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The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)

The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). Pacific Island workshop Apia, 8 November 2007. Contents. SAICM development Update on implementation. Introducing SAICM: overview. What SAICM is and what it’s not What’s new Mandates for development

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The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)

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  1. The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) Pacific Island workshop Apia, 8 November 2007

  2. Contents • SAICM development • Update on implementation

  3. Introducing SAICM: overview • What SAICM is and what it’s not • What’s new • Mandates for development • The development process • What does SAICM consist of? • Dubai Declaration • Overarching Policy Strategy • Global Plan of Action • ICCM resolutions

  4. Introducing SAICM: mandates for development • UNEP Governing Council, February 2002 • World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, September 2002 • World Summit, New York, 2005 • World Health Assembly, May 2003 • International Labour Conference, June 2003 • African Environment Ministers (AMCEN), June 2004 • Latin American and Caribbean Environment Ministers, November 2005 • Arab Environment Ministers (CAMRE), December 2005 • Council of the European Union, December 2005

  5. SAICM: the development process • Development of SAICM was initiated by UNEP Governing Council in 2002 and endorsed by World Summits in 2002 and 2005. • A multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral consultation, involving representatives of Governments, NGOs, Industry and IGOs drawn from sectors such as agriculture, environment, health, industry and labour. • Three sessions of a Preparatory Committee (Bangkok, November 2003; Nairobi, October 2004; Vienna, September 2005). • Regional consultations. • International Conference on Chemicals Management, Dubai, February 2006 (adopted SAICM).

  6. SAICM: key features of development • New framework for global action on sound management of chemicals. • Voluntary & non-binding • Involving all stakeholders and sectors • Broad scope • Builds on previous work and initiatives • Address chemicals management throughout their life cycle • Aims to promote, catalyse and facilitate the sound management of chemicals • Review of progress to achieve the 2020 goal of sound management of chemicals • Recognizes the needs of developing countries and transition economy countries • in particular those of least developed countries and small island developing States

  7. SAICM: texts • Dubai Declaration on International Chemicals Management • Overarching Policy Strategy (OPS) • Global Plan of Action • Resolutions of the ICCM • The Dubai Declaration and the OPS were adopted by the ICCM while the GPA was recommended for use and further development

  8. SAICM texts: the Dubai Declaration on International Chemicals Management • Adopted by “Ministers, heads of delegation and representatives of civil society and the private sector”. • “… our firm commitment to the Strategic Approach and its implementation.” • “The sound management of chemicals is essential if we are to achieve sustainable development, including the eradication of poverty and disease, the improvement of human health and the environment and the elevation and maintenance of the standard of living in countries at all levels of development.” • “The global production, trade and use of chemicals are increasing, with growth patterns placing an increasing chemicals management burden on developing countries and countries with economies in transition, in particular the least developed among them and small island developing States, and presenting them with special difficulties in meeting this challenge. As a result, fundamental changes are needed in the way that societies manage chemicals.”

  9. SAICM texts: the Overarching Policy Strategy (OPS) • Structure: • Scope • Needs • Objectives • Financial considerations • Principles and approaches • Implementation arrangements

  10. SAICM: OPS scope • SAICM has a scope that includes: • Environmental, economic, social, health and labour aspects of chemical safety, • Agricultural and industrial chemicals, with a view to promoting sustainable development and covering chemicals at all stages of their life-cycle, including in productsImplementation arrangements • Note: SAICM does not cover products to the extent that the health and environmental aspects of the safety of the chemicals and products are regulated by a domestic food or pharmaceutical authority or arrangement

  11. SAICM: OPS statements of needs • Statement of needs recognizes: • the growing gaps between the capacities of different countries to manage chemicals safely, • the need to improve synergies between existing instruments and processes • the growing sense of urgency regarding the need to assess and manage chemicals more effectively to achieve the 2020 goal • the existing international policy framework for chemicals is not completely adequate and needs to be further strengthened; • The inadequate resources available to address chemical safety issues in many countries, particularly to bridge the widening gap between developed countries on the one hand and developing countries and countries with economies in transition on the other. • Identifies needs for each OPS objective

  12. SAICM: OPS objectives A. Risk reduction B. Knowledge and information C. Governance D. Capacity-building and technical cooperation E. Illegal international traffic

  13. SAICM: Financial considerations • OPS paragraph 19 calls: • upon existing and new sources of financial support to provide additional resources, • the mobilization of additional national and international financial resources, including through the Quick Start Programme. • Identifies that the extent to which developing countries, particularly least developed countries and small island developing States, and countries with economies in transition can make progress towards reaching the 2020 goal depends, in part, on the availability of financial resources provided by the private sector and bilateral, multilateral and global agencies or donors. • Financial arrangements for the Strategic Approach include, among other things: • Actions at the national or sub-national levels • Enhancing industry partnerships and financial and technical participation in SAICM • Integration of SAICM objectives into multilateral and bilateral development assistance cooperation • Making more effective use of and building upon existing sources of relevant global funding, including by inviting the Global Environment Facility and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and its Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol within their mandates

  14. SAICM: Global Plan of Action • Recommended for use and further development as a working tool and guidance document for stakeholders implementing SAICM. Not fully negotiated. • 36 work areas, 273 activities, actors, targets/timeframes, indicators of progress, implementation aspects. • Structured in accordance with the 5 categories of SAICM objectives set out in the OPS.

  15. Introducing SAICM: ICCM resolutions • ICCM adopted 4 resolutions at its first session: • I/1 Implementation arrangements • I/2 Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety • I/3 Tribute to the host Government • I/4 Quick Start Programme

  16. Implementing SAICM: overview • Importance of and responsibility for implementation • Focal points • Quick Start Programme • IGO governing bodies • ICCM and regional meetings

  17. Implementing SAICM: the importance of and responsibility for implementing SAICM • Adoption of SAICM in Dubai was the beginning not the end - success depends on implementation. • All stakeholders have roles and responsibilities. • SAICM provides the policy framework and can facilitate assistance but progress depends on the initiatives of individual actors, including Governments, IGOs and NGOs. • Dubai Declaration: • “We collectively share the view that implementation and taking stock of progress are critical to ensuring success…” • “We will promote the sound management of chemicals and hazardous wastes as a priority in national, regional and international policy frameworks, including strategies for sustainable development, development assistance and poverty reduction.”

  18. Implementing SAICM: the national level Governments are expected to: • integrate SAICM into relevant programmes and plans, including those for development cooperation [OPS paragraph 19 (a)]; • consider developing, with relevant stakeholder participation, a national implementation plan, taking into consideration existing elements [OPS paragraph 22]; • establish arrangements for implementing SAICM on an inter-ministerial or inter‑institutional basis so that all concerned stakeholder interests are represented and all relevant substantive areas are addressed [OPS paragraph 23].

  19. Implementing SAICM: national focal points • The SAICM OPS, paragraph 23 provides that: • To facilitate communication, nationally and internationally, each Government should designate a SAICM national focal point to act as an effective conduit for communication on SAICM matters, including invitations to participate in meetings and information dissemination. • The SAICM national focal point should be a representative of the country’s inter-ministerial or inter-institutional arrangements, where such arrangements exist.” • National focal points • 130 officially nominated so far • Nomination should be channelled through Foreign Ministries after full inter-ministerial consultation • Requirement for applicants to the QSP trust fund • Pacific Island national focal points: • Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Samoa & Tonga

  20. Implementing SAICM: other focal points • Regional focal points • Africa • Asia-Pacific • Central & Eastern Europe • Latin America & Caribbean • Western Europe and Others • Asia-Pacific regional focal point: Mr Eisaku Toda, Japanese Ministry of the Environment • Note: additional regional representatives for QSP Executive Board: Iran and Thailand • NGO focal points • e.g. Pesticide Action Network (Asia-Pacific), Sustainable Development Policy Institute (Pakistan), Toxics Link (India)

  21. Implementing SAICM: the regional level • The SAICM Overarching Policy Strategy and ICCM resolution I/1 call for regional meetings as a key element in work on SAICM between ICCM sessions. • An Asia-Pacific regional meeting was held in Bangkok from 21 to 23 May 2007 • Defined terms of reference for the Asia-Pacific regional focal point and informal assistance group • Defined terms of reference for the Asia-Pacific regional representatives on the QSP Executive Board • Exchanged views on national, regional and global implementation of SAICM • Called for sub-regional workshops to to facilitate identification of regional priorities and possibly development of such a regional action plan • Discussed preparations for the second session of the ICCM to be held in May 2009, including the preparatory meeting of the Open Ended Legal and Technical Working Group in October 2008

  22. Implementing SAICM: Pacific Island involvement • Statement of Pacific regional needs made by Island Governments and SPREP • Lists regional concerns and needs • Highlights barriers to improved management of chemicals and hazardous wastes • Priority needs and issues for chemical and hazardous waste management • Could be a starting point to define SIAMC regional priorities • Could be used for national/regional QSP trust fund project proposal

  23. Implementing SAICM: Quick Start Programme (1): establishment • The objective of the QSP is to support initial SAICM enabling capacity‑building and implementation activities in developing countries, least developed countries, small island developing States and countries with economies in transition. • The QSP includes a UNEP trust fund (until 2013) and multilateral, bilateral and other forms of cooperation. • Mandate elaborated in ICCM Resolution I/4.

  24. Implementing SAICM: Quick Start Programme (2): strategic priorities • To support the mobilization of resources for national priority initial enabling activities in keeping with the work areas set out in the strategic objectives of section IV of the SAICM OPS, in particular those relating to: • development or updating of national chemical profiles and the identification of capacity needs for sound management of chemicals; • development and strengthening of national chemicals management institutions, plans, programmes and activities to implement SAICM, building upon work conducted to implement international chemicals-related agreements and initiatives; and • undertaking analysis, interagency coordination, and public participation activities directed at enabling the implementation of SAICM by integrating, i.e. mainstreaming, the sound management of chemicals in national strategies, and thereby informing development assistance cooperation priorities.

  25. Implementing SAICM: Quick Start Programme (3): institutional set-up • QSP Executive Board (2 Government representatives for each UN region, plus bilateral and multilateral donors and other contributors) • Government regional representatives: Burundi, Egypt, Iran, Thailand, Belarus, Georgia, Jamaica, Peru, Belgium, USA • QSP Trust Fund Implementation Committee (FAO, ILO, OECD, UNEP, UNIDO, UNITAR, WHO, UNDP) • UNEP trust fund administration • SAICM secretariat

  26. Implementing SAICM: Quick Start Programme (4): trust fund • Approximately $6 million was pledged in 2006 • Approximately $1 million was pledged in 2007 • Governments of developing countries, particularly LDCs and SIDS, and countries with economies in transition are eligible to apply, plus civil society networks on an “exceptional basis”. • Applications via SAICM national focal points. • Application forms and guidelines available on SAICM web site. • Deadline for applications in the next 6-monthly round: 7 March 2007. Subsequent round: September 2008.

  27. Implementing SAICM: IGO governing bodies • Dubai Declaration: “We will strive to integrate SAICM into the work programmes of all relevant UN organizations, specialized agencies, funds and programmes consistent with their mandates as accorded by their respective governing bodies.” • ICCM Resolution I/1: “Commends the Strategic Approach to the attention of the governing bodies of relevant intergovernmental organizations and encourages them to endorse or otherwise appropriately acknowledge the Strategic Approach.” • During 2006, SAICM was endorsed or formally noted by the governing bodies of FAO, ILO, UNEP, UNITAR and WHO.

  28. Implementing SAICM: ICCM • The International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) will be reconvened in 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2020 to undertake periodic reviews of SAICM’s implementation. • ICCM2 is tentatively scheduled for May 2009 in Geneva, back-to-back with the World Health Assembly. • An Open-ended Legal and Technical Working Group will be convened in October 2008 to assist ICCM2 preparations.

  29. Conclusion • SAICM: • an ambitious new policy initiative that goes beyond previous efforts; • Pacific Island participation is important • Present workshop aims to look for possibilities to increase awareness and involvement in the region

  30. Contacts- information Please visit the SAICM web site at: www.chem.unep.ch/saicm and soon:www.saicm.org or contact: SAICM secretariat, Chemicals Branch, UNEP/DTIE, 11-13 chemin des Anémones, CH-1219 Châtelaine, Geneva, Switzerland, telephone +41 22 917 8532, fax +41 22 797 3460, e-mail saicm@chemicals.unep.ch

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