ADB_book_18 April.qxp - Himalayan Document Centre - icimod

Although progress is encouraging, much remains tobe done. EU countries have ratified the KyotoProtocol but the US has not. In the absence ofParliament, Nepal became a Party to the Protocolthrough a Royal ordinance in September 2005.International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA),1994. This Agreement seeks to promote internationaltrade in tropical timber, the sustainable managementof tropical forests, and development of tropical forestindustries. Trade-related aspects deal with providinga forum for consultation on promoting nondiscriminatorytimber trade practices, helpingcountries to develop strategies for sustainablemanagement of timber products (including exports),diversification of international trade in tropicaltimber on a sustainable and equitable basis, bringinggreater transparency in the international timbermarket, and promoting information sharing on theinternational timber market. Nepal is a member ofthe Agreement and has been participating in itsmeetings.Agreement for the implementation of theProvisions of the UN Convention on the Law of theSea of 10 December 1982 relating to theConservation and Management of Straddling FishStocks (UN Fish Stocks Agreement 1995). Thisagreement seeks to ensure the long-termconservation and sustainable use of straddling fishstocks and highly migratory fish stocks by requiringcoastal states and states fishing on the high seas tocooperate in implementing agreed measures. Thereare provisions to deter activities of fishing vessels thatundermine the effectiveness of internationallyagreed conservation measures. There are alsoprovisions to help build the capacity of leastdeveloped countries and small island nations towork towards meeting the agreement’s goals.Rotterdam Convention on the Prior InformedConsent Procedure for Certain HazardousChemicals and Pesticides in International Trade1998. The objective is to promote sharedresponsibility and cooperation in the internationaltrade of certain hazardous chemicals to protecthuman health and the environment. It focuses onpromoting environmentally sound use throughinformation sharing in all aspects of such hazardouschemicals. Trade in certain listed chemicals shouldbe on the basis of prior informed consent.Obligations of a party under any other existinginternational agreements are not changed by thisagreement. There are also provisions for providingtechnical assistance to countries if requested.Stockholm Convention on Persistent OrganicPollutants 2001. This convention aims to reduce oreliminate releases of persistent organic pollutantsinto the environment to protect human health andthe environment from such harmful substances. Theconvention makes provisions to prohibit or eliminatethe production, use, import, and export of thepollutants listed in Annex A (Elimination) andrestricts the production and use of those listed inAnnex B (Restriction). It calls for development ofnational plans to implement the agreement and alsoprovides technical assistance.WTO and NepalThe WTO was established to promote the free flowof trade and to ensure that trading rules are clear-cutand observed by all members; there is an acceptedmechanism within the WTO for settling all tradedisputes. It follows from the negotiations undertakenover many years in the GATT. WTO is not anenvironmental agency. However, a fewenvironmental issues are trade related in the sensethat environmental barriers could be erected bycountries to restrict trade and that trade could bedamaging to the environment. Such issues are withinthe domain of the WTO if members decide to seekits assistance. Further details about WTO areavailable on the WTO web site (www.wto.org ).Nepal was not a member of GATT, which wasstarted in 1947 following the Bretton WoodsConference of 1944, which established theInternational Monetary Fund and The World Bank,and discussed the need for an international tradeorganization. GATT’s focus was on reducing tariffsand trade barriers for promoting multilateral trade.Between 1986 and 1994 global trade talks werepursued under the Uruguay Rounds, which resultedin establishment of the WTO on January 1, 1995. InMay 1989 Nepal applied for membership in GATT,and on September 11, 2003 Nepal was invited tobecome a WTO member. The period in betweeninvolved submitting it’s Memorandum on ForeignTrade to be circulated within GATT, followed byvarious rounds of extensive questions from GATTand answers by Nepal before WTO grantedmembership.By joining the WTO, Nepal cannot bediscriminated against by another WTO member andit has the option to use the WTO’s dispute settlementprocedure, but there are also many obligations. Inthe area of services, Nepal has made broadcommitments in 11 service sectors. Regarding tariffs,Nepal has accepted average tariffs of 42% onagricultural products and around 24% on industrial180 Environment Assessment of Nepal : Emerging Issues and Challenges