The UNEP Mid-Term Strategy 2022 – 2025 (MTS) recognizes that Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) are central to its achievement and that lack of coherent and synergistic implementation characterised by the absence of a ‘whole of government approach’ or other coordination mechanisms at the national level is a significant factor impeding current progress. MTS also recognizes the importance of addressing coherently the three planetary crisis through its thematic subprograms: Climate Action, Nature Action, and Chemicals and Pollution. Hence addressing pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss in a synergetic manner will allow for a harmonized approach and prevent fragmentation of initiatives to maximize impacts.
Relevant steps have been taken over the past years on the road to building collaboration and cooperation between the biodiversity and the chemicals and waste clusters at the global, regional and national levels, especially in light of the development of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (K-KMGBF)1 and the Global Framework on Chemicals- For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste. These steps include various exploratory studies, decisions from governing bodies of MEAs as well as recommendations from the 5th session of International Conference on Chemicals Management and other international events, such as the Bern III Conference held in January 2024, which all aim at promoting collaboration within and across clusters in areas of common interest.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework makes clear that active engagement of other biodiversity-related conventions and MEAs is imperative to achieving the K-M GBF goals and targets. The environmentally sound management of chemicals and waste is relevant for the achievement of many of the framework’s targets, in particular, but not exclusively Target 7 (Reduce pollution risks and negative impact of pollution) but also Targets 10, 11, 14, 16, 22, and 23. The 1989 Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, the 1998 Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the 2013 Minamata Convention on Mercury all aim at protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes.
There are interlinkages between the work of the above four chemicals and waste conventions and the subjects preoccupying the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other biodiversity-related conventions, thereby positioning the four conventions to contribute to ongoing discussions and the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework, and future work of the CBD and other biodiversity-related instruments. The Global Framework on Chemicals also recognizes the strong areas of mutual interest between chemicals and biodiversity and their relevant MEAs. The resolution on international cooperation and coordination adopted by the 5th session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management welcomed the adoption of the K-M GBF and invited stakeholders to take into account the objectives of that framework in their actions to implement the Global Framework on Chemicals. It also requested the Secretariat, subject to the availability of resources and in collaboration with relevant organizations, to prepare for the next conference in 2026 a report on interlinkages between the Framework and the K-M GBF.
UNEP has been providing substantive input and technical support to countries in strengthening coordination and cooperation in the implementation of MEAs and other instruments at the national level, particularly in the context of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Global Framework on Chemicals. These two frameworks provide a new opportunity to enhance coordination and cooperation. The COPs to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions welcomed the adoption of the K-M GBF at their respective meetings in 2023 and called upon the Parties to the conventions to take into account the objectives of the framework in their actions to implement the conventions. Similarly, the COP5 to Minamata Convention considered areas of mutual supportiveness and co-benefits between the Convention and the K-M GBF.
The recently adopted UNEA 6 resolution UNEP/EA/Res 6 on Fostering national action to address global environmental challenges through increased cooperation between the United Nations Environment Assembly, the United Nations Environment Programme and multilateral environmental agreements has further strengthened UNEP’s mandate to support coherent and effective implementation of the MEAs at the national level including through the Fifth Programme for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law (Montevideo Environmental Law Programme)
