The Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution

Permanent Secretariat

BSC 22.B.f

TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE ADVISORY GROUP ON CONTROL OF POLLUTION FROM LAND BASED SOURCES (AG LBS)

The Advisory Group on the Control of Pollution from Land Based Sources (AG LBS) coordinates "the technical support for actions related to the assessment and control of discharges of pollution from land-based sources (direct discharges, riverine inputs, and diffuse sources, including atmospheric depositions) (Annex I, BS SAP, 1996).

Legal Status and Institutional Structure.

The Advisory Group on Control of Pollution from Land Based Sources (AG LBS) is an integral part of the Black Sea Commission institutional structure and constitutes its subsidiary body:

a) The AG CBD is comprised of the national focal points, nominated by the member of the Black Sea Commission, a director of the regional activity center and is responsible for facilitation of links between the Black Sea Commission, the relevant national authorities and regional and national scientific expertise; the national focal points are responsible for the accurate and timely delivered national information on the pollution control from land based pollution sources as it deems necessary for the Black Sea Commission.

b) The Advisory Group on Control of Pollution from Land Based Sources is supported by Activity Center on Control of Pollution From Land Based Sources based in Istanbul, Turkey , which coordinates the necessary programmatic support and provisions of practical technical support for its work. The Activity Center is based upon the one created following the resolution of Bucharest diplomatic conference 1992 and with the assistance of BSEP and shall function with in-kind contribution by the Government of Turkey with additional financial assistance from donors where possible and necessary. The members of the Advisory Group shall elect its chairperson among themselves for two years.

c) Following the Rules of Procedure of the BSC the AG LBS may propose that any individual able to provide expertise related to the biological diversity and assist in producing the recommendations required by the Black Sea Commission as well as assist the training activities within the work program of the Group will be invited to the events within the working plan of the Group.

Main responsibilities

The AG LBS acts in advisory, coordinating, and information capacities for the regional purposes of the Black Sea Commission by:

1. drafting recommendations and policies for the Black Sea Commission for the followings:

a) formulating Black Sea basin wide strategies for pollution reduction from land based sources;

b) developing and harmonizing approaches, methodologies, and criteria for identification and setting priorities for hot stops" and sensitive areas;

c) promoting the environment related practices, policies, measures for control and management of land-based pollution sources, including permiting procedures, environmental impact assessment, etc.;

d) assisting the Contracting Parties in implementing regionally relevant actions of the Global Program of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment From Land-Based Activities;

e) promoting full range of available management tools so as to ensure the sustainability of regional programmes;

f) elaborating new and/or strengthen existing regional cooperative agreements for the reduction and/or elimination of emmisisons/discharges as it deems necessary;

g) elaborating and suggesting cooperative and collaborative actions and partnerships among various stakeholders;

2. acting as a regional consulting body for regionally important activities related to control of pollution from land based sources for national environmental and water management authorities;

3. coordinating the regional training exercises in control of pollution from land based sources including licensing, permits, and enforcement mechanisms;

4. drafting proposals and attracting the financial assistance for solving regionally important environmental problems resulted from land based pollution sources;

5. ensure information flow to the regional database on the land based pollution sources of Black Sea Information System;

Main tasks

Specifically, the Advisory Group on Control of Pollution from Land Based Sources is responsible for preparation the recommendations and documents to be considered by the Black Sea Commission and the regional coordination of following tasks:

1. revising and monitoring of the implementation of the Protocol on Control of Pollution From Land Based Sources;

2. improving methodologies, techniques, guidelines and other technical materials for measuring and assessing discharges of pollutants;

3. setting up the harmonized system for monitoring and assessment of actual discharges and necessary quality assurance and quality control system;

4. gathering data from National Focal Points regarding pollution discharges and develop indicators for assessment of efficiency of the managerial and environmental policy measures;

5. establishing and ensuring the maintenance a regional database on actual discharges as an integral part of the Black Sea Information System;

6. developing the harmonized discharges standards and timetable for the implementation of the program and measures aimed at preventing, reducing or elimination, as appropriate, pollution from the land-based sources;

7. development / harmonization of pollution discharge models/scenarios when necessary in order to assist with the establishment of scientific criteria for setting permit levels/emission standards;

8. developing, submitting and revising as it deems necessary, for the Commission approval the format and procedure for the discharge reporting according to the Protocol on Control of Pollution from the Land-based Sources to the Bucharest Convention coordinating the inventories of the "hot spots" at least once in five years and report to the Commission on the progress towards pollution reduction and hot spots elimination;

9. elaborate and regular update questionnaire on the control of pollution from land-based sources relevant to the implementation of the Black Sea Strategic Action Plan;

10. providing guidance for preparation of work plan and funding of the Activity Center .

Interaction within the Black Sea Commission Institutional Structure

The AG LBS is directly subordinated to and supported by the Black Sea Commission and its Permanent Secretariat and shall report to the Black Sea Commission on annual basis. The general coordination for the AG LBS is assigned by the Commission to the appropriate officer of its Permanent Secretariat and supported by the Coordinator of the Activity Center on the Control of Pollution from Land Based Sources.

The AG LBS shall closely cooperate with the other advisory groups of the Black Sea Commission in order to propose the coherent and cost effective measures for the control of pollution from land based sources, namely:

1. _____________________

a) with the Advisory Group on Pollution Monitoring and Assessment in improving methodologies, techniques, guidelines and other technical materials for measuring and assessing discharges of pollutants; in setting up the harmonized system for monitoring and assessment of actual discharges and necessary quality assurance and quality control system

b) with the Advisory Group on Environmental Safety Aspects of Shipping in developing measures for controlling and handling shipping-related wastes and dredged materials, including dumping

c) with the Advisory Group on the Development of the Common Methodology for the Integrated Coastal Zone Management in developing the common methodologies for water management in the coastal zones

d) with the Advisory Group on Fisheries and Other Marine Living Resources on aquaculture originated pollution and protection of anadromous species and spawning grounds

e) with Advisory Group on Conservation of Biological Diversity on protection and conservation of habitats

f) with Advisory Group on Information and Data Exchange in maintaining the land-based pollution component in the Black Sea Information System (BSIS)

g) with the Ad hoc Working Group on Water Framework Directive in promoting the regional cooperation and developing strategy for the Black Sea Commission to facilitate the coherent actions in implementation of the principles of the WFD and Bucharest Convention and the Black Sea Strategic Action Plan.

The AG LBS shall take part in joint groups, particularly on such issues as pollution assessment, fisheries development and environmental impact assessment, amongst others when proposed by the Advisory Groups and asked/agreed by the Black Sea Commission

Interaction with other conventions and stakeholders

In order to achieve tangible results and benefit from the international experience the AG LBS, when authorized by the BSC and on its behalf, shall seek:

1. collaboration with national water management authorities and research institutions in Black Sea coastal states in order to achieve sustainability and continuity of the implementation of BS SAP

2. Close collaboration with DABLAS Task Force on prioritization of investment projects

3. cooperation and directly involvement of the private sector in promotion and use of the environmentally friendly economic activities

4. preparation of twinning projects with UN and European conventions

5. involvement of general public, NGOs communities, local stakeholders in particular for combating illegal discharges and waste disposals.

Reporting requirements:

In order to facilitate the Black Sea Commission work and to lessen the burden of the national reporting to the Bucharest Convention the AG LBS shall develop and implement a comprehensive reporting system on the control of pollution from, namely:

1. prepare and submit its work plan to the Permanent Secretariat two months prior the annual Black Sea Commission meetings for its approval and incorporation in the Black Sea Commission Work Plan

2. compile the annual report on current status of land-based pollution sources in a format approved by the Commission two months prior the regular Commission meeting based on the answers to the questionnaire.

3. in cooperation with other advisory groups and the Permanent Secretariat prepare and submit a chapter on the land-based pollution sources to the State of the Environment of the Black Sea Report every five years no later than two months prior the Meeting of the Environmental Ministers

Meetings of the AG LBS

The AG LBS shall convene a meeting at least once a year but no later than two months prior the Commission Meeting. Upon availability of funds and urgency of the issue under discussion more meetings could be called. The Minutes of each AG LBS meeting should be delivered to the Permanent Secretariat not later than 10 days after meeting.

TORs Revision:

The AG LBS shall review the Terms of References, propose necessary changes, as it deems necessary and submit it to the Secretariat two months prior the Commission meeting.


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