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The key focus of the delegates was to discuss and agree on a Chair’s Summary to inform the fifth meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) on how best to tackle marine litter and microplastics.

Billed as a “working COP,” delegates came prepared to engage with technical issues to further the implementation of the Convention. Delegates were able to agree on permanent arrangements for a stand-alone Secretariat, based in Geneva. 

This meeting provided the opportunity for Member States and other stakeholders to state their views on what the future science-policy panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution should look like. Many agreed it should be lean, flexible, and policy-relevant, not policy prescriptive.

While most delegations seem to agree that there are negative effects surrounding plastic pollution, it was clear they have yet to find common ground on the details and contents of key substantive themes that will determine the scope and guide the implementation of the future international treaty.

In their discussions toward the establishment of a science-policy panel to contribute to the sound management of chemicals and waste and the prevention of pollution, delegates focused on the scope and functions of the panel. Capacity building attracted particular attention, and was supported as an additional function of the panel.

With three potential persistent organic pollutants (POPs) under review and substantial technical work related to implementation of its past recommendations, the Committee successfully completed its full pre-COVID-19 pandemic agenda to avoid delaying action on issues that pose risks to human health and/or the environment.

Parties and stakeholders to the three global hazardous chemicals and wastes conventions convened online to deal with urgent operational and substantive work including election of officers, the programmes of work and budgets for all three conventions, and a decision regarding the Stockholm Convention’s financial mechanism.

Parties adopted two essential decisions: the 2022 programme of work and budget, and setting 21-25 March 2022 as the dates for COP-4.2 in person in Bali, Indonesia.

Member States adopted 14 resolutions, including to negotiate an international treaty to address plastic pollution and establish a science-policy panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution, while celebrating the 50th birthday of the United Nations Environment Programme.