Background
The objective of the initiative is to initiate an informal consultative process to advise the Executive Director on how to contribute to identifying existing, new and additional resources, including ways of gaining access to such resources for supporting the sound management of chemicals and wastes at the national level, including but not limited to the implementation of obligations under the chemicals and waste-related conventions mentioned above.
The Executive Director made the proposal in response to a growing recognition of the urgent need to secure adequate financial means and provide strengthened capacity-building and technical assistance for the implementation of the chemicals and wastes agendas and in recognition of the importance of linking the treaty obligations of developing countries and countries with economies in transition to financial and technical assistance. The latter had been highlighted at the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Stockholm Convention, where developing countries and countries with economies in transition stressed the importance of adequate financial and technical assistance as essential requirements for the establishment of an effective compliance mechanism.
First Consultative Meeting
Nairobi, Kenya
24 and 25 July 2009
The process was initiated with a first consultative brainstorming meeting that was held in Nairobi on 24 and 25 July 2009. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Bakary Kante, Director, Division of Environmental Law and Conventions, UNEP, and opened and closed by Mr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director, UNEP.
Participants included the following:
Governments: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Russian Federation, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda, United States of America and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
International organizations: GEF, FAO, WHO, European Commission
Non-governmental organizations: International POPs Elimination Network; Basel Action Network.
The meeting adopted a roadmap for the way forward.
Report of the first meeting of the consultative meeting (including roadmap)
Second Consultative Meeting
Bangkok
25 and 26 October 2009
The second consultative meeting will take place in Bangkok from 25 to 26 October, back to back with the meeting of the Advisory committee on the Simultaneous Extraordinary Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions.
The meeting will include the participation of Governments and other key actors in the field of international hazardous wastes and chemicals management, including intergovernmental organizations, the private sector and civil society.
Provisional Agenda
Preliminary Desk Study on Financing Options for Chemicals and Wastes