Embark On the Journey Beyond 2020

10/02/2017

#chemicals & waste #SAICM #SDGs #sustainable development

  • 1st Intersessional Meeting for Considering the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020

Under the mandate of the fourth session of International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM4), the intersessional process on sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020 started its first meeting in Brasilia, Brazil, from 7 to 9 February 2017.

The meeting started from setting the scene for beyond 2020 and stocktaking of SAICM progress. Felix Dodds, Tellus Institute, traced the road from the 1992 Rio Conference on Environment and Development to the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs in 2015, and discussed the 21st century challenges for chemicals and waste in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He suggested SAICM to engage and build linkages with other parts of the SDGs' implementation process, such as work on oceans, and highlighted SDG-related discussions in which SAICM should consider participating.

Based on the "thought starter" prepared by the ICCM5 Bureau (SAICM/IP.1/4), discussions were open for vision and scope, voluntary, multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral approach, responding to new and emerging issues, and linkages to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. At the end of the meeting, Co-Chair introduced the Co-Chairs' Summary, emphasizing that it captures the Co-Chairs' consolidated view of the discussions at the meeting and it does not intend to present a consensus or limit the inclusion of additional ideas and inputs during the intersessional process. All will be subject to further discussion at the second intersessional meeting in early 2018.

Please refer to SAICM official website and ENB report for more details.