AGEE/APELL Consultative Meetings 13-16 May 2003 Geneva

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AWARENESS AND PREPAREDNESS FOR EMERGENCIES AT
LOCAL LEVEL
COORDINATED DISASTER PREPAREDNESS APELL WORLDWIDE
AGEE/APELL Consultative Meetings13-16 May
2003Geneva Fritz BalkauUNEP, Division of
Technology, Industry and Economics - Paris
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Public awareness and preparedness

• APELL is
• - a multi-stakeholder process that establishes
  adequate coordination and communication in
  situations where the public might be affected by
  accidents and disasters

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APELL achieves

• hazard identification
• early warning
• risk reduction/prevention
• preparedness measures
• more effective response measures (reduced impact
  in case of accident)
• post-accident arrangements

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APELL is applicable to all hazards

• industrial risk
• transport
• natural hazards
• urban disasters
• All hazards where communities need to be prepared
  !

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APELL partners promote the local application
Community
Local Government
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APELL is local level process

• local ownership
• local decisions
• local partners
• But also relies on national support

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Programme to promote APELL

• launched in1988, centre is based in Paris
• application in countries, local communities
• co-operation with
• industry - ICCA, ICMM,..
• governments - US, Sweden, India
• international bodies - OECD, EC, ECE, OCHA, WHO,
  IMO
• undertakes - assistance, promotion, networking
• monitors progress, discusses results

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Aplication Worldwide

• Bahia Blanca - Argentina
• Sao Sebastiao - Brazil
• Ecopetrol - Colombia
• Thailand - IEAT
• Croatia
• Egypt
• Barents Sea
• India

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But APELL is not yet everywhere

• Examine the following slides
• What could have been gained if
• local people had understood the risks ?
• local people had acted appropriately during the
  event ?
• the emergency services had been better
  co-ordinated ?
• there had been a public emergency plan ?

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The Toulouse Accident
Fertiliser factory explosion - 21 September 2001
31 people died gt3,000 people
injured
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The Baia Mare Accident
Minesite spill - 30 January 2000 50-100 tons of
cyanide were released
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The Nigeria Pipeline Accident
17 October 1998 650 people
died
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The Lagos Accident

Munitions explosion - 27 January 2002 gt2,000
died gt2,000 injured
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The Payatas Accident
Garbage dump collapsed - 11 July 2000
200 people died
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The Izmit Earthquake
.
Earthquake - 17 August 1999
gt 14,000 people died gt
27,000 people injured
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Thailand - acrylonitrile spill
.
Transport accident - September 2001 pollution of
waterways, toxic danger to residents
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Some UNEP work in 2002

• liaison with international emergency agencies
• country seminars in China, Brazil, India, Egypt
• establishing APELL Centre in India, Brazil
• input to OECD Guiding Principles and SEVESO II
• dialogue with chemicals, mining, fertiliser
  industry
• promotion of APELL in Mining
• regional APELL network - LAC
• maintain information service

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APELL in 2003-5

• provide global service of information awareness
  
• assist with national/sectoral APELL strategies
• sponsor demonstrations and training
• APELL implementation through regional networks
  and centres, and other instruments and partners
• evolve the APELL concept for future
• expand/revise APELL tools and guidelines

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Summary

• APELL could prevent or lessen impacts
• APELL is valid for all hazards, in all countries
• some countries and industries are taking action
• but, more still needs to be done
• global APELL partnership can assist those wanting
  to implement or promote emergency prevention and
  preparedness
• but, APELL partnership needs to be expanded still

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APELL Website
www.uneptie.org/pc/apell
AGEE/APELL May 2003