UN Geneva - Multimedia Newsroom : Press Conference: Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat

Good morning and good afternoon to those joining us online from different regions around the world.

My name is Farai Manwa from the public awareness and Outreach team within the Executive Office of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Convention Secretariat.

It is my pleasure to welcome you to this press conference ahead of the upcoming meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions taking place from 28 April to 9 May 2025 at the Geneva International Conference Centre.

As we prepare for this critical gathering, we're reminded of the urgent need to raise awareness around the growing risks of hazardous chemicals and waste.

[Other language spoken]

The technical issues, unsound management of these substances poses serious threats to human health and the environment.

The decisions taken that these cops will play a pivotal role in strengthening international cooperation and accelerating towards a cleaner, safer and more sustainable planet.

We are honoured to have you with us today.

We are honoured to have with us today two distinguished speakers who will shed light on the priorities, expectations and importance of these upcoming negotiations.

Joining us online is Mr Rolf Payette, the Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, and also online from Rome, we are pleased to welcome Miss Christine Fuell, the Executive Secretary.

Executive Secretary, I'll repeat that again.

We're pleased to welcome Miss Christine Fuell, the Executive Secretary at interim of the Rotterdam Convention from the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations.

We'll begin with with remarks from Mr Payette, followed by Miss Fuel.

After that, we'll open on the floor.

We'll open the floor for your questions.

Mr Payette, the floor is yours.

Perhaps while we wait for Mr Payette to connect, we can move directly on to yourself, Christine.

I see Christine is online, so maybe we start with Miss Christine Fuel 1st and then we move on to Mr Rolf Payette after.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Chair, and good morning, Good afternoon wherever you are and welcome to that press briefing, press conference.

My name is Costina Full.

I'm the Executive Secretary at the interim for the Rotterdam Convention.

As you might know, the Rotterdam Convention is jointly administered by Secretariat, partly hosted in FAO in Italy, in Rome and partly by UNIP.

So the this convention is actually benefiting from the strengths of both of the organisations.

And so I would just briefly like to touch on the Rotterdam issues and then we hope to have our colleagues, I see at least the Deputy Executive Secretary of the three conventions, Mr.

David Octane, to also elaborate on the other conventions.

So this time we have for the Rotterdam convention quite an interesting agenda.

We have 10 chemicals and pesticides for discussion for listing potential listing and the majority 8 of them are pesticides or or so-called severely hazardous pesticide formulations and two are industrial chemicals.

So this is one of the the major discussions because as you know, the listing is basically the the fuel for the convention because it means that once a substance is added to the convention, then it will become subject to the so-called pick procedure, the prior informed consent procedure whereby parties can then make an informed decision with all the information they receive through the convention, whether they want to have future imports of these chemicals and pesticides or not.

So they make their decisions.

It is not up to us to to restrict or ban or make any of those regulatory actions, but it is always a sovereign decision by the party and other parties then have to respect that decision and act accordingly.

So that is a major difference compared to the Stockholm Convention where we have real bans or real restrictions, exemptions and all these details.

But for the Rotterdam Convention, we have purely an information exchange that enables parties, no other camera, I don't know, to have, so that parties can decide for themselves whether they can manage the risk of a given chemical or pesticide.

Or if they say, well, we are not in the position to, to manage the risk or we don't even need that substance.

So that, that is 1, uh, topic, uh, for the upcoming Rotterdam Convention.

Another one is of course, uh, discussion, uh, on the effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention.

And here we have received a lot of quite interesting proposals from parties and observers and, uh, and these need to be of course, discussed during the conference of parties.

And we will see what, what parties decide, what should be taken up, what can be further elaborated, what is feasible, what will also move us towards more efficiency.

However, having said that, these discussions often focus around not just the listing process.

But we should keep in mind that listing is not the only parameter that that says something about the effectiveness.

Because while we discuss, while we prepare the documents for what CFC is, is putting all information together and and is reviewing all the proposals and submissions.

And while we produce all the documents that contain a lot of information, people have already the possibility to to use that information and to use it for taking decision on a national decisions on a national basis that are then of course only applicable to their own country.

But also getting together and discussing about these things is already in the spirit of the convention, because this convention is about exchanging information.

And I get a notice that the picture is not so good and I hope it's better now.

[Other language spoken]

And then of course, OK.

And then of course we have, we have a couple of subjects that are falling under the joint discussions, one of which is of course a huge discussion subject.

The, the programme of work and budget and the programme of work contains of course all activities we are carrying out and, and they have to be funded.

And one big part is the the technical assistance.

And the technical assistance is mainly funded by voluntary contributions.

So that is an area where we always have to to see that we are getting sufficient financial support from various sources in order to provide technical assistance to parties.

And I might add, since I am representing the FAO part, that FAO acknowledges the importance of normative work and technical assistance and therefore is supporting the Rotterdam Convention in, in its work, for example, through regular financial contributions of 1.5 million U.S.

dollars per biennium and also through in kind, uh, contributions.

But, uh, the, the additional advantage we have is that we have offices in more than 130 countries, country offices, we have regional offices, but regional offices.

And when reaching out to parties, when carrying out technical assistance activities, we always work very closely with our colleagues in a given country or region so that we are really very close to the stakeholders in the area we are working in.

I think I might leave it with that for the time being and give the floor back unless you want me to continue with other information.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much, Christine, for that comprehensive, comprehensive introduction.

We'll leave it there for now and we'll switch to our second speaker, Mr.

David Ogden, who is the Deputy Executive Secretary.

We're having trouble connecting to our Executive secretary, So while we have David Ogden on standby, David, the floor is yours.

[Other language spoken]

And just unfortunately Ralph is not able to connect, so I'll be giving this presentation on his behalf.

[Other language spoken]

Over 2000 delegates around the globe will be gathering at the CICG here in Geneva, Switzerland, from 28 April to 9 May to take further key decisions to dress pollution and achieve the goals of the Bottle, Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, the three leading multilateral environmental agreements for sound management of chemicals and waste.

The meetings of the Conferences of Parties will also feature a **** Level segment on 30 April and one May.

The objective of the **** Level State segment is to provide an interactive, dynamic and inclusive platform for ministers and deputy ministers to exchange experiences and to provide political leadership for renewed commitment to the implementation of the three conventions, as well as to raise awareness on how they can contribute to addressing the environmental crisis of pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change.

As most of you know, the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions are the three main legally binding multilateral environmental agreements governing chemicals and waste and almost and have almost universal coverage with Basel having 191 parties, the Rotterdam having 167 parties and Stockholm Convention having eight, 186 parties.

So almost universal, the meetings of the conference of the parties to the three conventions are being held under the theme make visible the invisible sound management of chemicals and waste.

So moving on, looking first at the Stockholm Convention, that the 12th meeting of the Stockholm Convention will consider three new chemicals for listing in Annexes AB or C to the Stockholm Convention, namely chlorpyrifos, long chain perfluoric carboxyloxac acids or Pfc as and related compounds and chlorinated paraffins.

Chlorpyrifos is a broad spectrum chlorinated organophosphate insecticide widely used in agriculture and as a biocide for non agricultural insects like mosquitoes, fire ants and ticks.

Chlorinated paraffins are industrial chemicals used in adhesive sealants, paints and coatings, waterproofing agents for paints and coatings and textiles as They're also used as flame retardants in polychlorine, Poly vinyl chloride, PVC and rubber compounds and a carry and carrier solvent for colour formers in paper manufacturer.

And then the the long change Pfc as and it's an industrial chemical used in coating products, fabric, carpet protectors, firefighting foam.

So among other key issues.

The 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties will also consider reports on Pops in stockpiles, products and articles and consider reporting progress made toward the elimination of PCBS and discuss the guidance for development of inventories of PCB.

In the analysis of PCB.

They'll discuss the continued need for disease vector control and promotion of alternatives for DDT.

And there will also be the 6th review, the financial mechanism of the Stockholm Convention.

Moving on to the Rotterdam Convention, the 12th meeting of the Conference of Party.

Party will consider the listing of three new pesticides and one new industrial chemical in Annex 3 to the Convention, namely corpirophos in methyl bromide, mercury and paraquat.

Corpera phos, as we mentioned, is this.

We mentioned before it was covered under Stockholm, but it also needs to be covered under Rotterdam.

Mercury is used in particular as a small scale artisanal gold mining as well as products such as lamps, batteries, medical and measuring devices and dental and outcome.

It is a heavily toxic heavy.

It's a toxic, heavy, heavy metal that when absorbed in the human body can cause severe neurological and developmental issues as well as harm kidneys, lungs and other vital organs.

Mercury is already subject to the global regulation through the Rotterdam Convention as a pesticide.

This is now looking at it as an industrial chemical.

The other next one is methyl bromide, which has historically been used as a soil, human gate and pest control agent in agriculture, is known for its **** toxicity for humans in the environment and due to its adverse environmental impacts and ozone depleting properties.

Methyl bromide is listed as a controlled substance under the Montreal Protocol, leading to efforts to phase it out its production and use.

But there are still some uses of methyl bromide that are allowed.

And for that reason, it's good to have the Rotterdam Convention so that there can be this communication about those uses should they be traded between countries.

And the countries would then have an opportunity to decide whether or not they would want to accept those those shipments.

The last one is is the new ones is paraquat, which is used as a herbicide to control weeds in agriculture.

It's highly toxic, primarily affecting the lungs, skin and other internal organs with ingest from ingestion or inhalation leading to severe health risks.

Rotterdam and then the Rotterdam Convention will enables parties to take informed decisions on future imports of chemicals and provides chemicals and pesticides, pesticides that are listed in the attic.

So once they're listed, then a country will have the opportunity party, I should say, to say whether or not they would like to receive that chemical in the future.

And so through the PIC procedure, parties benefit from structured information, information exchange that contributes to environmental, environmentally sound use of those hazardous chemicals.

Moving on to the Basel Convention, it's the 17th meeting of the Basel Convention Conference of the parties and it will consider strengthening the effectiveness of that convention.

Discussions will focus on strategic framework for the next 10 year, enhancing the convention's role in preventing illegal traffic, providing to providing legal a better legal clarity and what is included and not included in the annexes and then how that affects the shipment by shipment prior consent procedure under that convention.

[Other language spoken]

There's a, there will be at the cops moving down the conventions themselves.

There will be a, a fair.

We have a fair every, every time and it's usually a three day.

And it will fit focus on the same thing, which is make visible the invisible.

And there's also going to be this.

[Other language spoken]

So make invisible the make visible the invisible fair.

It will further raise awareness on the risk posed by unsound management of chemicals and waste.

There are at least 21 different stands at this at this fair at the CICG, ranging from national exhibitors to civil society and other partners.

We invite you to discover also that the make visible the invisible exhibition at the Raton de Mont Blanc on by Lake Geneva.

So it's right along the the Board de Lac.

You'll see that we have a series of of informative information posters that we are arrayed along the lake there.

It's a visual journey on the impact of hazardous chemicals.

And waste through 16 panels it highlights the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm conventions protecting human health and the environment and prevents a light hearted artistic touch on the important work we do.

There also be announced the World Champion advocate at the 2025 BRS Cops.

So last but not least, at midday on 6 May 2025 we will be announcing the appointment of a former World Champion as the BRS Conventions Advocate.

This will be the first one of these we do.

Our new advocate will participate in a series of awareness raising events and interactive discussions on the on the theme of the the meeting Make Visible the Invisible held at the Centre.

We encourage you to attend these events with issues surrounding pollution and waste in mountain and glacier environments very relevant, of course, for here in in Switzerland stacking these in these ecosystems and take the opportunity to meet our our world champion, whose lifelong experience will offer a unique perspective on preserving this fragile regions.

This, this is Felix, new rider, the German a World Cup skier.

So I, I will just, I think I'll stop there.

And if there are, of course, any questions, we're, we're ready to answer.

And I can see that Rolf is now here.

So I'll, I'll leave it to Rolf to, to finish this.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much, David.

Yes, our executive secretary, Rolf Payette is online.

So maybe Rolf, we invite you to say a few words before we take Q&A.

Thank you very much and thank you David and Christine as well for proceeding.

We had some problems connecting.

Just wanted to say that this is going to be an exciting COPS, probably the largest we've ever had as well as the **** level segment.

We have a lot of events especially not only those focusing on our COPS, but also developing synergies with other conventions as the CBD.

We will have the Executive Secretary of the CBD there and also add the biodiversity related as we seek to to see how we can further implement the global Biodiversity framework, the the coming Montreal Biodiversity Framework.

Secondly, we also have a session on the Global Chemicals Framework, which is also bringing together the, the international UN organisations dealing with chemicals and waste, but also UNAP who currently hosts the global Framework on chemicals.

And, and I think thirdly, it's worth mentioning that we will also be having a very specific focus on phase out of PCBS.

As you know, the deadlines are coming up and would be showcasing the efforts that we've been doing together with countries that was the elimination of PCBS.

I will stop here and of course be open to, to questions.

Ah, yes, we also have a lot of, a lot of, a lot of interest in the shop plastic.

As you know, the next plastic negotiations called Inc 5.2 will be in Geneva in August and parties and some organisation are using the BRS as also a platform for them to, to further the discussions and negotiations on the plastics treaty.

So it's a very important platform that is really present here within the the scope of chemicals and waste to discuss those important global issues.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much, Rolf.

We now open the floor for Q&A.

I suggest maybe we take Q&A first from within the room and then we switch to to online.

So yes, please, gentlemen in the front, thank you so much.

A question for maybe for Mr Pallier or anyone who would like to, to answer.

It's not directly linked, I guess to, to, to the convention, but still I'd like you to, to, to comment on what was done in France earlier this this year.

France voted to a ban PFAS from key products, but didn't, didn't do it for, for for pans and for cooking you some size.

I'd like to have your, your comment on that.

Do you think that there was some kind of a missed opportunity here?

Mr Payette, the floor is yours.

[Other language spoken]

Do we take some questions and then insert them or we take 1 by 1?

I think let's take one by one and finish them and then move on to the next.

All right, yes, PFAS is certainly a very, very important chemical and this will be our focus.

You know, as you know, the, the Stockholm Convention already took serious decisions on, on PFAS.

There are exemptions.

Obviously it's a very complex group of chemicals and we don't expect countries to be taking on, you know, the whole group and they are probably being selective in the groups that are achievable and then slowly put in place legislation and capacity and and infrastructure for them to deal with the issue of PFAS.

So just to just to know that PFAS is a group of chemicals, right?

It's not just one chemical.

So, so, so it's not fair to say, you know, that they are dealing with only, they're not dealing with the whole PFAS because they'll have to go through consultations with industry consultations with within the government itself.

And, and of course, this is a very important moment for, for, for Stockholm, as we, I will start looking at how we're going to deal with the eventual fees out of, of PFAS, which is not going to be easy.

But I think countries are already showing commitment like France is already showing clique commitment that we need to deal with this chemical as urgently as possible.

Thank you very much.

We had a question at the at the back.

Please state your name and affiliation as well.

[Other language spoken]

My question is concerning Israel and Palestine occupied territories.

Many reports, including one report of the Special Rapporteur Michael Link and other reporters mentioned that Israel buries it's hazardous waste, including chemical, medical, electronic and nuclear waste in the Occupied Palestinian territories.

Some reports mentioned that the amount way of waste raises to 200,000 tonnes annually.

Can you give us please more information about this and about the general situation in the West Bank concerning waste?

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much.

I'll refer this one to Mr Payed again.

Thank you very much.

We don't have any up to date information as you know, the convention as a mechanism for reporting by parties on cases of non compliance but also of cases of dumping.

And we don't have any updated information right now on this particular situation.

Thank you very much, Mr Payette.

Question from the front, Please state your name and affiliation as well.

[Other language spoken]

Hi there.

It's Olivia Laporteva from Roy Tears.

Thank you for this briefing ahead of next week.

Just in terms of the impact on these conventions and what we might see in the impact that might have on everyday people's lives.

I know there's been mentioned there about PFAS, but maybe you guys could give, I could highlight a couple of areas which could be quite interesting in terms of the everyday people that could change something in their in their life or a big kind of thorny issue that could maybe be brought up or changed in the in the coming week.

Thank you for this question.

Perhaps both Mr Payette and Miss Fuel could give response to this.

Mr Payette, the floor is yours.

[Other language spoken]

I mean, so we'll be talking about PCBS, for example, which is a very toxic chemical, which is persistent in the environment.

[Other language spoken]

These are, these are chemicals which have an impact on human health has also on wildlife.

So phasing them out and removing them from circulation is very, very important and of course will lead to improved health benefits and reduce health costs.

And, and the health impacts are primarily among pregnant mothers, early childhood development as well as the elderly.

So, so, and this is where the, the, the health costs are the highest.

So by reducing the, the ****** of pollution and the impact of pollution on these segments of the population will in fact have positive benefits for health.

The other issue I will mention, of course, is the work that we are doing on plastics.

The Basil Convention has been very active in a number of countries on, on looking at different options of phasing out plastic waste or, or reducing the leakage of plastic waste into the environment.

So there's been a, there's been a lot of progress there.

We've worked with both different kinds of sectors from tourism to fisheries to agriculture, where where plastics as you know is used extensively in those industries and trying to minimise the impacts of plastics.

So of course I could go on.

We also, you know, as mentioned by by both David and Christine, the the, the listing of the Rotterdam Convention on mercury without bromide.

These these are also potential chemicals where where better in exchange of information will improve the management of those chemicals, especially where where I mean into the case of of mercury.

As you know, there's an international treaty, the the mini matter Conventions, which deals with the phase out and management of mercury and, and the listing on the Rotterdam will give support to this and help us to see the movement of mercury around the world and and support implementation of the Minimata convention.

And as regards to metabromide, as you know, it's it's currently used as a fumigant as well and it's also a ozone depleting substance.

So it has a link to the Montreal Protocol which is a lead to the destruction of the ozone layer.

So, so listing of this chemical will also help in its better management and reduce emissions in the atmosphere which could of course be causing contributing to ozone depletion.

Over to you, Christine.

Yeah, thank you very much.

And I would like to then continue with the, with the pesticides on our agenda.

And indeed, we, I think I'm convinced that we can make a difference in people's lives because we have to think globally.

Uh, we have in, in, in the, in the western world, we have a lot of protection procedures and regulations.

But, umm, if we, if we look at a larger scale, there are countries where the, the legal frameworks are not, umm, not so sophisticated.

So that is often due to lack of resources and umm, so we need to really distribute the information on our pesticides on how to protect people that are using them in the farming or also make a decision if they are necessary to be used in in the country.

For example, if we look at one of the pesticide formulations we have on the agenda, Fencian formulation, this is an avicide, meaning it is killing birds.

And it is used in, in particular in Western Africa against little birds, Gilea Gilea that is basically eating all crops, all, all grains, uh, Millet and, and other Millet, sorghum, et cetera.

And umm, so people of course, they have to see that they protect their crop against this bird because once the whole flock is coming in, there will be, there will remain nothing of the harvest.

And so this is about food security.

But at the same time, Fencian is acutely toxic, of course, for mammals and birds and mammals.

And, and what happens often in those countries is that the birds that are killed with Fencian are then used as a food source and that might then have very negative impacts also on the human health.

So if we can explain the all these, all these situations and if we can offer alternative solutions, then this will definitely make a difference in the daily life of people.

And we have been working a lot with the, the countries affected by, it's it's 1015 countries in Africa that are really seriously affected by Kilea.

[Other language spoken]

We have been working together with private sector that is researching the use of Falcons, for example, the use of other methods, alternative methods that are less hazardous so that we could countries could manage the Kilea Kilea without putting at risk the environment and in particular human health.

And I think this this is a real important issue.

So again, we are not saying you have to ban it, but the information needs to be distributed that the birds that are killed with fensign should not be eaten, should not be taken as food source.

Or one could look into and try alternative methods and see if they function in the country.

So that, that makes a real difference.

I'm, I'm just focusing now on one, but if you want, I can also give examples for the other pesticides.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much.

Christine and David, we have a online question from Moussa ASI.

Moussa ASI, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much.

Can I speak in French?

[Other language spoken]

Yes, yes, exactly.

We'll take it the the North colleague and concern only this year.

Member Palestine, The Basel.

[Other language spoken]

Uh, I just see it in our report.

In essence, we need concern only territory directly to Gaza Que Tia fectias person, but Lizam Israeli and civil places every design from Mexico, Messi Messi Musa com com ZD.

We just say Basquiati Nouvelle me or or the secretary executive de la conversation de Brazil, Stockholm Rotterdam process a process to skate and plasky a great party party Pope summit is a formacion Eddie plant a site for if focal appeal effects a palace organisation is unali Stoli Zoenjeki Luffy say say this lipiti song party de la promotion allows.

I'm on Avi met now on a paste deformation.

OK yeah only vote the conversion a le procedure a swift sof le party faint decision.

Hello, lately commercial is good.

I had a palu como trigger trigger city party.

Is this a follow up to this or a different question?

I see your hand is still raised.

The the the messy a focus is a Kelly conversion some part the convulsion key kick off lele confly on them produce emic OK le convention call pasa yeah dot conventional key Cove le conflict utility is the produce emic OK concerned la pollution.

[Other language spoken]

You will see comes the the look context, the the CPE some gear on a pad informacion official Asumola.

The floor is open for any other questions.

If I see none, we won't keep you any further and let everyone get out to lunch, at least those who are based in Geneva and Central Europe.

So thank you very much.

We'll like to invite you again extend the invitation to come to the COPS, which will be taking place from the 28th to the 9th of 28th of April to the 9th of May.

For those of you in Geneva, please do make your way to the Lake exhibition and see the Horton du Mont Blanc come across.

See the fares, Meet our Burius Advocate.

And all the side events.

There'll also be a screening of a movie, How to Poison a Planet by the Geneva Environment Network on Sunday the 27th of April at the Geneva International Conference Centre.

Thank you very much for your time and attention.

Press Conference: Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat - 25 April 2025