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The meetings of the Conferences of the Parties (COPs) of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions concluded on Friday. In the morning, the high-level segment continued. Tim Kasten, UN Environment, reported from ministers roundtable discussions on the theme “A Future Detoxified: the Sound Management of Chemicals and Wastes.” Ministers, Vice-Ministers and Ambassadors then engaged in an interactive discussion. In the afternoon, the COPs adopted their outstanding decisions. Basel Convention COP13 President Mohammed Khashashneh noted that May 5, 2017 is the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the Basel Convention. Closing the meeting, BRS Executive Secretary Rolph Payet and Rotterdam Convention Executive Secretary – Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN (FAO) Bill Murray thanked delegates for their diligence and efforts to realize cooperation. The Basel Convention COP 13 gaveled to a close at 6:35 pm. The Rotterdam Convention COP 8 gaveled to a close at 6:39 pm. The Stockholm Convention COP 8 gaveled to a close at 6:40 pm. 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 For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. High-Level Segment Delegates gather in plenary for the High-Level Segment Tim Kasten, Deputy Director, Economy Division, UN Environment Moderator Juliette Foster, Broadcaster and Journalist Marc Chardonnens, Director, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland Ministerial Panel during the High-Level Segment Oppah Chamu Muchinguri, Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Zimbabwe Khaled Fahmy, Minister of Environment, Egypt Carole Dieschbourg, Minister for the Environment, Luxembourg Rosalie Matondo, Minister of Forest Economy, Sustainable Development and Environment, Republic of the Congo Singappuli Premajayantha, Minister of Environment and Renewable Energy, Sri Lanka Noel Holder, Minister of Agriculture, Guyana Sydney Samuels, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Guatemala Arlette Sombo-Dibele, Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development, Water, Forests, Hunting and Fishing, Central African Republic Etienne Didier Dogley, Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Seychelles Sundus Omar Ali, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iraq Marcos Alegre, Vice Minister of Environmental Management, Peru Kare Chawicha Debessa, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Ethiopia Walter Garcia, Minister of Environment, Ecuador Nestor Batio Bassiere, Minister of Environment, Green Economy and Climate Change, Burkina Faso Adalah Atteereh, Chairman, Environment Quality Authority, Palestine Mehmet Ceylan, Deputy Minister of Environment and Urbanization, Turkey Santiago Francisco Engonga Esono, Secretary of State, Ministry of Forests and the Environment, Equatorial Guinea Per Änquist, Ministry of the Environment and Energy, Sweden Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary, BRS Conventions Closing Plenary COP Presidents and BRS Secretariat consult before the start of the closing plenary Sam Adu-Kumi, Stockholm Convention COP 8 President Franz Perrez, Rotterdam Convention COP 8 President Mohammed Khashashneh, Basel Convention COP 13 President Delegates applaud the election of the new bureau Final negotiations take place among the Co-Chairs of the Contact Group on Technical Assistance and Financial Resources, the EU, Egypt, and India Fredrick Mupoti Sikabongo, Namibia Anne Daniel, Canada Mohsen Naziriasl, Iran Iftikhar-ul-Hassan Gilani, Pakistan Lemnyuy Albun William Banye, Cameroon Francisco Fabian Saez, Argentina, speaking on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC) Felix Wertli, Switzerland Serge Molly Allo'o Allo'o, Gabon, speaking on behalf of the African Group Pamela Miller, International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) James Mulolo, Basel Convention Regional Centre (BCRC)-South Africa Sarojeni Rengam, Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Asia and the Pacific Bill Murray, Executive Secretary, Rotterdam Convention - Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN (FAO) Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary, BRS Conventions BRS COPs family photo Around the Venue Delegates from Cambodia Delegates from the Marshall Islands Delegates from Saudi Arabia with Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Delegates from Switzerland and Liechtenstein Delegates from Australia Delegates from Argentina Nestor Batio Bassiere, Minister of Environment, Green Economy and Climate Change, Burkina Faso, speaks with delegates Osvaldo Patricio Álvarez Pérez, Chile, incoming Rotterdam Convention COP 9 President, with Bill Murray, Executive Secretary, Rotterdam Convention - FAO Mahamat Djimadingar, Chad Mohammed Khashashneh, Basel Convention COP 13 President, conducts an interview Shankar Prasad, Nepal Delegates between sessions The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) team covering the meeting (L-R): Annelies van Gaalen, South Africa; Tallash Kantai, Kenya; Jessica Templeton, US/UK; Yixian Sun, China; Jen Allan, Canada; Jonelle Jones, Trinidad and Tobago; and Kiara Worth, South Africa

The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conferences of the Parties (COPs) continued Thursday, meeting jointly in the morning to hear reports from contact groups and to adopt a decision “From science to action.” The Basel Convention COP met to adopt decisions in the morning, followed by the Rotterdam Convention COP’s discussion of compliance, which continued in the late afternoon. The budget contact group met throughout the day. Contact groups on technical assistance and financial resources, and Stockholm Convention compliance also met. The High-Level Segment convened in the afternoon, starting with a ceremony to recognize the seven countries that recently ratified the Ban Amendment. In speeches that followed, several highlighted the need for cooperation to realize a detoxified future. Side events during lunchtime were held on the ‘Internet plus’ sustaining Convention implementation; opportunities for collecting and sharing information on Severely Hazardous Pesticides Formulations; asbestos-related diseases in Asia and the need to improve the effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention; and chrysotile asbestos and labor unions’ role in the sound management of chemicals. 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 For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Morning Plenary View of plenary from the dais Niko Urho, Finland, Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Technical Assistance and Financial Resources Silvija Kalniņš, Latvia, Co-Chair of the open-ended Contact Group to develop a way forward on enhancing effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, Viet Nam, Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Synergies and Joint Issues Dong Yao, China Momodou Jama Suwareh, the Gambia Juan Ignacio Simonelli, Argentina, Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Basel Convention Compliance Negotiations among China, Canada, the EU and Argentina Franz Perrez, Rotterdam Convention COP 8 President, speaks with delegates from Iran Negotiations among the Russian Federation, Pakistan and India Iftikhar-ul-Hassan Gilani, Pakistan Mohsen Naziriasl, Iran Sara Broomhall, Australia Esmaylin Thomas Daniel Gomez Escobedo, Guatemala Anil Kumar Rai, India Jorge Álvarez Álvarez, Cuba Khidir Gibril Musa, Sudan lfredo José Perez Gonzalez, Venezuela Fredrick Mupoti Sikabongo, Namibia Lemnyuy Albun William Banye, Cameroon Contact Groups Budget Group Contact Group on Stockholm Convention Compliance High-Level Segment The High-Level Segment is opened with Swiss music Panel during the High-Level Segment (L-R): Bill Murray, Executive Secretary, Rotterdam Convention - Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN (FAO); Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary, BRS Conventions; Kate Gilmore, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights; Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment; Marc Chardonnens, Director, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland; Naoko Ishii, CEO, Global Environment Facility (GEF); Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, Climate and Natural Resources, FAO; Mohammed Khashashneh, Basel Convention COP 13 President; Franz Perrez, Rotterdam Convention COP 8 President; and Sam Adu-Kumi, Stockholm Convention COP 8 President Tuti Mintarsih, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Indonesia Marc Chardonnens, Director, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland Sam Adu-Kumi, Stockholm Convention COP 8 President Naoko Ishii, CEO, GEF Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, Climate and Natural Resources, FAO Kate Gilmore, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Delegates from Ecuador with Minister of Environment Walter Garcia (second from left) Jesús Castillo, Vice Minister, Ministry of Popular Power for Eco-Socialism and Water, Venezuela Siaosi Sovaleni, Deputy Prime Minister, Tonga Anne Désirée Ouloto, Minister of Urban Safety and Sanitation, Côte d'Ivoire Delegates from South Africa with Barbara Thomson, Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, South Africa (second from front right) Afternoon Plenary COP Presidents and BRS Secretariat consult at the beginning of the afternoon plenary Marc D'Iorio, Canada Angela Patricia Rivera Galvis, Colombia Reginald Hernaus, EU Osvaldo Patricio Álvarez Pérez, Chile Felix Wertli, Switzerland Franz Perrez, Rotterdam Convention COP 8 President Around the Venue Security around the venue as the High-Level Segment begins Delegates from the Republic of Korea Delegates from Paraguay Delegates from France Delegates from Cameroon Mohamed Gona Abdallah, Djibouti Delegates from Iraq Delegates from Cyprus David Downie, UN Office in Nairobi (UNON) Report Writer and David Ogden, BRS Secretariat Elizabeth Mrema, UN Environment

On Wednesday 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 convened in the morning and afternoon to consider issues related to rules of procedure for the COP, implementation, and listing of chemicals in Annex III to the Convention. The BRS COPs reconvened jointly in the mid-afternoon to consider issues related to international cooperation and coordination. Contact groups convened throughout the day, including on budget, technical assistance and financial resources, Stockholm Convention (SC) Compliance, and Rotterdam Convention (RC) effectiveness. A Friends of the President group on RC compliance also met in the morning. Side events were held on: addressing highly hazardous pesticides in the Southern African Developing Countries (SADC); lessons and best practices integrating gender into implementation; the contribution of the BRS conventions to the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; and UN Development Program’s (UNDP) experiences on mainstreaming gender into the sound management of chemicals. 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 For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Morning Plenary View of the dais during morning plenary Mohamed Abdellahi, Mauritania Lupe Matoto, Tonga Ardagul Alimkhanova, Kazakhstan J.A. Sumith, Sri Lanka Björn Hansen, EU Carmen Ciganda, Uruguay Charles Chishiri, Zimbabwe Bishwanath Sinha, India Roger Mpan, Republic of the Congo Marhaini Binti Mat, Malaysia Zhamalkan Kadoeva, Kyrgyzstan Sychik Sergey Ivanovich, Belarus Nazem Thalaj, Syria Andrey Kholzakov, International Alliance of Trade Union Organizations "Chrysotile" Carolyn Vickers, World Health Organization (WHO) Wiranta Ginting and Siti Kristina, Rotterdam Convention Alliance (ROCA) Contact Groups Throughout the Day Contact Group on Synergies and Joint Issues Delegates huddle during the Budget Group Contact Group on Technical and Financial Resources Contact Group on Stockholm Convention Compliance Afternoon Plenary View of the dais during afternoon plenary Jean De Dieu N'zatsi Koumba, Gabon Glenn Wigley, New Zealand Tom Okia Okurut, Uganda Atala Milord, Panama Jeff Goodman, Canada Carmen van Dÿk, Suriname Samwel Manyele, Tanzania Gorge Araya Gonzalez, Costa Rica Caleb Christopher, Marshall Islands Meriel Watts, Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Asia-Pacific Vavia Tangatataia, Cook Islands Michael Ramsay, Jamaica Side Events Throughout the Day Side event titled 'Lessons and best practices integrating gender into implementation: Case studies from Nigeria and Indonesia and new data from the Environment and Gender Information platform' hosted by Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF) and BaliFokus Foundation Indonesia Side event titled 'Addressing highly hazardous pesticides in SADC: country cases and regional collaboration' hosted by Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN (FAO), co-organized with the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat Around the Venue Delegates between sessions Delegates from Honduras Delegates from Trinidad and Tobago Delegates speak informally Delegates of all ages write messages to "detoxify" the world

Plenary convened in a joint session of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Convention COPs on Monday morning to hear reports from contact groups. In the morning, Basel Convention (BC) COP 13 convened to consider issues related to the BC Partnership Programme. The Stockholm Convention (SC) COP 8 convened in the late morning to take several decisions, including on the listing of HCBD, decaBDE and SCCPs. In the afternoon, BC COP 13 convened briefly to adopt two decisions, including on the Cartagena Declaration. This was followed by a short session of the SC COP 8, during which delegates adopted a decision on PCBs. Contact groups met throughout the day to address: budget, BC compliance, BC technical matters, BC strategic matters, and Rotterdam Convention effectiveness. In addition, informal groups met on financial resources and on PCBs. Side events were held during the lunch break and in the evening to address a range of topics, including: improving national reporting under the BC; the roadmap for activities under the Environmental Network for Optimizing Regulatory Compliance on Illegal Traffic (ENFORCE); a synergetic approach to the BRS and Minamata Conventions; development of tools to counter illegal management and trade of waste; using the Bamako and Basel Conventions to stop the export to Africa of toxic substances and waste; and the e-trash transparency project. 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 For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Morning Plenary COP Presidents and the BRS Secretariat speak before the start of plenary Yorg Aerts, Belgium, Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Basel Convention Strategic Matters Juan Ignacio Simonelli, Argentina, Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Basel Convention Compliance Magda Gosk, Poland, Co-Chair of Contact Group on Basel Convention Technical Matters Marco Buletti, Switzerland, Co-Chair of the Partnership for Action on Computing Equipment (PACE) Jane Stratford, UK, Co-Chair of the Contact Group on Synergies and Joint Issues David Ogden, BRS Secretariat Henry Williams, Liberia Leila Devia, Argentina, Chair of ENFORCE Yingxian Xia, China Anil Kumar Rai, India Motsamai Stanley Damane, Lesotho Amina Beibitova, Kazakhstan Satryo Bramono Brotodiningrat, Indonesia Joe DiGangi, International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) Gabriela Nair Medina Amarante, Uruguay, Co-Chair of the Informal Group on Household Waste Peter Ayuk Enoh, Cameroon Contact Groups Throughout the Day Contact Group on Basel Convention Technical Matters Contact Group on Basel Convention Compliance Contact Group on Basel Convention Strategic Matters Afternoon Plenary View of the dais during afternoon plenary Sam Adu-Kumi, Stockholm Convention COP 8 President Kei Ohno, BRS Secretariat Mohammed Khashashneh, Basel Convention COP 13 President Informal consultation takes place with the EU and Iran to finalise the negotiating text Decisions specific to the Stockholm Convention are adopted Side Events Throughout the Day Panel speakers for the side event titled 'Synergetic approach to BRS and Minamata Conventions' hosted by the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Switzerland, BRS and Minamata Secretariats Side event titled 'Roadmap for activities under the ENFORCE' hosted by members of ENFORCE and the Green Customs Initiative Around the Venue Delegates from Indonesia Delegates from Norway Delegates from Sao Tome and Principe Delegates from Morocco Delegates from Mongolia Delegates from Turkey Mark Trewhitt, CropLife International Layla Hughes, Center for International Environmental Law Delegates between sessions Delegates exchange contact details James Mulolo, Basel Convention Regional Centre (BCRC)-South Africa, shares a message of what needs to be 'detoxed' in the world Swiss chocolates on display