Under the theme of “Make visible the invisible: sound management of chemicals and wastes,” the meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (2025 BRS COPs) will take place from 28 April to 9 May 2025 at the International Conference Center (CICG) in Geneva.
UNEP drives capacity and leadership in sound management of chemicals and waste while working to improve ways to reduce waste through circularity and pollutants released to the air, water, soil and the ocean. On this page find all the side events organised by UNEP and/or the Global Environment Fund (GEF) at the 2025 BRS COPs.
Monday 28 April
The importance of data in chemicals management: Leveraging publicly available data for national POPs inventories and the need for POPs data management systems | Global Green Growth Initiative (GGGI) with UNEP
🗓️ 28 April | ⏰ 19:00–20:30 | 📍 Exhibition Area | Details & Registration
Co-organized by the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP) and UNEP’s Chemicals and Health Branch, this event will explore how publicly accessible data can support the development of national inventories for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and strengthen chemicals and waste management systems. With the recent listing of new POPs—commonly found in consumer goods, electronics, and waste streams—countries face increasing challenges in identifying, tracking, and managing these substances. Presentations from regional centres, national case studies (including Nigeria), and tools such as UN Comtrade and UNITAR’s E-waste monitors will highlight current efforts and identify data gaps in regions such as Africa, South Asia, and Europe. Emphasis will be placed on systematized approaches to data collection and analysis to support National Implementation Plans (NIPs) and compliance with the Stockholm Convention.
Tuesday 29 April
From evidence to policy action: Establishing a Science-Policy Panel to promote the sound management of chemicals and waste and the prevention of pollution | Science-policy Panel OEWG Secretariat
🗓️ 29 April | ⏰ 18:15–19:45 | 📍 Exhibition Area | Online and in person Details & Registration
The event will focus on the process for the establishment of an independent, intergovernmental science-policy panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution. The event will emphasize that such a panel can support international efforts to take action, including via the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements such as the BRS conventions, and other relevant international instruments, to promote the sound management of chemicals and waste, and the prevention of pollution by providing policy-relevant scientific advice on these issues. The event will also highlight how such a panel could further support the work of other relevant stakeholders including academia, NGOs, the private sector and others by making visible the invisible. Finally, the event will provide an update on the state of play of the ongoing process to establish such a science-policy panel.
Visible Solutions for legacy problems: A Collaborative Approach to POPs Sound Management and PCBs Elimination | UNITAR, with UNEP, EU, UNDP, Bosnia Herzegovina and BRS
🗓️ 29 April | ⏰ 18:15–19:45 | 📍 Room 2
This event will highlight the value of inter-agency and multi-sectoral collaboration in the environmentally sound management (ESM) and elimination of POPs and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Showcasing successful country and regional initiatives, it will emphasize tools and instruments developed to help Parties address environmental and health impacts of PCBs—particularly in the context of the 2025 and 2028 phase-out deadlines under the Stockholm Convention. Lessons learned, emerging challenges, and funding and partnership opportunities will be discussed to catalyze further coordinated action and data sharing.
Wednesday 30 April
HIGH-LEVEL EVENT | Strengthening action for change: Advancing integrated solutions for the implementation of the BRS Conventions | UNEP (EMG)
🗓️ 30 April | ⏰ 13:15–14:45 | 📍 Room C
FAIR EVENT | Making Visible the Invisible: Strengthening the Global Monitoring Plan for Persistent Organic Pollutants under the Stockholm Convention | The Stockholm Convention’s GMP Global Coordination Group
🗓️ 30 April | ⏰ 13:15–14:45 | 📍 Exhibition Area
This event marks the launch of the fourth phase of the Global Monitoring Plan (GMP), a critical initiative for generating harmonized, high-quality data on POPs in the environment and in humans. Such data is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of the Stockholm Convention in safeguarding health and ecosystems. A new UNEP-implemented GEF project supporting GMP activities will also be presented, including efforts to expand global mercury monitoring. This project aims to enhance capacity-building, foster regional and global collaboration, and support evidence-based policymaking on chemicals and waste.
Making visible the invisible: How science-policy partnership and research infrastructures support implementation of the Stockholm Convention
🗓️ 30 April | ⏰ 18:15 – 19:15 | 📍 Exhibition Area
Highlighting the importance of collecting comparable data on human exposure and environmental levels of POPs, this side event spotlights long-term monitoring efforts in the European region. Aligned with broader global efforts towards enhancing the science-policy interface for safer management of chemicals and waste, experts will discuss the role of science-policy partnerships in regulatory risk assessment and prioritisation mechanisms for addressing e.g. endocrine disrupters, per fluorinated chemicals and their alternatives, flame retardants and mercury.
The event also highlights synergies between European Union initiatives aimed at advancing sound chemicals management and achieving zero pollution, and the objectives of the WHO work programme promoting human biomonitoring as a tool for evidence-based policy development. Contributions from the research community—including new tools, approaches, and data through human exposome research—will be showcased, particularly efforts to expand access to non-member countries.
Thursday 1 May
Interlinkages between the BRS conventions and the Montreal Protocol: policy, implementation and enforcement | Ozone Secretariat, World Customs Organization, BRS and UNEP
🗓️ 1 May | ⏰ 13:15–14:45 | 📍 Room C
HIGH-LEVEL EVENT / FAIR EVENT | Eliminating the Invisible: Launch of the GEF’s Global Elimination Programme for PCB | World Bank Group
🗓️ 1 May | ⏰ 18:15–19:45 | 📍Exhibition area
This session will launch the Global Elimination Program for PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls), a new initiative aimed at accelerating the elimination of PCBs under the Stockholm Convention. Experts from various sectors will discuss the lessons learned from past PCB management efforts and explore innovative approaches to meet the 2025 and 2028 Stockholm Convention deadlines. The session will focus on key topics such as:
- What have we learned, and what can we do better? Reflections from GEF agencies on experiences, policies, and actions to date.
- How to eliminate PCBs – examining the challenges and solutions in various sectors, with a particular focus on the electricity sector.
- A new approach to PCB elimination – how can energy investments play a crucial role in achieving faster, more effective PCB elimination?
- Cleaning up PCBs and other chemicals – discussing the GEF's role in supporting global cleanup efforts, with an emphasis on funding and technical support.
The panel will also feature country stories from Uganda and Cameroon, highlighting their respective experiences in PCB management and the challenges they face. Insights will also be shared on mainstreaming pollution clean-up into MDB investments, with examples from Iraq’s efforts to integrate pollution management into national development strategies. The session will conclude with an audience Q&A and discussion, allowing for interactive exchange of ideas and further insights into how to tackle PCB pollution globally.
Management of POPs in India: Findings of the India NIP Update Project | India, World Bank Group
🗓️ 1 May | ⏰ 18:15–19:45 | 📍 Room 2
Through GEF-supported efforts—including the India NIP Update and a project promoting non-POPs alternatives to DDT—India has significantly strengthened its monitoring systems, adopted Best Available Techniques and Best Environmental Practices (BAT/BEP), and developed neem-based alternatives to DDT for malaria control. This event highlights India’s achievements, lessons, and ongoing challenges in implementing the Stockholm Convention. New findings will be presented, including the detection of non-essential POPs additives in single-use plastics and emerging PFAS data in consumer goods. As the world's sole remaining DDT producer, India’s innovation and policy shifts have broader implications for global POPs management and the transition away from hazardous substances.
Friday 2 May
HIGH-LEVEL EVENT | From Invisible Threats to Visible Solutions: Integrating chemicals and waste management into biodiversity conservation – The Power of synergies | UNEP and CBD Secretariat
🗓️ 2 May | ⏰ 18:15–19:45 | 📍 Room C | Online and in person Details & Registration
FAIR EVENT | Bridging commitments: Unlocking the power of Stockholm Convention NIP to achieve the objectives and targets of the Global Framework on Chemicals | UNEP, with Malawi/Africa; Guyana/GRULAC; Kingdom of Cambodia/Asia-Pacific; Secretariat of the Global Framework on Chemicals; Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
🗓️ 2 May | ⏰ 18:15–19:45 | 📍 Exhibition Area
Stockholm Convention National Implementation Plans (NIPs) are essential instruments for addressing POPs and related waste. This session will explore how NIPs can be aligned with the Global Framework on Chemicals to enable measurable, policy-relevant progress at the national level. Drawing on concrete examples, it will illustrate how NIPs translate multilateral environmental commitments into action, strengthen governance frameworks, and address the often-invisible threats posed by legacy and emerging POPs.
Accelerating the transition from HHPs to biopesticides and agroecological alternatives: Fostering sustainable food systems while mitigating severe environmental and public health impacts | Biovision, with FAO, UNEP, WHO, PAN, CPSP, Ethiopia, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Agroecology Coalition
🗓️ 2 May | ⏰ 18:15–19:45 | 📍 Room 14
Sunday 4 May
Advancing Global Action for Sustainable Textiles | UNEP with The GEF
🗓️ 4 May | ⏰ 13:15–14:45 | 📍 Room C
This event will spotlight the critical need for stronger global governance and collaboration in addressing the environmental and health impacts of the textile sector, an industry vital for economic growth, yet a major contributor to pollution and chemical risks. Showcasing successful country and regional initiatives, as well as the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC), the event will emphasize tools and strategies for managing textile waste and enhancing chemical transparency across supply chains. It will highlight sustainable alternatives, promote stakeholder cooperation, and explore opportunities for integrating textile governance into existing multilateral frameworks.
Monday 5 May
Role of Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions in Sustainable Circular Models for Minerals and Metals | Geneva Dialogues on Mineral and Metal Resources | Geneva Environment Network, with Switzerland, Senegal, UNEP/GRID-Geneva, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF), The Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) and the World Resources Forum
🗓️ 5 May | ⏰ 13:15–14:45 | 📍 Room B | Online and in person Details & Registration
This side event will discuss the role of the Conventions in circular models for mineral and metal resources.
Tuesday 6 May
Knowledge for Action: Sustainable tools and approaches for Tackling Chemicals and Hazardous Waste | UNEP and BCRC-Caribbean
🗓️ 6 May | ⏰ 18:15–19:45 | 📍 Exhibition Area | Details & Registration
Co-hosted by the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership and BCRC-Caribbean, this side event will showcase multiple initiatives which leverage innovative tools and knowledge-driven solutions to strengthen national and regional capacity for chemicals and waste management, and demonstrate how they bring practical knowledge to key stakeholders and bridge knowledge gaps. The session will also make the case that digital tools should be complemented by strategic stakeholder engagement and targeted knowledge management efforts to ensure that knowledge is applicable, practical, and accessible.
Wednesday 7 May
Mercury in products: Integrated approaches and innovative tools for a sustainable waste management | UNEP
🗓️ 7 May | ⏰ 18:15–19:45 | 📍 Exhibition Area | Online and in person Details & Registration
Building on growing momentum to eliminate mercury in products, this event will bring together the Global Mercury Partnership, sister agencies, and project partners to spotlight innovative approaches and tools for managing waste from mercury-containing products. Drawing from two GEF-funded initiatives—targeting the phase-down of dental amalgam in Senegal, Thailand, and Uruguay, and the phase-out of mercury measuring devices in Albania, Burkina Faso, India, Montenegro, and Uganda—the session will highlight tangible results and opportunities for replication.
Thursday 8 May
See the Unseen: Leveraging MEAs and Digital Tools for SDG Progress on Chemicals and Waste | InforMEA and UNEP
🗓️ 8 May | ⏰ 13:15–14:45 | 📍 Room C | Online and in person Registration & Details
This side event will explore the key question: As the digital world evolves rapidly, are we effectively leveraging these advancements to help governments fulfill their commitments to chemical and waste-related SDGs while staying context-sensitive and aligned with national priorities?
Friday 9 May
One Health' Approach to Addressing Pharmaceuticals in the Environment across Key Sectors | UNEP, with WHO
🗓️ 9 May | ⏰ 13:15–14:45 | 📍 Room C | Online and in person Details & Registration
The growing environmental and health risks posed by pharmaceuticals—including links to antimicrobial resistance, endocrine disruption, and aquatic toxicity—demand urgent attention. This event will examine the full lifecycle of pharmaceuticals and explore how key sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, and municipalities, can adopt sound management strategies to mitigate these risks. The session will focus on innovative practices and regulatory tools, such as extended producer responsibility (EPR), sustainable procurement, and pollution prevention measures. Through a holistic “One Health” approach—integrating human, animal, and environmental health—the event will provide actionable, cross-sectoral recommendations for achieving environmentally sound pharmaceutical waste management.
Monday 12 - Tuesday 13 May
ISLANDS Forum - From Challenges to Solutions: Advancing the Sound Management of Chemical and Waste in SIDS | UNEP and GGKP
🗓️ 12-13 May | 📍Palais des Nations | Details
At the midpoint of the Implementing Sustainable Low and Non-Chemical Development in Small Island Developing States (ISLANDS) Programme, the global Coordination, Communication and Knowledge Management (CCKM) project is organizing the ISLANDS Forum, held back-to-back with the 2025 BRS COPs. This two-day event will delve into the unique challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in managing hazardous chemicals and waste.
Through a series of technical sessions and high-level discussions, the Forum will focus on actionable solutions in the safe and sustainable management of e-waste, end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), and highly hazardous waste throughout their lifecycles. The event will also explore approaches to engaging the private sector and securing sustainable financing for these critical issues.
A high-level panel will formally close the ISLANDS Forum and will provide a platform for external experts to share their perspectives on e-waste, ELVs, and hazardous waste management. It will also highlight the success of the ISLANDS Caribbean Incubator Facility’s Blue Tech for Waste Challenge with implementation partner Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). It will be broadcast live on UN Web TV. This session aims to reinforce the importance of collaboration, innovation, and global expertise in addressing the environmental and human health challenges faced by SIDS in managing chemicals and waste.
