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Co-operstion protocols in the event of emerqencies
Actian Pbn for tho Sdrth{st pacific
With the support of the United Nations Environnrent pmgramme (UNEp) ans the
ssistance of other agencies of the United Nations system sjch ss ?RO, IoC and IMO, the
countries of the region have developed an Action Phn for the protection of the Marine
Environrnent and Coestal Areas in the South-Eest Pacific, to promote the health and preserve
the welfare of present and future generations
Agrcamcnt cr ragicral co.qeraticr
A Diploqatic Cmference held at Lima, Peru in 1981, approved not only the Action
Plan' but also 8n "Agreement on regional co-qeration in combating pollution of the
South-East Pacific by hydrocarbms and other harmful substances in ca-ses of emergency,r,
which was prepared wiih lhe co-qeration of IMO.
The Agneement requires all parties to co-aperate in taking the measures needed in the
event of severe and imminent dangers to the marine environirent, the coest, and related
interesLs of me or rnore parties, because of ihe presence of gneat iuentities of oil or other
harmf ul substances that threaten to contaminate or are contaminating the South-East pacific
up to the 200 mile zones of maritime jurisdiction of the contracting parties, and in the high
seas to the extent that the contaminants spilled present a pollution ?"ng"r.
ttRelated intereststr ref ers to resources and activities in coastel waters, port$ and
estuaries, including fisheries, historic or !ourist amenities, neutical sports and recreation, the
health of coastal populations, and the preservation of living resources.
This co-qeration among the parties will include, in particular, the equipment, ships,
aircraft, trained personnel and manual labour required for the operations in ti"re event of an
emergency.
In addition, the Agreement covers aspects of monitoring and eontrol, the exehange of
information at the level both of national authorit.ies and of s6ip masters and airerafr pilots,
and the co-ordination needed for the rapid and effective use of ihis info.mation.
This type of collaboration among countries is the o-rly way to deal successfully with
these emergencies, whieh otherwise would be almost impossible to cope with eparately, given
that this would require an economic effort beyond the rneans of developing colntries ,such as
those in the region.
Compbmentary protocol
The above-rnentioned Agreement on co-eeration establishes a general framework for
mutual assistance between the states of the region in special pollutiJn circumstances. The
emergency siLuations considered will require the rapio impiementation of co-qerative
nechanisms according to the rneans available in the respective countries.
To speed the establishment of concrete mechanisms in the event of spills, and to
determine the shares to be assurned by the countries of the region, a Complennntary protocol
has been prepared under the Agreement. This Protoeol, which was in the final draft stage in
November, 1982' is intended to negulate in some detaii the measures to be adopted by the
countries so as to rationalize the employmenL of equipment and experts, and to keep
enforcement from becoming an economic burden. tt esiaLtistres the rn"nn", in which each
country will ask for or provide assistance, either in equipment or experts; the estimated cosL
of the assistance; methods of payment; and arrangements'allowing for the'temporary entry of
equipment and materials into the country requesting the assistance. It also ineludes a
description of the National Contingency Plans'referiecJ to in the Agreement m Regional
Co-qeration, specifying sorne of lhe aspects that should be included slch as the assignment
of institutional and individual responsibilities for the managernent and performance of cleanup
and control operations, the delermination of sensitive areas, the provision of financial
resources, etc.