1st Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering the
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)
and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020

The First Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020 entered its final day of discussions today in Brasilia, Brazil.

The morning session discussed the last sub-item under the discussion of “Beyond 2020,” namely linkages to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs. Delegates examined also how the concepts of “sustainable chemistry” and “green chemistry” might fit into post-2020 work on chemicals and waste.

During the lunch break the World Health Organization (WHO) hosted a Health Sector meeting looking at ways to use and implement the WHO roadmap for the health sector at the national, regional and international levels towards achieving the 2020 goal for chemicals and waste management and contributing to relevant targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In the afternoon session the Co-Chairs presented their summary and outlined the process and timeline for stakeholders to provide feedback and add new substantive issues not included in the Co-Chairs’ summary in the run-up to the second intersessional meeting planned for March 2018. Delegates discussed what documents they would like to have to inform the second intersessional meeting. Delegates also discussed the proposed timeline for the rest of the intersessional process through to the Fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5) scheduled for 2020.

The meeting was closed at 6:33 pm.

The First Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020 entered its second day of discussions today in Brasilia, Brazil.

The morning session opened with summaries of key points by the moderators of the two informal dialogues held the previous day on the themes “Looking ahead – SAICM and sound management of chemicals and waste in the light of future developments” and “Challenges and opportunities for sustainable chemistry to contribute to sustainable development.”

The plenary throughout the rest of the day focused on in-depth discussions of agenda item 5, “Beyond 2020,” in terms of: vision and scope; the voluntary, multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral approach currently used by SAICM; responding to new and emerging issues; and financing implementation of the sound management of chemicals and waste.

Before and after the plenary, focus groups were held to provide input from regional groups to the consultant preparing the independent evaluation of SAICM.

During the lunch hour two more informal dialogues were held on the themes “Engaging partners to deliver the vision beyond 2020” and “Responding to a changing world: Addressing urgent and emerging issues.”

The First Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020 opened on Tuesday, 7 February 2017, in Brasilia, Brazil. Opening remarks were provided by Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat, Naoko Ishii (by video), CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil, and Gertrud Sahler (Germany), President, Fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5).

The meeting then elected Leticia Reis Carvalho, Environment Ministry, Brazil, and David Morin, Health Canada, as co-chairs of the intersessional process. It also approved the provisional agenda after agreeing to amend it to provide for a separate discussion on means of implementation (MOI).

Felix Dodds, Tellus Institute, provided a keynote speech on “Setting the Scene for Beyond 2020” discussing the 2030 Development Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the opportunities for linkages with the post-2020 process for chemicals and waste.

Robert Nurick, consultant, discussed the interim independent evaluation report of the Strategic Approach for 2006-2015 and the process for producing the final report to be presented in 2018. The Secretariat also presented its update on SAICM progress for 2014-2016.

During lunch, parallel informal dialogues were held on “Looking ahead – SAICM and sound management of chemicals and waste in the light of future developments” and “Challenges and opportunities for sustainable chemistry to contribute to sustainable development.”

After lunch a high level segment was held, with keynotes provided by: Sarney Filho, Environment Minister, Brazil; Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment; Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary, German Federal Ministry for the Environment; and Amb. Carvalho. This was followed by a panel discussion including these speakers as well as Fernando Musa, CEO, Braskem, Marco Mensink, Director General, CEFIC, Jeffer Castelo Branco, Coordinator, Association for Combatting Persistent Organic Pollutants, and Erika Yamada, Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

In the late afternoon plenary reconvened to begin discussion on “Beyond 2020,” focusing initially on reactions to the scope and vision outlined in the “Thought starter” prepared by the Bureau of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM).

In the evening, delegates attended a reception hosted by the Government of Brazil.