Summary & Analysis ｜

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The consumption of chemicals by all industries and modern society’s reliance on chemicals for virtually all manufacturing processes make chemicals production one of the major and most globalized sectors of the world economy. However, the essential economic role of chemicals and their contribution to improved living standards needs to be balanced with recognition of potential costs: heavy use of water and energy and the potential adverse impacts of chemicals on the environment and human health. The diversity and potential severity of such impacts makes sound chemicals management a key cross-cutting issue for sustainable development.

To address this challenge, in 2006 the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), a multi-stakeholder policy framework to promote sound chemicals management around the world. SAICM is the core international forum for achieving a key goal set in 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development — that, by 2020, chemicals will be used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment.

With 2020 quickly approaching, the fourth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM4) held in September 2015 initiated an intersessional process to prepare recommendations on SAICM and the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020, for consideration by ICCM5 in October 2020.

The first two intersessional process meetings were held in Brasilia, Brazil in February 2017 and Stockholm, Sweden in March 2018 (please consult our summary and analysis of the Brasilia meeting and summary and analysis of the Stockholm meeting). The third meeting of the SAICM Open-ended Working Group (OEWG3), established a contact group that produced a composite text on the outlines of a possible post-2020 platform that will be a starting point for negotiations at this third intersessional process meeting in Bangkok (please consult our summary and analysis of OEWG3).

The third intersessional meeting’s work in this vein will also consider:

• presentations by the intersessional process Co-Chairs on further work requested by OEWG3 regarding other mechanisms to support implementation, additional measures to achieve multi-sectoral engagement, issues of concern, and a review of “principles and approaches” based on input from stakeholders.
• reflections of the Co-Chairs of the contact group formed at OEWG3;
• a draft Secretariat report on successful mechanisms for cost recovery and implementation of the polluter pays principle for financing the sound management of chemicals and waste;
• an assessment by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) of linkages with other clusters related to chemicals and waste; and
• a report by the UK on a technical expert workshop it hosted regarding indicators.

The third intersessional process meeting is expected to develop recommendations to be considered at ICCM5 on:

• targets, milestones and indicators;
• institutional arrangements;
• mechanisms to support implementation; and
• financial considerations.