USCIB will push for ratification of several key environmental treaties as part of its 2004 action plan.  At its March 19 meeting, USCIB’s Environment Committee, chaired by George Carpenter (Procter and Gamble), confirmed several priority issues for U.S. business.  These include the EU REACH proposal, International Standards Organization (ISO) greenhouse gas emissions standards, and business positions for three major U.N. and OECD environment ministerial meetings.  Hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C., the meeting featured guest speakers John Matuszak, Margaret McCauley and Timothy Lattimer from the U.S. Department of State, and Kenneth Peel and David van Hoogstraten from the Council Environmental Quality. 

A recent letter from USCIB President Thomas Niles endorsed U.S. government ratification of major environmental treaties on hazardous wastes, chemicals and other environmental issues important to U.S. business.  USCIB believes that full U.S. government involvement is needed to influence the further development and implementation of these treaties, promote U.S. innovative approaches to sustainable development, and benefit U.S. companies operating in international markets. 

USCIB’s letter also highlighted the importance of agreeing on appropriate implementing legislation.  In a meeting on April 14, USCIB will review risks and benefits of U.S. ratification of the U.N. Framework Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in light of the outcomes of the recent Conference of the Parties. 

The EU’s proposed chemical regulatory framework, known as REACH, is moving ahead for European Parliament and Council consideration.  A first Parliamentary reading is expected this fall, and a final version will likely go into force in 2006.  While USCIB supports the pursuit of improved chemical regulation and international cooperative approaches to chemical risk assessment and management, a number of fundamental elements of REACH will pose trade and market access barriers, while rendering only questionable environmental benefit. 

USCIB has called on the EU to conduct a broad assessment of economic and trade impacts of REACH on trading partners, particularly on developing countries.  In addition, USCIB is drafting comments on the current version of the REACH proposal, and to the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade in response to the EU notification of REACH. 

Regardless of the Kyoto Protocol’s entry into force, greenhouse gas accounting and reporting will be at the heart of policy at domestic, regional or international levels.  It is likely the emerging ISO 14064 standard on greenhouse gas accounting and reporting will have wide acceptance internationally. 

Both USCIB and ICC have recommended that the ISO 14064 draft standard take a voluntary, regime-neutral and non-prescriptive approach.  Further ISO meetings are scheduled in the coming months, where next drafts of the ISO 14064 standard will be developed.