1 Project technical approach: Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level (APELL) Taller regional sobre las experiencias en la implementación de la metodología APELL en América Latina y la promoción de la nueva Iniciativa de Marco Flexible 29 de noviembre de 2010 – Buenos Aires, Argentina Tomas Marques United Nations Environment Programme

2 Contents 1. UNEP APELL Programme 2. APELL Process: goals and objectives 3. The 10 steps of the APELL Process 4. APELL in practice: actions and roles 5. Main benefits of implementing the APELL Process 6. APELL worldwide and sectoral applications

3 Industrial accidents and disasters affect everyone

4 Pesticide Plant Accident: Bhopal Accident at a pesticide plant in Bhopal (India) in 1984, which resulted in the death of at least 3000 people, and in 200,000 to 600,000 people getting injured as a result of this accident

5 Explosion in LPG terminal in Mexico City A major fire and a series of catastrophic explosions occurred in 1984 at a LPG Terminal Some 650 individuals were killed, more than 6,000 were injured, and the terminal was destroyed

6 Explosion of fireworks factory in Enschede A fireworks factory in Enschede (Netherlands) exploded in 2000, killing at least 20 people and injuring 562. Over 2000 members of the community, all of whom had been unaware of the existence of the factory, had to be evacuated, and hundreds of homes were destroyed

7 Explosion in Fertilizer Factory: the Toulouse Accident September people died >3,000 people injured

Offsite impacts of industrial accidents Industrial accidents affect the public as well as workers Industrial accidents can have severe impacts n community health and livelihoods. These can be caused by: –toxic gas –water pollution –physical harm –fires/explosions –crushing during mass panic –hazards during clean-up

UNEP APELL Programme APELL stand for Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level Launched by UNEP in 1986 in the aftermath of accidents like Bhopal, India As a Programme, APELL depends on a higher level framework of: –national emergency strategy and administration; –‘right to know’ legislation and transparency; –culture and practice of community involvement; –interagency cooperation

10 The APELL Process As a process, APELL is…: –“…a multi-stakeholder dialogue tool that establishes adequate coordination and communication in situations where the public might be affected by accidents and disasters.” Key aspects of the APELL process are: “local level”, “multi-stakeholder”, “cooperation” and “open communication” Main stakeholder groups: local authorities, industry, and community

11 The APELL Process APELL Process Integrated Emergency Preparedness and Plans Community Local authorities Industry APELL Co-ordinating Group

12 Goals and Objectives of the APELL process The main goal of the APELL Process is the development of integrated emergency response plans through a multi-stakeholder participatory approach involving industry, the communities and local authorities The main objectives of the process are to protect lives and the environment, by reducing the occurrence and the potential impacts of industrial accidents/disasters. This is achieved by: –Promoting better preparedness at the local level –Raising awareness of potentially affected communities structured 10-step process –Working through a structured 10-step process (multi-stakeholder dialogue)

IDENTIFY PARTICIPANTS AND DEFINE THEIR ROLES EVALUATE AND REDUCE RISKS REVIEW EXISTING PLANS AND IDENTIFY WEAKNESSES TASK IDENTIFICATION MATCH TASKS AND RESOURCES INTEGRATE INDIVIDUAL PLANS INTO OVERALL PLAN AND REACH AGREEMENT INTEGRATE INDIVIDUAL PLANS INTO OVERALL PLAN AND REACH AGREEMENT DRAFT FINAL PLAN AND OBTAIN ENDORSEMENT COMMUNICATION AND TRAINING COMMUNITY EDUCATION TESTING, REVIEWING AND UPDATING TESTING, REVIEWING AND UPDATING APELL 10-STEP PROCESS

14 APELL in practice Promote the coordination between representatives from local authorities, the industry and the public Prepare an integrated emergency response plan and test the plan regularly through emergency drills Inform the community about the risks they are exposed to Educate the community about the emergency plan and on how to react to industrial accidents Industrial area Community exposed to risks

15  Raise public awareness, mobilise public support The role of Local Authorities  Co-ordinate emergency service and public group participation  Train emergency responders  Acquire and provide/mobilise resources  Approve the emergency response plan developed in the APELL process, implement and communicate it to the public

16  Initiate measures for risk reduction, organise “on site“ preparedness  Provide expertise for risk identification, risk assessment and risk reduction measures  Promote risk communication  Establish close working relationships with local authorities, in particular with emergency response agencies and neighbouring industrial facilities The role of Industry

Enhanced local knowledge of industrial hazards and risks Informed community about the risks they are exposed to Educated community on how to react to industrial accidents and to instructions from local authorities in the case of an accident Increased co-ordination between local authorities, emergency repsondese agencies, industry, and the public Integrated emergency response plans Main benefits of implementing the APELL process

18 APELL Worldwide Capacity Building in more than 30 Countries –India, Russia, Baltics, Czech Republic, Thailand, China, France, Qatar, Tunisia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Equator, Venezuela, Chile, Morocco, etc. Industrial Parks/Zones: Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, France, Morocco, Sri Lanka

19 APELL in different sectors APELL for Chemical/ Industrial Accidents TransAPELL APELL for Port Areas APELL for Mining New training kit on APELL for multi-hazards

20 Thank you for your attention!

21 Contacts Tomas Marques Associate Programme Officer Safer production and Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level (APELL) United Nations Environment Programme - UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics - DTIE 15, rue de Milan Paris Cedex 09, France +33 (0) (0) (fax)