Preamble

The Parties to this Convention,

Aware of the potentially harmful impact on human health and the environment through modification of the ozone layer,

  (Adopted by the General Conference at its seventeenth session, Paris, 16 November 1972)

The General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization meeting in Paris from 17 October to 21 November 1972, at its seventeenth session.

Nothing that the cultural heritage and the natural heritage are increasingly threatened with destruction not only by the traditional causes of decay, buts also by changing social and economic conditions which aggravate the situation with even more formidable phenomena of damage or destruction,

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,

Having met at Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992,

PREAMBLE
The States Parties to this Convention,
Prompted  by the desire to settle, in a spirit of mutual understanding and
cooperation, all issues relating to the law of the sea and aware of the historic
significance of this Convention as an important contribution to the
maintenance of peace, justice and progress for all peoples of the world,

The Parties to this Convention,

Recognizing that persistent organic pollutants possess toxic properties, resist degradation, bioaccumulate and are transported, through air, water and migratory species, across international boundaries and deposited far from their place of release, where they accumulate in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems,

The Parties to this Protocol,

Being Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, hereinafter referred to as "the Convention",

Recalling Article 19, paragraphs 3 and 4, and Articles 8 (g) and 17 of the Convention,

THE STATES PARTIES TO THIS CONVENTION,

AWARE that nuclear activities are being carried out in a number of States,

NOTING that comprehensive measures have been and are being take to ensure a high level of safety in nuclear activities, aimed at preventing nuclear accidents and minimizing the consequences of any such accident, should it occur,