CONSIDERATION OF CHEMICALS BY

THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (CSD-18/19)
 

1. The work of the Commission on Sustainable Development and SAICM

The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992 to ensure effective follow-up to the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (“Earth Summit”), is considering the issue of “chemicals” in its 2010-2011 cycle, which commences with the review of thematic issues (18th session of the CSD in 2010; CSD-18) and concludes with the adoption of policy recommendations (19th session of the CSD in 2011; CSD-19). The linkages between chemicals management, environment, and sustainable development are specifically addressed in chapter 19 of Agenda 21 adopted at the Earth Summit. Moreover, the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, in building on the Earth Summit’s consideration of chemicals management issues, formulated SAICM’s overarching goal that, by 2020, chemicals are use and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment.

Resolution II/7, adopted by the International Conference on Chemicals Management at its second session, emphasizes the need to take concerted action to achieve further progress towards the implementation of SAICM’s 2020 goal and offers the Conference’s assistance and cooperation in supporting the CSD’s consideration of chemicals in relation to sustainable development. The SAICM secretariat is requested “to cooperate with the secretariat of the Commission on Sustainable Development in facilitating the Commission’s consideration of chemicals issues”. The resolution finally encourages SAICM stakeholders to participate in the CSD’s work on chemicals, including through regional preparatory processes.

The CSD’s consideration of thematic clusters is prepared through so-called “Regional Implementation Meetings” (RIMs) that are organized under the auspices of the United Nations regional commissions, i.e. United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), United Nations Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA).

An information note on the Commission on Sustainable Development was provided for the second session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management and re-issued for meetings of SAICM regional coordinating bodies as well as regional meetings on SAICM. For further information on the Commission on Sustainable Development and its work, please visit the website of the Division for Sustainable Development.

2. CSD Regional Implementation Meetings 

As listed below, all regions have held their RIMs for the 2010 and 2011 cycle of the CSD. Further information on each of the RIMs is available on the websites of the respective United Nations regional commissions as well as the Division of Sustainable Development:

• Africa RIM, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 27-30 October 2009 (UNECA)
• Asia and the Pacific RIM, held in Bangkok, Thailand, 30 November – 1 December 2009 (UNESCAP)
• Europe and North America RIM, held in Geneva, Switzerland, 1 – 2 December 2009 (UNECE )
• Latin America and the Caribbean RIM, held in La Antigua, Guatemala, 26 – 27 November 2009 (UNECLAC)
• Western Asia RIM, held in Cairo, Egypt, 4 – 6 October 2009 (UNESCWA)

3. SAICM secretariat activities

Against the background of resolution II/7, the secretariat has offered cooperation and contributions to the CSD’s consideration of chemicals through the provision of substantive input, and provision of support to SAICM stakeholders to facilitate their (effective) participation in the CSD process. Since the preparation for the CSD’s consideration of chemicals, including development of background documentation, is to a large extent to be undertaken through regional processes (in particular the RIMs of the United Nations regional economic commissions), the initial focus of the secretariat has been on the provision of substantive input to RIMs as well as the provision of support to SAICM stakeholders to facilitate their (effective) participation in those meetings.

The SAICM secretariat’s substantive inputs to the RIMs and other preparations for CSD-18 have included the following:  

The SAICM secretariat has provided support to stakeholders participating in the CSD process, including that of SAICM regional focal points, whose participation it facilitated. An update on the CSD process and secretariat activities in that regard was provided to the ICCM Bureau at its second teleconference held 10 November 2009.

4. SAICM regional contributions and input to RIMs

The CSD’s consideration of chemicals was part of the agenda of SAICM regional coordination meetings held in 2009, i.e. the fourth meeting of the African Core Group, Nairobi, 21 and 22 August 2009; the first meeting of the Central and Eastern European Regional Coordination Committee, Brno, Czech Republic, 6 September 2009 and the second meeting of the Latin American and Caribbean Regional Coordination Committee, Santiago, 15 and 16 November 2009. Furthermore, the CSD’s consideration of chemicals is part of the agenda of regional meetings, including that of the Asia and the Pacific region (23-24 November 2009), the Central and Eastern European region (9-10 December 2009) as well as the African region (28-29 January 2010).  

At the regional meeting for Asia and the Pacific, a regional position paper was developed. The African Core Group  and the Latin America and Caribbean Regional Coordinating Committee have also developed specific inputs to their respective RIMs.  

The SAICM regional focal point for Latin America and the Caribbean, the SAICM regional focal point for Asia and the Pacific, and the SAICM regional focal point for Central and Eastern Europe have participated in their respective RIMs, including as keynote speakers.

 The following table provides an overview of relevant meetings: 

On 5 May the SAICM secretariat in association with the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals organized a learning centre on SAICM. Materials for the learning centre may be obtained by clicking on the links below.