Third Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the International Conference on Chemicals Management Has Finished with Significant Progress

Third Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the International Conference on Chemicals Management Has Finished with Significant Progress

The Third Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG3) of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) convened in Montevideo, Uruguay, from 2-4 April 2019. Approximately 350 delegates attended, including representatives of governments, industry, non-governmental organizations, and intergovernmental organizations. Executive Director of Environment and Social Development Organization-ESDO, Ms. Siddika Sultana has also participated in the conference.

During the meeting, OEWG3 participants:

  • assessed progress by the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) toward the global goal of achieving by 2020 the use and production of chemicals in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment;
  • discussed the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020, when the current mandate of the Strategic Approach is due to expire;
  • prepared for ICCM5, scheduled for 5-9 October 2020 in Bonn, Germany; and
  • considered the planned activities and draft budget of the SAICM Secretariat for the period 2019-2020.

The assessment of progress included updates on activities regarding “emerging policy issues” and other issues of concern, including:

  • chemicals in products;
  • lead in paint;
  • nanotechnology and manufactured nanomaterials;
  • hazardous substances within the lifecycle of electrical and electronic products;
  • endocrine-disrupting chemicals;
  • environmentally persistent pharmaceutical pollutants;
  • highly hazardous pesticides; and
  • perfluorinated chemicals.

The progress assessment also looked at the implementation of the SAICM health sector strategy.

The OEWG3 discussions of a possible post-2020 framework was based on a discussion paper produced by the Co-Chairs of the intersessional process since ICCM4, in addition to discussion papers submitted during the session, one by the European Union and the other by the Latin American and Caribbean Group, African Group and several individual Asia-Pacific countries, regarding financial considerations in a post-2020 framework.

OEWG3 produced a composite text that will be the subject of negotiations at the third meeting of the intersessional process, slated for 30 September – 3 October 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand.

For More Info: http://enb.iisd.org/vol15/enb15258e.html

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