Highlights and images for 2 May 2017

Switzerland

Summary

On Tuesday morning, the Conferences of the Parties (COP) to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions convened jointly in plenary to hear reports from contact groups. Rotterdam Convention COP 8 then convened to consider issues including listing of chemicals in Annex III to the Convention. Contact groups on budget and BC compliance met in parallel to plenary.

A contact group on SC compliance met during the lunch break.

In the afternoon, Basel Convention COP 13 convened in plenary to consider matters related to the implementation of the Convention, including technical matters, partnerships and compliance. Contact groups on synergies, BC Compliance, and technical assistance and financial resources met into the evening.

Side events were held during lunch on: electronic report systems of the BC and SC; how the BC could support implementation of regional conventions on transboundary movements on hazardous waste; and how multilateral environmental agreements address environmental concerns. In the evening, side events included a screening of the film “Death by Design” and sessions on paraquat and on cooperation between the World Trade Organization (WTO) and BRS Conventions.

IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided digital coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the 2017 Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.

Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth
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Morning Plenary

View of the dais during the morning plenary

Felix Tchabi, Benin

Silvija Kalniņš, Latvia, Co-Chair of the open-ended Contact Group to develop a way forward on enhancing effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention

Suzana Andrejevic Stefanovic, Serbia

Khidir Gibril Musa, Sudan

Ertan Öztürk, Turkey

Wilfredo Roldan, the Philippines

Marit Espevik Randall, Norway

Olubunmi Olusanya, Nigeria

Natalia Kostenko, Russian Federation

Juan Carlos Lliquin Criollo, Ecuador

Oleksandr Kravchuk, Ukraine

Cheikh Ndiaye Sylla, Senegal

Meriel Watts, Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Asia-Pacific

Andrew Dettmer, IndustriALL

Monique Perron, US

Andy Hedgecock, CropLife International

Delegates applaud the adoption of the 50th chemical listed under the Rotterdam Convention

Contact Groups Throughout the Day

Contact Group on Basel Convention Compliance

Budget Group

Contact Group on Stockholm Convention Compliance

Afternoon Plenary

View of the dais during afternoon plenary

Marco Buletti, Switzerland

Dong Yao, China

Mohammed Khashashneh, Basel Convention COP 13 President

Francis Kihumba, Kenya

Shunsuke Kudo, Japan

Jacinthe Séguin, Canada, Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Basel Convention Technical Matters

Delegates applaud the adoption of various decisions

Side Events Throughout the Day

Panel speakers for the side event titled 'Making connections: InforMEA' hosted by UN Environment and co-organized with the BRS Secretariat


Panel speakers for the side event titled 'How could the Basel Convention support implementation of regional conventions on transboundary movement of hazardous waste?' hosted by UN Environment, Secretariats of the Bamako and Waigani Conventions, Basel Convention Regional Centre (BCRC)-South Africa, BCRC-Senegal, Basel Convention Coordinating Center (BCCC)-Nigeria, and the BRS Secretariat

Civil Society Demonstration

Members of the Global Asbestos Action Alliance demonstrate against the use of asbestos

Phillip Hazelton, Rajendra Pevekar, and Siti Kristina share their experiences with asbestos

Members of Global Asbestos Action Alliance present Franz Perrez, Rotterdam Convention COP 8 President, with a petition of 7000 signatories from more than 100 countries, calling for action on listing chrysotile asbestos and support for amendments to the Convention proposed by 12 African countries to break the veto of any single country to block listing

Around the Venue

Members of IPEN hold a demonstration urging delegates to take concrete action during the negotiations

Delegates from Saudi Arabia

Delegates from Singapore

Delegates from Saint Lucia and Saint Kitts and Nevis

Delegates from Burundi

Delegates between sessions

Media teams film the negotiations

Jane Stratford, UK, speaks with delegates