Summary
Highlights for Wednesday, 2 October 2019
Delegates convened for the second day of the Third 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 (IP3) on Wednesday, 2 October 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand.In the morning, the Thematic Group on Targets, Milestones, and Indicators commenced its discussions of potential targets under five strategic objectives proposed by the third meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG3) in April 2019 to be recommended to the fifth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5) scheduled for Bonn in October 2020. Delegates held an initial exchange of views on proposed targets, relating to availability and accessibility of knowledge, data, and information for sound management of chemicals and waste. The Thematic Group on Financial Considerations debated how to provide stable and adequate funding for the SAICM Secretariat based on a paper proposed by Norway and Switzerland, as well as mainstreaming the sound management of chemicals and waste into national development plans, budgets, and policies. It also discussed the role of development banks, provisions involving the private sector's contribution, and whether to call for guidance on financial sector investments in companies that have chemical management schemes in place.In the afternoon, the Thematic Group on Mechanisms to Support Implementation discussed proposed text on options for taking stock of progress and updating the post-2020 framework. It also reviewed revised text on the definition of issues of concern and criteria for identifying such issues. The Thematic Group on Enhanced Governance and Institutional Arrangements held an initial discussion of a paper submitted the German Environment Agency, offering views on a post-2020 enabling framework and whether such a framework is needed. They also considered proposals regarding the ICCM and its functions and heard a brief presentation by the group’s Co-Chairs on their compromise proposal for enhanced multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder engagement.During the lunch hour the International Labour Organization (ILO) hosted a labor sector meeting to discuss greater sector involvement in a post-2020 platform and ILO proposals on indicators across the post-2020 targets.Despite going two hours over time, limited progress was made in going through text and proposals, with exhausted delegates expressing frustration that bracketed text indicating disagreement was proliferating rather than shrinking. As one exasperated delegate was heard asking repeatedly, "Are we here to eliminate brackets or to get stuck?"
IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) meeting coverage, provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from IP3. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu
For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page
Thematic Discussion on Financial Considerations
Thematic Discussion on Targets, Milestones and Indicators
Thematic Discussion on Mechanisms to Support Implementation
Thematic Discussion on Governance and Institutional Arrangements
Around the Venue
