Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, both now and in the future. Environmentally sound management of chemicals and wastes makes an important contribution to achieving the objectives of the 2030.

By promoting safer chemicals and alternatives, minimizing the use of toxic substances in production and consumption, preventing or reducing the generation of hazardous and other wastes, and ensuring their safe management, sound chemicals and waste management helps detoxifying air, water and soil. It also supports progress in areas such as education, gender equality, and climate change. As such, it as a strong cross‐cutting nature and contributes to addressing both global and local challenges.

The environmentally sound management of chemicals and hazardous wastes also present important opportunities for advancing the implementation of the SDGs, building on existing global and regional commitments. Key international instruments addressing chemicals and waste management include the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

For more information about the Sustainable Development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development please visit: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/ and the outcome document transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Goals

At the heart of the 2030 Agenda are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which represent an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing alike - through a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other forms of deprivation must go together with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and promote economic growth, while also addressing climate change and protecting our oceans and forests.

The sound management of chemicals and wastes is reflected in several SDGs and targets, including goal 2 “sustainable agriculture”, goal 3 “Good health and well-being”, goal 6 “Clean water and sanitation”, goal 11 “Sustainable cities and communities”, goal 14 “Life below water” and goal 12 “Responsible production and consumption”.

Indicators

The global indicator framework for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was developed to monitor progress towards the achievement of the Goals and their associated targets. The framework currently includes 231 unique indicators.

Several global indicators relate to the management of chemicals and wastes. The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) currently provides data for indicator 12.4.1.

The indicator 12.4.1 measures: “the number of Parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement”.

The BRS Secretariat reports on indicator 12.4.1 using information that Parties are required to transmit to the Secretariat under the respective conventions, regardless of national circumstances. They include:

  • Designation of official country contacts under each Convention,
  • National implementation plans under the Stockholm Convention,
  • National reports submitted under the Basel and Stockholm conventions, and
  • Import responses submitted under the Rotterdam Convention.

For more information about the SDGs indicators please visit the website: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/indicators-list/

SDGs targets and indicators to which the BRS conventions contribute

SDG 2 Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Target 2.4 By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality Indicator 2.4.1 Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture
SDG 3 Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Target 3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination Indicators 3.9.1 Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution
3.9.2 Mortality rate attributed to unsafe water, unsafe sanitation and lack of hygiene (exposure to unsafe WASH services)
3.9.3 Mortality rate attributed to unintentional Poisoning
SDG 6 Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Target 6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally Indicators 6.3.1 Proportion of wastewater safely treated
6.3.2 Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality
SDG 11 Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Target 11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management Indicators 11.6.1 Percentage of urban solid waste regularly collected and with adequate final discharge with regard to the total waste generated by the city
11.6.2 Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population weighted)
SDG 12 Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Targets 12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment Indicators 12.4.1 Number of Parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement
12.4.2 Hazardous waste generated per capita, proportion of hazardous waste treated and by type of treatment
Target 12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse Indicator 12.5.1 National recycling rate, tons of material recycled
SDG 12 Goal 14. Life below water
Targets 14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution Indicators 14.1.1(b) Plastic debris density

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