OEWG5: TUESDAY, 4 APRIL 2006

OEWG5 of the Basel Convention convened on Tuesday morning in plenary, focusing on financing issues. Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, two working groups met – one addressing ship dismantling, the other financing and budget matters.

In the financing contact group, delegates started by discussing the budget, requesting clarification on the exact increase sought compared with the current expenditure levels, and noting difficulties in interpreting the new format. They then discussed sustainable financing, focusing on three future options outlined in document on sustainable financing (UNEP/CHW/OEWG5/2/Add.6), with a view to finalizing what should be recommended to COP8. In particular, discussions focused on the possible role of the GEF and other funding sources. The EC said GEF was not a financing panacea for this process, especially given questions regarding future funding levels.

In the contact group on ship dismantling, the group focused on: possible recommendations to COP8 regarding the possibility of another meeting of the ILO/IMO/Basel Convention Joint Working Group on Ship Scrapping, and what its work programme should be; the probable input of the Basel Convention to IMO MPEC’s next session in the development of a legally-binding convention on ship recycling; short- and medium-term measures to protect the environment and health in the context of ship recycling, particularly prior to entry into force of the IMO convention; pre-cleaning/decontamination; and abandonment of ships.

A contact group on technical guidelines on POPs also convened.

German delegate Michael Ernst chaired the technical issues contact group

The Latin American and Carribean Group caucus to prepare one of a number of CRPs