Report from the Sub-comittee on the environment and health

2 The sub-committee’s mandate and
composition
2.1 The sub-committee’s mandate and scenarios for phasing
out pesticides
According to its mandate, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sub</strong>-committee on Environment and Health,
working on <strong>the</strong> basis of <strong>the</strong> above-mentioned cultivation systems, was to
evaluate <strong>the</strong> environmental consequences of a total or partial phase-out of
pesticides. In its evaluation, <strong>the</strong> sub-committee was to consider <strong>the</strong> effects
on groundwater as a resource for <strong>the</strong> population and <strong>the</strong> natural
environment, surface water as a resource for flora and fauna, and <strong>the</strong>
terrestrial ecosystems in agriculture and forestry as a resource for flora and
fauna.
In its evaluation of <strong>the</strong> health consequences, <strong>the</strong> sub-committee was to
include <strong>the</strong> effects of pesticides on <strong>the</strong> people using <strong>the</strong>m and <strong>the</strong> effects
of using <strong>the</strong> proposed cultivation systems. On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, <strong>the</strong> subcommittee
was not required to consider <strong>the</strong> health and environmental
aspects of <strong>the</strong> industrial production of pesticides.
In its work, <strong>the</strong> sub-committee was to analyse <strong>the</strong> following scenarios in
relation to present production practice:
• A total phase-out of pesticides (<strong>the</strong> 0-scenario). This scenario is
described as a reference situation, and <strong>the</strong> environmental and health
consequences of a total phase-out were to be compared with <strong>the</strong>
present situation.
• Use of pesticides only for pests covered by <strong>the</strong> quarantine laws (<strong>the</strong>
0+scenario). In this scenario, pesticides would be used to comply with
specific requirements concerning purity or for controlling pests
defined in orders <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> Plant Department.
• Use of pesticides in crops with serious losses (<strong>the</strong> +scenario). In this
scenario, pesticides would only be used for limited areas in which
large yield losses could be expected or where production of specific
crops could not be maintained. The scenario also covers <strong>the</strong>
0+scenario’s areas.
• Reduction of pesticide consumption to a level without yield losses
(<strong>the</strong> ++scenario). In this scenario, use would be made of all available
technical and cultivation methods that reduce <strong>the</strong> use of pesticides
without significant economic losses. The scenario covers <strong>the</strong> areas of
<strong>the</strong> 0+scenario and <strong>the</strong> +scenario and is based in part on <strong>the</strong> principle
of integrated prevention and control.
2.2 Composition of <strong>the</strong> sub-committee
The sub-committee had <strong>the</strong> following members:
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