If you were not in Nairobi and could not watch it live, you can now view the recording to hear all about new innovations, interventions, questions, and discussions.

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The third session of the Environment Assembly (UNEA-3) will be an important event for the global community to declare strengthened political commitment for beating pollution and to provide directions and innovative solutions to achieve a pollution-free planet.

The theme and agenda of UNEA-3 speaks directly to the core objectives of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions. All three conventions share the aim at protecting human health and the environment from toxic and hazardous substances and wastes.

The BRS Secretariat will take part as an observer in UNEA-3 and provide information on decisions and ongoing work under the conventions that are relevant to the meeting’s deliberations.

To that effect, the Secretariat submitted to UNEA-3 the following background notes on the work of the conventions as it relates to the draft resolutions being considered:

• Work of the Basel and Stockholm conventions as it relates to marine litter and microplastics;
• Activities of the Basel and Stockholm conventions regional centres on the impact of plastic waste, marine litter plastic and microplastics;
• Work under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions that impacts the management of soil pollution;
• Work under the Basel Convention at it relates to wastes lead-acid batteries.

More information about the BRS conventions’ contribution toward tackling pollution can be found at the BRS booth and during the following UNEA-3 events:

• Global major Groups Stakeholder Forum, session 9a on cross-cutting pollution on chemicals and wastes, Tuesday, 28 November 2017
• Science - Policy - Business Forum, 2-3 December 2017
• Side event on “Towards a Pollution-Free Planet: Accelerating the sound management of chemicals and waste”, 4 December 2017 at 1:15 pm, conference room 1
• UNEA3 Gender Dimensions Event, December 5, 2017
• Breakfast dialogue event on marine litter, 5 December 2017; 07:30-09:30 am - presentation
• Breakfast to celebrate World Soil Day, 5 December 2017; 08:30-09:45 am - presentation
• Breakfast dialogue with heads of MEAs, 6 December 2017; 08:30-10:00 a.m. (closed)

Data collected and submitted by Parties in their national reports can be used in multiple ways, as demonstrated by new research showing declines in DDT production and use. An article published in October 2017 in the open-access Malaria Journal, by Gamini Manuweera of the BRS Secretariat, together with researchers from the universities of Wageningen and Copenhagen, shows a steady decline in both the production and use of DDT over the years since the adoption of the Stockholm Convention.

View the full article here: https://malariajournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12936-017-2050-2

The article highlights several limitations in implementation of the Stockholm Convention with regard to DDT, some of which may also apply to other POPs, including in particular deficiencies in reporting, with a low response rate and inaccurate or incomplete information contained in many submitted reports. In particular, the assessment and reporting on obsolete stocks, waste and disposal of DDT should be improved. Similarly, the response rate to the DDT Questionnaire has so far been inadequate, with several countries for which independent information sources indicate ongoing use of DDT failing to fulfill this specific requirement under the Convention. There are indications that deficiencies in the quality of reporting (e.g. on dates, DDT amounts, and formulations) are an impediment for the comprehensive evaluation of the continued need for DDT by the Conference of Parties.

For more information on the BRS Secretariat work on DDT, see: http://chm.pops.int/Implementation/PesticidePOPs/DDT/Overview/tabid/378/Default.aspx