BRS Secretariat Vision, Mission and Strategic Direction (2016-2017)

Introduction

We, the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions (BRS Secretariat) present our vision, mission and strategic direction for the period 2016-2017, in line with the decisions of the conferences of the parties and the focus of the UN to become more effective in addressing global challenges of the sound management of hazardous chemicals and wastes.

The BRS Secretariat has its origins from the omnibus decision taken in 2013 (BC.Ex-2/1, RC.Ex-2/1 and SC.Ex-2/1), when the conferences of the parties to the three individual conventions agreed to the matrix-based management approach and organization of the secretariats of the Basel and Stockholm conventions and the UNEP-part of the Secretariat of the Rotterdam convention.

The need for the BRS Secretariat to increase its support to countries, strengthen regional centres and address the sound management of hazardous chemicals and wastes within its mandate was further highlighted at the 2015 COPs.

The adoption of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals which address poverty, hunger, inequality, climate change and sustainable consumption and production have direct relevance to the BRS Secretariat’s important work on chemicals and waste management.

This document elaborates our vision and describes how we will achieve our mandates and address the needs of parties to the three conventions. It will also provide a basis for us to remain focused on our goals and measure the effectiveness of our actions.

Mindful of UN ethics and values[1], we remain open, transparent and inclusive in carrying out our duties, and seek to maintain a strong client focus, and carry out our functions in a synergistic and cost-effective manner. We continue to aspire to respond more effectively to parties’ needs and expectations through innovations and a highly specialized expertise in the Secretariat, whilst ensuring inclusivity, equal participation of all parties and transparency in our work.

This strategic document shall also guide our interaction with our partners, including industry, as we engage in addressing the challenges of implementation of the conventions at the global, regional and national levels.

To deliver on this ambitious strategy, we work within a matrix-based organisation that promotes teamwork, respect, communication, gender and regional balance, and trust-building.

  1. COPs Decisions;
  2. BRS Secretariat Workplans;
  3. Resource Mobilization Strategy;
  4. Communications Strategy;
  5. Technical Assistance Programme (UNEP/CHW.12/INF/25, UNEP/FAO/RC/COP.7/INF/17, UNEP/POPS/COP.7/INF/16, annex).

Vision

The BRS Secretariat is recognised as the lead and respected partner on the global MEA governance of hazardous chemicals and wastes.

Mission Statements

The mission of the BRS Secretariat is to:

  1. Enhance our work with parties to bring about implementation of the conventions and synergies at the regional and national levels;
  2. Continue to deliver cost-effective and synergistic services to parties, including technical assistance, scientific support, legal and governance activities, information exchange and servicing of meetings;
  3. Develop and implement a resource mobilization strategy to facilitate national implementation of the conventions, in particular by developing countries, countries with economies in transition and small island developing states;
  4. Enlarge and strengthen cooperation with all relevant stakeholders, including with international bodies and industry through partnerships and  an effective network of regional centres;
  5. Create further awareness to place chemicals and waste issues within the context of the global development and environment agenda.

Broad Strategic Goals

In decisions BC-12/25, RC-7/15, SC-7/33, the conferences of the parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions adopted the programme of work for the biennium 2016-2017. The Secretariat developed workplans for the implementation of the decisions taken at the 2015 COPs, which are reflected in these broad goals below.

Synergies

  • Resource mobilization and greater involvement of industry (decisions BC-12/18, RC-7/8, SC-7/22):

o    Mobilize resources and support (including through the private sector) for the implementation of the BRS programme of work;

  • Review of synergies arrangements (decisions BC-12/20, SC-7/28 and RC-7/10):

o    Undertake a review of the synergies arrangements of the three Conventions to assist the Conferences of the Parties in analyzing the synergies process in a comprehensive manner;

  • Strengthen relationship with UNEP, FAO, SAICM, WHO, IOMC and Minamata Convention (decisions BC-12/17, RC-7/9, SC-7/27):

o    Strengthen BRS’s relationship with UNEP, FAO, SAICM, WHO, IOMC and the interim secretariat of the Minamata Convention ;

  • Regional centres (decisions BC-12/10, SC-7/17) and technical assistance (decisions BC-12/9, RC-7/7, SC-7/16):

o    Support and strengthen the Basel and Stockholm Convention regional centres;

o    Implement the technical assistance programme agreed by the 2015 Conferences of the Parties;

  • Knowledge framework (decisions BC-12/21, RC-7/11, SC-7/29):

o    Enhance the knowledge framework of the BRS Secretariat through the further development of the Clearing House Mechanism;

  • From science to action (decisions BC-12/22, RC-7/12, SC-7/30):

o    Enhance science-based action in the implementation of the BRS Conventions at the regional and national levels;

  • Awareness raising and communication:

o    Raise awareness of the BRS Conventions and the important role they play in the global chemicals and waste agenda.

Rotterdam Convention

  • Intersessional work on the process of listing chemicals (decision RC-7/5):

o    Facilitate the intersessional work to review the cases in which the COP was unable to reach consensus on the listing of a chemical; to develop options for improving the effectiveness of the process; to develop proposals for enabling improved information flows that support the prior informed consent procedure for those chemicals;

  • Compliance:

o    Support the Bureau and Parties intersessionally in resolving outstanding issues with a view to facilitate the possible adoption of compliance procedures and mechanisms by the Conference of the Parties at its eighth meeting;

  • Increasing notifications of final regulatory actions (decision RC-7/1):

o    Facilitate parties to enhance the exchange of information in accordance with the provisions of the Convention by submitting notifications of final regulatory action for banned or severely restricted chemicals;

  • CRC process (decision RC-7/3):

o    Support the Chemical Review Committee to review notifications of final regulatory actions and proposals for listing severely hazardous pesticide formulations in accordance with Articles 5 and 7 and support the process for listing in Annex III to the Convention.

Stockholm Convention

  • Listing of Chemicals (decisions SC-7/12, SC-7/13, SC-7/14):

o    Support the process for the entry into force of the amendments to Annexes A and C;

o    Support implementation of the Convention for newly listed chemicals;

  • Effectiveness evaluation (decision SC-7/24):

o    Support the effectiveness evaluation committee, including gathering information generated through existing arrangements and mechanisms under the Convention and preparing a preliminary analysis of that information;

  • BAT/BEP (SC-7/8):

o    Support work of experts on BAT/BEP in the process for revising and updating the guidelines and guidance documents;

  • Compliance (decision SC-7/26):

o    Support the Bureau and Parties intersessionally in resolving outstanding issues with a view to facilitate the possible adoption of compliance procedures and mechanisms by the Conference of the Parties at its eighth meeting;

  • Financial Mechanism (decisions SC-7/18, 19, 20, 21, 22):

o    Strengthen the financial basis of all three conventions through the review of the financial mechanism and assessment of parties’ funding needs under the Stockholm Convention as well as through the identification of possible elements of guidance from the Stockholm Convention to the GEF that also address the relevant priorities of the Basel and Rotterdam conventions;

  • NIPs (decision SC-7/10):

o    Facilitate assistance to parties in developing and updating NIPs including through the development of guidance documents;

  • POPRC process (decision SC-7/15):

o    Support the POPs Review Committee to review proposed chemicals in accordance with Article 8 and support the process for listing in Annex A, B and C to the Convention.

Basel Convention

  • Ban Amendment (decision BC-12/1):

o    Assist parties in ratifying the Ban Amendment;

  • Expert working group on environmentally sound management (decision BC-12/1):

o    Facilitate the development of an Environmentally Sound Management Toolkit to support the environmentally sound management of hazardous and other wastes;

  • E-Waste (decision BC-12/5):

o    Develop and support implementation of technical guidelines and tools to support the environmentally sound management of e-waste;

  • Development and update of technical guidelines (decisions BC-12/3, decisions BC-12/4)

o    Develop and update technical guidelines on persistent organic pollutants and mercury wastes;

  • Compliance (decision BC-12/7):

o    Facilitate the work of the Basel Convention Compliance Committee;

  • Reporting (decision BC-12/6):

o    Work with parties to improve the efficient and timely delivery of annual national reports;

  • Illegal traffic (decision BC-12/8):

o    Facilitate assistance to parties in their efforts to prevent and punish illegal traffic;

  • Household Waste (decision BC-12/13):

o    Develop innovative solutions for the environmentally sound management of household waste.

Annex

Organization and operational aspects of the BRS Secretariat

The BRS Secretariat

The Secretariats of the Basel and Stockholm conventions are administered by UNEP and are located in Geneva, Switzerland. The Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention is jointly administered by UNEP and the FAO. It is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and in Rome, Italy.

In 2012, the Secretariats of the Basel and Stockholm conventions, as well as the UNEP-part of the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat, moved from three separate secretariats with a programmatic structure to a single Secretariat with a matrix structure serving the three conventions.

The mandates of the Secretariats are laid out in Article 16 of the Basel Convention, Article 20 of the Rotterdam Convention and Article 19 of the Stockholm Convention.

The principal functions are to prepare for and service meetings of the conferences of the parties and its subsidiary bodies, to receive and convey information, to assist or facilitate assistance to parties upon request and to coordinate with other international bodies.

The budget of the Secretariats and their staffing are determined by the conferences of the parties and are funded by contributions from parties, based on the United Nations scale of assessment.

In 2013, by decisions BC.Ex-2/1, RC.Ex-2/1 and SC.Ex-2/1, the conferences of the parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions endorsed the matrix-based management approach and organization of the secretariats of the Basel and Stockholm conventions and the UNEP-part of the Secretariat of the Rotterdam convention.

The Secretariat continues to improve and develop the matrix setup of the Secretariat. Working in a matrix requires a clear understanding of each staff member’s goals and roles.

Operational aspects of the BRS Secretariat

The operational aspects of the BRS Secretariat are as follows:

  • Executive Office
  • Provide strategic direction and consolidate role of the Secretariat internationally
      • Leadership
      • Executive direction
      • Management, oversight and monitoring
      • Synergies coordination
      • Cooperation between UNEP and FAO on the Rotterdam Convention
      • Resource mobilization
      • Coordination with the financial mechanism under the Stockholm Convention
      • Finance and budget
      • Human resources
      • Administration
  • Scientific Support Branch
  • Focus on scientifically sound and robust outcomes/outputs as the basis for the work of the conventions
  • Provide technical and scientific input
  • Manage the scientific work required by the conferences of the parties and their respective subsidiary bodies
  • Manage the development of technical documents, including guidelines and guidance
  • Manage the collection, review, assessment and evaluation of scientific and technical information
  • National reports, notifications and exemptions
  • Technical Assistance Branch
  • Support national and regional implementation through the technical assistance programme
  • Develop and manage the technical assistance programme for the conventions
  • Needs assessment (including national implementation plans, national action plans, etc.)
  • Capacity-building and training activities (including projects, workshops, webinars, on-line training, development of training tools and materials etc.)
  • Partnerships
  • Regional centres
  • Conventions Operations Branch
  • Support the operations of the conventions
  • Management of meetings of the conferences of the parties and subsidiary bodies
  • Legal and governance, including compliance, strategic issues, CLI, synergies and international cooperation
  • Information and conference services, including knowledge management and information technology
  • Web content management and QA/QC
  • Public awareness and outreach
  • Corporate issues