In the spotlight

Retirement Announcement

Retirement Announcement

Dear friends and colleagues,

As presaged during the 2013 Conferences of the Parties, I will be retiring from UNEP effective the end of March, 2014. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all of you for the support you have given to me and the secretariat these past three years.

The UNEP Executive Director has issued a vacancy announcement  to recruit a new Executive Secretary.

Best regards,

Jim Willis

Retirement Announcement

Retirement Announcement

Dear friends and colleagues,

As presaged during the 2013 Conferences of the Parties, I will be retiring from UNEP effective the end of March, 2014. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all of you for the support you have given to me and the secretariat these past three years.

The UNEP Executive Director has issued a vacancy announcement  to recruit a new Executive Secretary.

Best regards,

Jim Willis

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Announcements

Calendar of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

Calendar of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

 

Secretariat acts to promote Sustainability and Green Practices

The Secretariat has decreased its carbon footprint by 50% from 2010 to 2012, and takes active steps towards becoming climate neutral.

Secretariat acts to promote Sustainability and Green Practices

Secretariat acts to promote Sustainability and Green Practices
The Secretariat has decreased its carbon footprint by 50% from 2010 to 2012, and takes active steps towards becoming climate neutral.
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Highlights

New Parties to the Convention

Transmission of National Implementation Plans

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POPs In the news

Training extends conventions’ corps of highly qualified chairpersons

Training extends conventions’ corps of highly qualified chairpersons

A pilot training on chairing meetings of the Basel, Rotterdam & Stockholm conventions will be offered in Glion, Switzerland, from 3 to 5 March 2014.
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Training extends conventions’ corps of highly qualified chairpersons

Training extends conventions’ corps of highly qualified chairpersons

Place and Date: Glion, Switzerland, from 3 to 5 March 2014

Background: In order to strengthen the implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, and build synergies, there is a need to expand the number and diversity of trained, confident and willing chairs for the various meetings of the conventions.  These may include ordinary and extraordinary meetings of the conferences of the Parties, subsidiary bodies and contact and drafting groups as well as other meetings.

While the three conventions have enjoyed good fortune in the past in finding qualified chairs for their meetings, there are challenges in finding willing and experienced chairs from all regions and in maintaining gender and regional diversity among the chairs.

Resource mobilization for the 2014-15 biennium takes off with concept notes for voluntary financial contributions

Resource mobilization for the 2014-15 biennium takes off with concept notes for voluntary financial contributions

A list of concept notes for voluntary financial contributions for the biennium 2014/15 is now available.  
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Resource mobilization for the 2014-15 biennium takes off with concept notes for voluntary financial contributions

Resource mobilization for the 2014-15 biennium takes off with concept notes for voluntary financial contributions

A list of concept notes for voluntary financial contributions for the biennium 2014/15 is now available.

 

Final report of POPRC-9 meeting released

Final report of POPRC-9 meeting released

The final report of the ninth meeting of the POPs Review Committee has been published in the six official UN languages.
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Final report of POPRC-9 meeting released

Final report of POPRC-9 meeting released
 

Clock starts ticking towards entry into force of HBCD amendment

The amendment for the listing of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) to Annex A of the Stockholm Convention will enter into force on 26 November 2014 for most Parties.  
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Clock starts ticking towards entry into force of HBCD amendment

The official notification of HBCD has been communicated, by the Depositary/Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs in New York, to all Parties on 26 November 2013.

The notification is now available in English and in French

The HBCD amendment will enter into force for Parties on 26 November 2014, except for those Parties which might opt out, or for those Parties which had submitted the declaration for opting-in to any amendments, at the time they submitted their instruments of ratification of the Convention.

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Activities

Syndicate
COMING UP! National Reports due through the New Electronic System of the Stockholm Convention

COMING UP! National Reports due through the New Electronic System of the Stockholm Convention

The objective of this webinar is to assist Parties to the Stockholm Convention in the submission of their national reports using the improved electronic reporting system.

COMING UP! National Reports due through the New Electronic System of the Stockholm Convention

COMING UP! National Reports due through the New Electronic System of the Stockholm Convention

Schedule and registration

Date and Time
(Geneva time: UTC/GMT+1 hour) 		Please register a few days in advance of the webinar.
To register, please use the following link:
Tuesday 25 March at 10 am
 Register
Thursday 27 March at 4 pm
 Register

Objectives

The objective of this webinar is to assist Parties to the Stockholm Convention in the submission of their national reports using the improved electronic reporting system.

Content

  1. Introduction - 5 min.
  2. Presentation by the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions:
    • The new online electronic reporting system of the Stockholm Convention - 20 min.
  3. Discussion - 35 min

Background

Come and learn how to submit national reports for the Stockholm Convention online. The Secretariat updated the electronic reporting system of the Stockholm Convention to include the newly listed POPs and improved the electronic reporting system in order to facilitate a more proper and convenient online reporting. The Secretariat will provide support to each Party through a series of webinars that will present the new features of the electronic reporting system. During the webinars, an expert will demonstrate how the tool functions and will answer the questions of the participants.
Each Party to the Stockholm Convention is required to send its national report pursuant to Article 15 of the Convention, which, in accordance with decision SC-5/16 is to be submitted to the Secretariat by 31 August 2014 for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its seventh meeting. In addition, the national reports will be considered as one element in undertaking an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Convention pursuant to Article 16 as well as the evaluation of progress towards the elimination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB).
The new electronic reporting system will be launched by the Secretariat in mid-March 2014 and this series of webinars will present it to the Parties for the first time.

Target group

Stockholm Convention points of contact and national focal points, Stockholm Convention regional centres, and interested stakeholders.
Developing National Implementation Plans under the Stockholm Convention

Developing National Implementation Plans under the Stockholm Convention

The objectives of this webinar is to provide an overview of parties’ obligations when a new POP is listed, share and exchange information on the available guidance to develop and update NIPs and provide information on training and capacity building activities.

Developing National Implementation Plans under the Stockholm Convention

Developing National Implementation Plans under the Stockholm Convention

Schedule and registration

Date and Time
(Geneva time: UTC/GMT+1 hour) 		Please register a few days in advance of the webinar.
To register, please use the following link:
Tuesday, 4 March at 11 am, (English)
 Recording
Tuesday, 4 March at 4 pm, (Spanish)
 Recording
Thursday, 13 March at 4 pm, (English)
 Register

Background

At its fourth, fifth and sixth meeting, the Conference of the Parties agreed to amend the Stockholm Convention to list 11 new POPs in Annex A, B and C of the Convention.  Following the adoption of amendments, Parties have the obligation to update their NIP and to transmit it to the COP within two years of the date on which the amendments entered into force for them. When updating their NIPs, Parties are also encouraged to take into the chemicals that POPRC is evaluating and in particular those for which the COP will need to take a decision.

The main difficulty indicated by Parties is how to obtain information on the new POPs especially concerning groups of widely used industrial chemicals such as brominated flame retardants and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its related chemicals, due to the complexity of the use and the many sectors of society involved in the use of these chemicals.

Several documents were developed to provide guidance to countries and assist them in the process of developing and implementing a NIP for the initial 12 POPs.  The revision and update of the NIPs include among other issues, compilation of inventories concerning the new POPs, action plans development, sampling and monitoring, disposal technologies, BAT and BEP related to the whole lifecycle of these substances.

A full set of consolidated guidance has been developed and subject to comments by parties and others. The documents are available in all six official languages of the United Nations.  

Objectives

·       Provide an overview of parties’ obligations when a new POP is listed.
Share and exchange of information on the available guidance to develop and update NIPs.
Provide information on training and capacity building activities.

Contents

  1. Introduction – 5 min
  2. Presentations
    • NIPs: A roadmap to implement the Convention  – 5 min
           Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
    • NIP guidance - 15 min
           Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
  3. Questions and answers  - 35 min 

Target group

Official Contact Points, National Focal Points and national experts involved in the review and update of the NIPs at the national level, especially in the undertaking of the new POPs inventories. 

Season's Greetings and Best Wishes for the New Year 2014

Season's Greetings and Best Wishes for the New Year 2014

The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.

Season's Greetings and Best Wishes for the New Year 2014

Season's Greetings and Best Wishes for the New Year 2014

From the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes for the New Year 2013
INECC hosts 1st Workshop on Technical Assistance & Capacity Strengthening for Implementation of the Stockholm Convention

INECC hosts 1st Workshop on Technical Assistance & Capacity Strengthening for Implementation of the Stockholm Convention

The first Workshop on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building for the Implementation and Compliance of the Stockholm Convention in Mexico City was successfully held from 2 to 4 December 2013.

INECC hosts 1st Workshop on Technical Assistance & Capacity Strengthening for Implementation of the Stockholm Convention

INECC hosts 1st Workshop on Technical Assistance & Capacity Strengthening for Implementation of the Stockholm Convention

The National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC), Regional Center of the Stockholm Convention for Latin America and the Caribbean, has successfully held the first Workshop on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building for the Implementation and Compliance of the Stockholm Convention in Mexico City from 2 to 4 December 2013.

The workshop was attended by government representatives from eight countries: Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru, as well as national experts in the field.

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Upcoming meetings

Alternatives Identification and Assessment Training
Barcelona, Spain, on 13 December 2011

Alternatives Identification and Assessment Training

Barcelona, Spain, on 13 December 2011


As part of the Programme of Work of the CPRAC in its activity 5.1.13 “Promotion and diffusion of Alternative Products and Processes to reduce the use of POPs and other chemicals” the CP/RAC is organizing the “Alternatives Identification and Assessment Training” which will be held on 13th December in Barcelona.

The training is organized under the EU Life Project SUBSPORT and intends to provide authorities, industry, trade unions, NGOs and other interested parties with information and tools to facilitate the substitution of hazardous chemicals in products and processes with safer alternatives.

Draft Agenda
Invitation Letter
Registration Form
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Upcoming webinars

March 2014
Developing National Implementation Plans under the Stockholm Convention
Webinar, 13 March 2014

Developing National Implementation Plans under the Stockholm Convention

Webinar, 13 March 2014


The objectives of this webinar is to provide an overview of parties’ obligations when a new POP is listed, share and exchange information on the available guidance to develop and update NIPs and provide information on training and capacity building activities.

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COMING UP! National Reports due through the New Electronic System of the Stockholm Convention
Webinar, 25 March 2014

COMING UP! National Reports due through the New Electronic System of the Stockholm Convention

Webinar, 25 March 2014


The objective of this webinar is to assist Parties to the Stockholm Convention in the submission of their national reports using the improved electronic reporting system.

More

COMING UP! National Reports due through the New Electronic System of the Stockholm Convention
Webinar, 27 March 2014

COMING UP! National Reports due through the New Electronic System of the Stockholm Convention

Webinar, 27 March 2014


The objective of this webinar is to assist Parties to the Stockholm Convention in the submission of their national reports using the improved electronic reporting system.

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Recent meetings

November 2013
Annual joint meeting between the regional centres under the Basel & Stockholm Conventions
Geneva, Switzerland, 27 - 29 November 2013

Annual joint meeting between the regional centres under the Basel & Stockholm Conventions

Geneva, Switzerland, 27 - 29 November 2013


Venue: International Environment House 1 (IEH-1), 11-15 Chemin des Anémones, 1219 Châtelaine, Geneva, Switzerland

Highlights: The meeting will focus on the enhanced coordination and collaboration among the regional centres as they exchange experiences on the provision of technical assistance, and discussions on performance and sustainability issues of the centres and ways of coordination so as to best utilize the expertise of the different centres.

The meeting will be opened at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday 27 November and closed at 6:00 p.m. on Friday 29 November 2013.

Working language: English

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Subregional Francophone Workshop on enhancing effective participation in the work of the CRC & POPRC
Dakar, Senegal, 19 - 21 November 2013

Subregional Francophone Workshop on enhancing effective participation in the work of the CRC & POPRC

Dakar, Senegal, 19 - 21 November 2013


Venue: Hôtel des Almadies, Dakar

Highlights: This meeting is kindly co-funded by the European Commission and the Government of Germany. The workshop is jointly organized by the Basel and Stockholm Convention Regional Centre in Dakar and the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.

The workshop will be held in French.

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October 2013
Ninth meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC.9)
Rome, Italy, 14 - 18 October 2013

Ninth meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC.9)

Rome, Italy, 14 - 18 October 2013


Venue: FAO Headquarters, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy.

Highlights: The ninth meeting of the POPs Review Committee (POPRC.9) will be held from 14 to 18 October 2013, with pre-meetings on Sunday, 13 October 2013, at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. In addition, on Sunday, 20 October 2013, a joint meeting with the Rotterdam Convention’s Chemical Review Committee (CRC) will be held. This joint meeting was agreed to by the bureaux of the Committees and the conferences of the Parties to the Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, at their sixth meetings held from 28 April to 10 May 2013. The purpose of the joint meeting is for scientific information exchange between the members of the Committees.

The Committee will have before it proposals for listing decabromodiphenyl ether (commercial mixture, c-decaBDE) and dicofol in Annexes A, B and/or C to the Stockholm Convention. The Committee will also review, among other things, the draft risk management evaluation on chlorinated naphthalenes and hexachlorobutadiene and the draft risk profile on pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters. We would like to remind you that if you are planning to provide new or additional data on any chemical at the meeting, you should also provide a copy of the full reference documentation to ensure data acceptability.

The Committee’s meetings are open to observers in accordance with the rules of procedure of the Conference of the Parties and the terms of reference of the POPs Review Committee. To participate as an observer, please read the information for admission of observers and submit the completed registration form before 30 August 2013 by fax or e-mail to the Secretariat.

First joint meeting of the Chemical Review Committee and the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee, 20 October 2013

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September 2013
Meeting of the Global Coordination Group and Regional Organization Groups for the GMP for POPs
Brno, Czech Republic, 17 - 20 September 2013

Meeting of the Global Coordination Group and Regional Organization Groups for the GMP for POPs

Brno, Czech Republic, 17 - 20 September 2013


Venue: Hotel Continental, Brno, Czech Republic.

Highlights: The members of the Regional Organization Groups and Global Coordination Group for the Global Monitoring Plan (GMP) for POPs met in Brno, Czech Republic from 17 to 20 September 2013. Among the issues discussed were the implementation of the second phase global monitoring plan including air monitoring, human matrices, water; regional capacity building activities in the second phase of the global monitoring plan; the GMP data warehouse and data handling for the second phase global monitoring plan; as well as timelines for completion of regional monitoring reports. The meeting also addressed the GMP membership to the effectiveness evaluation committee and the further update of the guidance document to include HBCD and more detailed water monitoring guidance.

One of the major objectives of the meeting was to further enhance data comparability and consistency through finalization of the GMP data warehouse for use within the second phase GMP. The experience with transferring GMP 1 data was reflected in the proposals for future GMP campaigns, including electronic data collection, standardized data structure and code lists as well as visualization tools. The aim was to develop a robust system that is sustainable and will continue functioning for all future campaigns, including tools for statistical processing and analysis of the data, as well as data visualization tools including a GIS module allowing the user to work with dynamic map service layers. The GMP data warehouse can be accessed at www.pops-gmp.org.

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