Waste Management and Pollution Control
The joint Conference of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, known as the BRS Triple-COPs, concluded on May 5, 2017 after two weeks of back-to-back discussions in Geneva, Switzerland.
A feature of the final day was the conclusion of the high level segment, which saw Ministers and Ambassadors report back to the plenary on the outcomes of their roundtable discussions.
Topics addressed during the session included the need for improved education and awareness-raising on the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions and the need for gender to be more holistically considered in the implementation of activities and the conventions.
Pacific island representatives attending the high level segment included Tonga's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Environment, Hon. Siaosi 'O. Sovaleni and Republic of the Marshall Island's Ambassador to the UN Mission in New York, Ms Amatlain Kabua.
Throughout the Triple-COPs, Pacific island delegations took on an active role during discussions – with formal statements delivered on the topics of preventing and combating the illegal trafficking of wastes, micro and nano-plastics, and the importance of integrating the special needs of small island developing states in the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.
There were a number of very positive outcomes from the gathering, such as the establishment of a partnership on household waste. However, these achievements were largely overshadowed by the failure of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention to reach consensus on the listing of known hazardous substances including chrysotile asbestos and paraquat, and the failure of reaching consensus on the Convention's compliance mechanism.
For more information, please contact Amber Carvan on [email protected]
A feature of the final day was the conclusion of the high level segment, which saw Ministers and Ambassadors report back to the plenary on the outcomes of their roundtable discussions.
Pictured above: Mr Kosi Latu, Ms Amatlain Kabua and Hon. Siaosi 'O. Sovaleni at the high level segment of the BRS Triple-COPs in Geneva. Photo: A.Carvan/SPREP
Topics addressed during the session included the need for improved education and awareness-raising on the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions and the need for gender to be more holistically considered in the implementation of activities and the conventions.
Pacific island representatives attending the high level segment included Tonga's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Environment, Hon. Siaosi 'O. Sovaleni and Republic of the Marshall Island's Ambassador to the UN Mission in New York, Ms Amatlain Kabua.
Throughout the Triple-COPs, Pacific island delegations took on an active role during discussions – with formal statements delivered on the topics of preventing and combating the illegal trafficking of wastes, micro and nano-plastics, and the importance of integrating the special needs of small island developing states in the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.
Pictured above: Pacific island delegates at the BRS Triple-COPs in Geneva. Photo: A.Carvan/SPREP
There were a number of very positive outcomes from the gathering, such as the establishment of a partnership on household waste. However, these achievements were largely overshadowed by the failure of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention to reach consensus on the listing of known hazardous substances including chrysotile asbestos and paraquat, and the failure of reaching consensus on the Convention's compliance mechanism.
For more information, please contact Amber Carvan on [email protected]