26 Feb 2019
10:00–12:00

Venue: International Environment House II (7-9 ch. de Balexert)

Organization: Geneva Environment Network

A Chemicals and Waste briefing focusing on the preparations for the third meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group for the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (Montevideo, Uruguay from 2-4 April 2019) took place at the International Environment House on Tuesday 26 February 2019.

The briefing also provided an update on the preparations for the 2019 meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, as well as on the Mercury Convention intersessional work.

Agenda

10:15
Welcome
Jacob DUER, Chief, Chemicals and Health Branch, UN Environment Programme
Rolph PAYET, Executive Secretary, Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat
Rossana SILVA REPETTO, Executive Secretary, Minamata Convention on Mercury Secretariat

10:25
Chemicals and Health Branch, UN Environment Programme

Update on the preparations for the Open-Ended Working Group for the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management – SAICM (Montevideo, 2-4 April 2019)
Brenda KOEKKOEK, Programme Officer, SAICM Secretariat, UN Environment Programme

Followed by questions and comments

10:55
Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

Update on intersessional work and preparations for the 2019 meetings of the conferences of the Parties (29 April – 10 May 2019)
David OGDEN, Chief, Governance Branch, Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat

Followed by questions and comments

11:30
Minamata Convention on Mercury

Update on intersessional work of the Minamata Convention on Mercury
Claudia TEN HAVE, Senior Policy Coordination Officer, Minamata Convention on Mercury Secretariat

Followed by questions and comments

Summary

General introduction

The Open-Ended Working Group for the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) will take place from 2-4 April 2019 in Montevideo, Uruguay.  It will discuss the progress towards achieving the 2020 goal for SAICM, it will start formal negotiations of a new policy approach to sound management chemicals and waste beyond 2020.

This is taking place while the governments of Uruguay and Sweden has launched an alliance on chemicals and waste recognizing the need to continue to raise the political awareness of the chemical and waste agenda as a critical component to addressing the sustainable development goals.

2019 is a busy year, after the SAICM OEWG meetingin Uruguay, four meetings of the Conference of the Parties will take place in Geneva.

Chemicals and waste are also at the core of UNEA4 agenda that will take place in Nairobi 11-15 March 2019. There will be various activities, resolutions and negotiations addressing chemicals and waste including marine litter and microplastic. The 2nd edition of the Global Chemicals Outlook will also be launched during UNEA4.

Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

The meetings of the conferences of the parties to the Basel Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions will take place from 29 April to 10 May 2019 at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG).

Various meetings, negotiations with delegations in preparation of the COPs have taken place.

Some of the issues to be discussed under the:

  • Basel Convention: proposal to amendments to the annex focusing on marine litter and microplastics
  • Rotterdam Convention, proposal of new annexes and amendments to annexes
  • Stockholm Convention:  listing of numbers of chemicals

For the presicency of the COPs, submission of women applications are welcomed.

On 22 March 2019, the 30th anniversary of the Basel Convention entering into force will be celebrated.

Minamata Convention Secretariat

The 3rd COP to the Minamata Convention will take place from 25-29 November in Geneva.

Various decisions adopted during the second COP established intersessional processes between the COP2 and COP3 (i.e.: develop thresholds for mercury waste, identify point source categories of releases of mercury and mercury compounds to land and water, continue to work on effectiveness evaluation of the convention, establishment of relevant groups of experts)

The representatives to these groups of experts have already been nominated and, nclude civil society, indigenous organizations, intergovernmental organizations, industries and the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership.

The meeting of the ad-hoc technical experts group on effectiveness evaluation is going to take place from 8-12 April 2019 in Geneva.The Minamata Convention Secretariat is organizing a meeting of the technical experts on waste thresholds, which will take place from 27-29 May in Japan.

SAICM OEWG3

Various informal regional meetings are taking place in preparation of the OEWG3.

The OEWG3 will focus on 2 key areas:

  • Achieving the 2020 goal to protect the environment and human health from chemicals
  • The Strategic Approach and the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020.

There are also agenda points related to budget and activities of the secretariat, and preparations for the 5th session of the conference in 2020.

Documents

Video

The event was live on Facebook.

Photos

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