BRS NEWSLETTER

Assisting parties to protect human health and the environment

February 2019 - No. 24

Welcome

Dear Readers,

This edition has key information about the forthcoming 2019 Triple COPs – the meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm conventions – which run from 29 April to 10 May in Geneva. Click below for an overview of what to expect from the COPs, including the Information Fair, how to view the background documents, and details of the 4 regional preparatory meetings throughout March, plus news on plastic waste and a postcard from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. #Detox!

News
	Plastic waste again in the spotlight as Geneva hosts High Level Dialogue on 14 February BRS Secretariat joins forces with Geneva Environment Network and the governments of France, Gabon & Norway to further explore options for tackling marine litter. Share:
	Outcomes online of the 14th meeting of the Chemical Review Committee The final version of the CRC-14 meeting report is now available in all United Nations languages. Share:
	PIC Circular XLVIII now available The latest version of the Rotterdam Convention PIC Circular is now available online. Share:
	EU transmits updated plan to help beat pollution from toxic chemicals To rid the world of POPs, the EU has transmitted a new plan for implementing the Stockholm Convention. Share:
	Ireland transmits updated plan to help beat pollution from toxic chemicals To ride the world of POPs, Ireland has transmitted a new national plan for implementing the Stockholm Convention. Share:
	First batch of pre-session documents, including budget documents for consideration by the COPs, now online Pre-session documents for the 2019 COPs, including the proposed programmes of work and budgets for the conventions for 2020-2021, are now available. Share:
	Chemicals and waste “Information Fair” at the 2019 BRS Triple COPs Apply for space at the Information Fair, 2 to 4 May, to showcase products, processes or partnerships which improve implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions. Share:
	BRS Secretariat marks International Day of Women & Girls in Science Meet the BRS Science & Technical Assistance Branch, which has female staff from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, & Latin America, all working for a Clean Planet & Healthy People. Share:

Technical Assistance

Upcoming webinars

Upcoming workshops

Forthcoming meeting

Four joint regional meetings to help Parties prepare for the 2019 Triple COPs

Regional preparatory meetings for the 2019 COPs will be held throughout March 2019, jointly with meetings on the Minamata Convention & SAICM. Invitation letters for the meetings have been sent out.

Emerging issues

David Ogden: Here come the COPs: Concrete steps towards a clean planet and healthy people

From 29 April to 10 May this year, in Geneva, the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions will meet back-to-back for the fourth time. These “Triple COPs” meet every two years to set the agenda and take decisions with the aim to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of chemicals and waste. This year an Information Fair will be staged on the sidelines, highlighting and promoting the exchange of information as a vehicle for the implementation of the three conventions, from 2 to 4 May.

Synergies in the spotlight

As preparation for the 2019 Triple COPs, the outcomes of the Joint Bureaux meeting are now online

The report of the joint meeting of the COPs bureaux, held in Geneva from 15 to 16 November 2018, is now available online.

Postcard from Bishkek

Regional workshop in Kyrgyzstan builds government capacities for implementing Rotterdam Convention

Officials from 10 countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus were trained during an FAO workshop in Bishkek, 19 to 23 November.