Supporting Parties with the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals in relation to chemicals and waste

Background

The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), was a landmark achievement, providing for a shared global vision towards sustainable development for all. The SDGs are global in nature and universally applicable, taking into account national realities, capacities and levels of development and specific challenges. All countries have a shared responsibility to achieve the SDGs, and all have a meaningful role to play. All UN Member States thus need to compile, disseminate and use national statistics for monitoring and review of the SDGs (Voluntary National Reviews), national development plans and sectoral plans. This represents an opportunity and a challenge, particularly availability and quality of data, and their collection, analysis and management, which is crucial to measure progress.

The UN Statistical Commission adopted the global indicator framework. For each of the SDG indicators, possible custodian agencies and other involved agencies are identified. The custodian agencies are responsible for reporting of data and analysis or for the development of the methodology for indicators for which the methodology is not available.

Sound management of chemicals and waste is implicit in many SDGs. There are several goals where clear connections are made and where measurable indicators and targets are developed. Member States report and transmit required information to MEAs and other international initiatives of relevance, including BRS conventions; however, more in-country coordination and capacity is still needed, particularly in developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

The capacity development in this area therefore responds to the need for increased countries capacity to collect and analyze chemicals and waste data while improving their coordination mechanisms. By enhancing reporting and information provision capacity, the countries will be better equipped to implement the 2030 Agenda and the BRS conventions.

Furthermore, mainstreaming of chemicals and waste issues into the national development strategies and policies on sustainable development would further allow countries to raise the visibility and profile of the BRS Conventions at the national level.

Ongoing Activities

Project on enhancing capacities for data collection for the national reporting under the Basel and Stockholm conventions, import responses under the Rotterdam Convention and SDGs in the Central and Eastern Europe region:

Read more about our ongoing activities.