World ministers to ‘sync’ on waste

Source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/02/22/world-ministers-%E2%80%98sync%E2%80%99-waste.html

Officials from three international treaties on hazardous chemicals will meet in simultaneous conferences on Monday in Bali to seek joint action addressing chemical and waste management issues.

The three-day conference of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions are to be attended by officials from 140 countries.

As of Sunday, about 90 environment ministers had confirmed their attendance for Tuesday.

“Nations should build better synergy and act more coherently to ensure effective and successful measures on the ground, since hazardous chemical substances and waste are real threats to health,” UNEP executive director Achim Steiner told reporters on Sunday.

The Bali meeting will focus on six issues, including joint action, joint managerial functions, joint services, synchronization of budget cycles and a joint audit account.

Executive secretary of the Basel Convention, Katharina Kummer Peiry, said that working groups from the three conventions would discuss different issues in chemical and waste management before presenting their recommendations.

“This meeting will give everyone a chance to step back and look at how we can deliver on the promise of the conventions more effectively by working ‘in-sync’ for a coherent and comprehensive life cycle approach to chemicals and waste,” Peiry said.

Peter Kenmore, co-executive secretary of the Rotterdam Convention for FAO, called on the conventions to reach out to the public affected by the impact of chemicals on health and the environment and deliver to local, national and regional actors to make a difference on the ground.

“More effective management is needed to protect farmers, workers and citizens on the ground [from hazardous substances],” Peter said.

The Basel Convention on the control of trans-boundary movements of hazardous waste and its disposal has been ratified by 172 countries.

The Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC) promotes the open exchange of information on the trade of certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides.

The Stockholm convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) obliges each party to take measures to curb the release of pollutants into the environment.

Indonesia is party to the Basel and Stockholm.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was slated to close the meeting on Wednesday and at the same time open a two-day ministerial forum that would discuss ocean, biodiversity and green economy issues.