Mission

To share knowledge, information, and resources on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) amongst international entities, governments, industrial facilities and communities in order to comply with the right-to-know of communities and the efficient implementation of PRTR reporting systems in countries.

ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE OF KNOWLEDGE SHARING!

Mandate on developing the PRTR:Learn-Training and Knowledge Platform

A PRTR Virtual Classroom was originally created as a response to the request of the Working Group on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR) of the Aarhus Convention, to have a tool which facilitates technical assistance to the implementation of the UNECE’s PRTR Protocol and to provide support to countries to design and implement PRTRs. The original development of the Virtual Classroom was a cooperative effort of the Government of the Netherlands and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). 

Interest on implementing PRTRs has grown among many countries, as well as the interest to ratify the PRTR Protocol. After its adoption in 2003, the PRTR Protocol entered into force in 2009 with 16 Parties, number that now has grown to 27 Parties. The Protocol is open for participation of any State, even not Parties of the Aarhus Convention.  The Protocol is the first legally binding international instrument on pollutant release and transfer registers and its objective is to ensure public access to information on pollutants releases to air, water and soil. Civil society has increased its use of PRTRs to exercise its “right to know” on environmental issues, evidencing the application of this kind of reporting system.

As a response to the increasing interest of countries and all stakeholders on PRTR implementation and the consequent need for information and knowledge exchange on specific aspects of PRTRs, UNITAR re-launches in 2011 the virtual tool as the “PRTR:Learn”. This new platform is developed as a contribution of the PRTR Programme at UNITAR.

Objectives of PRTR:Learn

• Provide a space for countries and experts to exchange information and knowledge on PRTR and its implementation
• To facilitate on-line training on PRTRs and its different technical considerations for countries that are willing to implement this kind of system or to become a Party of UNECE’s PRTR Protocol
• To ensure links to resources on different aspects of PRTRs
• To ensure coordination of PRTR implementation and capacity-building activities, in support to PRTR.net and the Aarhus Convention Clearinghouse

 Features and operation of PRTR:Learn

• Open and private forums
• Document posting
• Chatting
• Webinars
• Interactive map of worldwide PRTR initiatives and activities
• Repository of documents and other resources
• Calendar of events
• News
• Links to other PRTR related websites

Everyone can register to be part of PRTR:Learn. For more information please check the Guide for Registered Users of PRTR:Learn, available in the main menu "Help" and under the first category of the Document Repository.