Radioactive Waste Disposal at Sea: Public Ideas ... - IMO

Interest-Based Regime Analysis 95
104). They also hoped to separate the technical from the diplomatic—science
from politics—in international environmental negotiations, as the
black and gray lists would.
The secretariat was aware that the use of black and gray lists had other
advantages that might have constructive influence on the negotiations.
Primarily, the approach was instrumental in reaching agreement on banning
dumping of at least some pollutants. Further, it demonstrated to developing
countries that developed countries were serious about controlling
ocean dumping. 18 Developing countries generally would have no reason to
worry about the economic consequences of ocean dumping regulation,
since they would have few if any of their substances blacklisted. Thus, in
reality the black and gray lists imposed heavier burdens on those governments
who were more concerned over pollution, and lesser burdens on
those who were not as concerned. As detailed in this chapter, developing
countries favored stringent black and gray lists but were opposed to draft
general provisions which they feared would impose unacceptable constraints
on their economies. In conclusion, the Stockholm secretariat promoted
the relatively straightforward notion of black and gray lists because
it had important advantages in environmental negotiations with participation
of developed and developing countries.
Negotiating the Global Ocean Dumping Regime
Within a year, the Intergovernmental Working Group on Marine Pollution
met four times. At the fifth session, held in London from October 30 to
November 13, 1972, a global dumping convention was signed. This group,
established by the Stockholm secretariat as part of the preparations for
the Stockholm conference, was intended to produce an action program
for future international control of marine pollution to be presented at the
conference.
The First London Session
The first session of the IWGMP took place on June 14–18, 1971, at IMCO
headquarters in London, under the sponsorship of the British government.
Thirty-three states had sent representatives. 19 Maurice Strong and representatives
of the Stockholm secretariat, GESAMP, the International Oceanographic
Commission, the FAO, the IAEA, the WHO, the WMO, and