The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) held its 3rd Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG-3) from 2- 4 April, 2019 in Montevideo, Uruguay and IPEN participated.
4 April
IPEN Closing Statement delivered by Dr. Tadesse Amera, IPEN Co-Chair:
During this meeting, we have heard many ideas and interventions that would move us along this ambitious path, such as:
- Implementing the polluter pays principle through internalization of costs by the industry;
- Strong measures that include the full life-cylcle of chemicals and all waste, including an enabling framework whose elements are endorsed by a ministerial declaration at ICCM5 and subsequently adopted by the UN General Assembly; and
- Time bound goals and measurable targets for issues of concern, together with clear criteria defined for how to move the issues ahead if they have not progressed as expected.
Read the entire Closing Statement here.
3 April
IPEN Intervention on Lead in Paint delivered by Dr. Sara Brosché, IPEN Science Advisor and Global Lead Paint Elimination Campaign Manager
"There is still time to make significant additional progress towards eliminating led paint until ICCM5 with the right commitment from governments, industry and civil society. We know from our work that this commitment from all stakeholders is in place. We would therefore like to encourage government representatives participating in this meeting to state their intention to accelerate the establishment and enforcement of legally binding controls on lead in paint in all countries."
Read the entire Intervention, as well as Interventions on other issues being discussed at the OEWG-3, here.
2 April
IPEN Opening Statement delivered by Dr. Tadesse Amera, IPEN Co-Chair:
"We hope to see ambitious recommendations that include:
- An enabling framework that acts as an umbrella for all chemicals-related agreements whose elements are endorsed by a ministerial declaration in 2020 that is subsequently adopted by the UN General Assembly to ensure high -level political ownership.
- National implementation plans with agreed-upon measurable actions that contribute to implementation of Agenda 2030.
- Open, inclusive and transparent participation by all stakeholders with a multi-sectoral approach."
Read the entire Opening Statement here.
1 April
IPEN side event:
This side event will both reflect on the SAICM experience since 2006 and illustrate important actions needed at SAICM OEWG3 to advance the adoption of a Beyond 2020 framework. This side event will include a brief overview of SAICM implementation experience at the global and local levels, and lead into a panel discussion with NGO and government representatives sharing their perspectives for Beyond 2020 and SAICM OEWG3 outcome goals.
Panel discussion facilitated by Ms. Sofia Chavez, CasaCem, Mexico
Panel Speakers include:
The High Ambition Alliance; Ms. Eneida de León, Minister of Housing, Land Planning and Environment, Uruguay
IPEN’s Perspectives for Beyond 2020; Mr. Tadesse Amera, IPEN Co-Chair, Ethiopia
Zambia Perspective; Mr. David Kapindula, Zambia Environmental Management Agency, Zambia
South Africa Perspective; Ms. Noluzuko Gwayi, Advisor: International Chemicals & Waste Cooperation at Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa
See the flyer for the side event here
31 March, 2019
IPEN Participating Organization representatives and partners met with David Morin, Canadian Co-Chair of the SAICM intersessional process, to pose questions and hear his views on topics relevant to the OEWG-3 meeting.
30 March, 2019
IPENers and IPEN partners from 21 countries gathered in Montevideo for a capacity-building & strategizing workshop in preparation for the 3rd Open-Ended Working Group meeting, which will begin officially on 2 April.
22 March, 2019: IPEN Views of SAICM OEWG-3
(العربية , English, 中文, русский, français)
IPEN's "Views of SAICM OEWG-3” document replicates the points on the enabling framework that appear in IPEN's Perspectives document below, and includes specific text on the proposed language for objectives and targets, which was based on comments received and work done in collaboration with the trade union representative to the SAICM Bureau and with Pesticide Action Network.
21 March, 2019: IPEN's "Enabling Framework" and Other Posters
Find new IPEN posters and postcards created for the OEWG-3 here
20 March, 2019: IPEN Beyond 2020 Perspectives for OEWG-3
(العربية , English, 中文, español, русский, français)
SAICM is the only international agreement that addresses the full range of known and newly discovered health and environmental concerns associated with the production and use of chemicals. The 2006 decision that established SAICM expires in 2020 and now there is a global process (the "Beyond 2020" process) to determine what comes next.
The Beyond 2020 process has one required result: It must, “develop recommendations regarding measurable objectives in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” In response, the IPEN Steering Committee adopted a one-page Toxics-Free Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Pledge in October 2018 that explains actions for a toxics-free future that are essential for sustainable development. This reflects a series of papers on relevant Beyond 2020 topics developed by IPEN and the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) in 2017, including measurable objectives in support of Agenda 2030.
In our view, a new global agreement on chemical safety should include both an upgrade to SAICM (SAICM2.0) and an enabling framework, and include the following features:
- A timeless vision and broad scope that encompasses the entire lifecycle including wastes;
- An enabling framework that acts as an umbrella for all chemicals-related agreements whose elements are endorsed by a ministerial declaration in 2020 that is subsequently adopted by the UN General Assembly;
- New and additional, adequate, sustainable and predictable finance mechanism accessible to all relevant stakeholders to address chemicals and waste issues;
- Measurable contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals; and
- Open, inclusive and transparent participation by all stakeholders with a multi-sectoral approach.
Read more about IPEN's vision for the future of chemical safety in our Perspectives for OEWG-3 here.
