislation through, e.g., the establishment of a national working group for PRTR implementation;
foster harmonization concerning the exceedance of minimum standards: for example thresholds, the number of pollutants, activities, water, energy, resource consumption, source-type of greenhouse gas emissions (fossil versus non‑fossil)?
There are other steady, systematic changes to the PRTRs which we would still like to see

19. Other improvements to PRTRs
encourage Parties and operators to use their Registers to report on additional subjects (such as additional pollutants and sources of pollution, energy consumption, changes in production volumes, emission reduction below existing thresholds and parameters related to sustainable production in general) – slight improvement, but more could be done
complete any missing data in the national Registers and complete or revise related legislation by adopting the necessary measures fully to implement the Protocol

20. Good practices with respect to claims for confidentiality
All the information contained in a PRTR should be considered as “environmental information” and any possible ground for refusal based on confidentiality should be interpreted in a restrictive way
All claims for confidentiality should be treated consistently: maybe build up a bank of decision criteria that might be applied to claims of confidentiality
Again recommendations from last year which we have kept in

21. EIT countries
Parties with economies in transition face challenges in implementing their PRTRs because of financial constraints, a lack of human resources and technical facilities.
Substantial and continuing international cooperation with, assistance to and support for such countries is a priority
Repeated message

22. And finally ….
The synthesis report prepared by the Compliance Committee and online available on the UNECE website (