Summary
On Saturday morning, the Conferences of the Parties (COP) to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions convened in plenary to hear reports from the contact groups. Basel Convention (BC) COP13 convened for the rest of the day.
In the morning, delegates addressed issues including work done to improve legal clarity of the Convention, efforts to combat illegal traffic, and operation of the Open-Ended Working Group. In the afternoon, delegates considered work related to classification and hazard characterization of wastes, national reporting, environmentally sound dismantling of ships, and cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Contact groups met throughout the day, including on synergies and joint issues, technical assistance and financial resources, budget, BC strategic matters and BC technical matters.
Side events on mercury waste management and the PACE outcomes were held during the lunch break. In the evening, delegates attended a reception hosted by the Swiss Federal Council, the State Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, and The Executive Council of the City of Geneva.
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 morning plenary
Prakash Kowlesser, Mauritius, Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Basel Convention Strategic Matters
Jane Stratford, UK, Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Synergies and Joint Issues
Juan Ignacio Simonelli, Argentina, Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Basel Convention Compliance
Osvaldo Patricio Álvarez Pérez, Chile, Chair of the Budget Group
Mohammed Khashashneh, Basel Convention COP 13 President
Andrew McNee, Australia, Co-Chair of the open-ended Contact Group to develop a way forward on enhancing effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention
Angela Patricia Rivera Galvis, Colombia
Sisuku Balla, Mali
Philip Weech, the Bahamas
Fredrick Mupoti Sikabongo, Namibia
Paul-Babidou Zarabingui, Central African Republic
Yaser Khalil Abu Shanab, Palestine
Fuatino Matatumua-Leota, Samoa
Sigurbjörg Sæmundsdóttir, Iceland
Contact Groups Throughout the Day
Contact Group on Basel Convention Strategic Matters
Contact Group on Synergies and Joint Issues
Contact Group on Basel Convention Compliance
Contact Group on Technical Assistance and Financial Resources
Afternoon Plenary
View of the dais during the afternoon plenary
Keima Gardiner, Trinidad and Tobago
Joachim Wuttke, Germany, Small Intersessional Working Group (SIWG) on National Reporting
Julie Croteau, Canada
Subol Bose Moni, Bangladesh
Vilma Morales Quillama, Peru
Jim Puckett, Basel Action Network (BAN)
Zaigham Abbas, Pakistan
Mehdi Chalabi, Morocco
A delegate raises his placard to speak
Side Events Throughout the Day
Side event titled 'Partnership for Action on Computing Equipment (PACE) outcomes' hosted by members of PACE
Side event titled 'Mercury waste management – how can we apply environmentally sound technologies for current mercury waste management practices?' hosted by the International Environmental Technology Center (IETC)
Around the Venue
Delegates from China
Delegates from India
Delegates from Serbia
Delegates speak informally
A delegate reads the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) website
Coffee available around the venue
