1. Siting decisions and land-use planning under the Industrial Accidents Convention
Nick Bonvoisin
Secretary to the Convention on the
Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents
Nicosia
24 September 2012

2. Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents
Provision on decision-making and siting
Recent activities related to land-use planning
Safety Guidelines and Good Practices for Pipelines
Seminar on land-use planning around hazardous industrial sites
Next steps

3. Industrial Accidents Convention
Adopted in 1992
Entered into force in 2000
Now has 40 Parties, including EU, in ECE region
Not nuclear, military, dams (but tailings dams?), transport (but pipelines?), GMOs, marine environment

4. Decision-making on Siting (article 7)
Objective of minimizing risk to population and environment of all affected Parties
Seek the establishment of policies on siting of new hazardous activities and on significant modifications to existing hazardous activities
Seek the establishment of policies on significant developments in areas that could be affected by transboundary effects of industrial accident
Consider matters set out in Annex V, 2(1) to (8), & Annex VI
SITING
LAND-USE PLANNING

5. Safety Guidelines and Good Practices for Pipelines
Principles: Land-use planning considerations should be taken into account in
routing of new pipelines (e.g. limit proximity to populated areas and water catchment areas)
decisions on proposals for new developments in vicinity of existing pipelines
Countries should
establish system of permits and of land-use planning procedures with public involvement to ensure that pipelines planned, designed, constructed and operated safely, plus adequate monitoring and control
SITING
LAND-USE PLANNING

6. Safety Guidelines and Good Practices for Pipelines
Competent authorities should
ensure that objectives of preventing and limiting effects of accidents taken into account in land-use policies, with particular regard to safety distances etc.
set up consultation procedures to facilitate policy implementation
ensure that technical information about safety for humans and protection of environment available when decisions taken
ensure that public able to give its opinion
carry out permitting process, including environmental impact assessment, in a transboundary context when applicable
Hazard or risk assessment and land-use planning

7. Joint seminar on land-use planning around hazardous industrial sites
International dialogue, November 2010 in The Hague
Better understanding between stakeholders working on industrial safety and land-use planning
Safe neighbourhoods around hazardous industrial facilities
Objectives:
To signal safety concerns about new developments near facilities
To discuss role of land-use planning in hazard prevention
To identify priorities and interests of stakeholders
To share experience, good practices and challenges on cooperation between stakeholders from ECE countries
To discuss availability of different instruments and policies
To make recommendations on how to improve cooperation

8. Simulation

9. Simulation: Different & competing points of view
Citizens
Spatial Planner
Safety Officer
Environmentalist
Industry
Real-estate Developer

10. Simulation: Reflections
Authorities should
identify groups of stakeholders whose interests may be affected through land-use development projects
involve such groups at an early stage in those projects
be transparent with the development projects
promote awareness and through it ensure active participation of relevant stakeholder groups in development projects
Industry and public should take active part in development projects (if concerned), and be open to finding constructive solutions
National authorities should take steps to ensure effective local management of development processes

11. National level recommendations
To ensure cooperation, countries should consider introducing transparent procedures that would impose cooperation or mandatory communication between parties involved in safety and land-use planning at an early stage of development. Alternatively a protocol setting obligations on ‘who does what’ should be introduced
Effective cooperation should be strengthened through meetings of land- use and safety agencies at national & local levels, aimed at building mutual understanding and trust
Either geographical information systems should include risk assessments associated with hazardous industrial sites, or develop databases
Land-use plans for areas around hazardous industrial sites should be open for review by safety authorities before their approval

12. International level recommendations
Periodical meetings at international level
to discuss challenging cases in safety and land-use planning
to brainstorm on alternative developments scenarios
to identify possible solutions and learn from each other
Criteria or standards for safety and land-use planning
jointly developed by a group of safety and land-use planning experts
(taking into account differing levels of development in countries)
Publication containing best available practices
Possibly web-based advisory community discussing challenging cases

13. Next steps
ECE Committee on Housing & Land Management wishes to arrange a joint session on the topic within 2nd Housing Forum, Geneva, April 2013
New draft workplan: Development by group of safety and land-use planning experts of criteria or standards for safety and land-use planning (Co-funding might be sought through ECE Committee on Housing & Land Management)
Possible amendments: Provisions on land-use planning

14. Other issues
Conference of the Parties to the Convention, November 2012, Stockholm
Amendments
Annex I in line with GHS
Revised scope
Strengthened public participation
Revised scope of mutual assistance
Clarified or strengthened reporting obligations
Accession by other Member States of the United Nations
Provisions on land-use planning
Provisions on the review of compliance
Governance structures under the Convention

15. Other issues
Conference of the Parties to the Convention: important decisions also to be taken on
Financing
Workplan
Civil Liability Protocol
3-hour on-line, and 3-day face-to-face, training

16. Industrial Accidents Convention