European Union

The First Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020 opened on Tuesday, 7 February 2017, in Brasilia, Brazil. Opening remarks were provided by Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat, Naoko Ishii (by video), CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil, and Gertrud Sahler (Germany), President, Fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5). The meeting then elected Leticia Reis Carvalho, Environment Ministry, Brazil, and David Morin, Health Canada, as co-chairs of the intersessional process. It also approved the provisional agenda after agreeing to amend it to provide for a separate discussion on means of implementation (MOI). Felix Dodds, Tellus Institute, provided a keynote speech on “Setting the Scene for Beyond 2020” discussing the 2030 Development Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the opportunities for linkages with the post-2020 process for chemicals and waste. Robert Nurick, consultant, discussed the interim independent evaluation report of the Strategic Approach for 2006-2015 and the process for producing the final report to be presented in 2018. The Secretariat also presented its update on SAICM progress for 2014-2016. During lunch, parallel informal dialogues were held on “Looking ahead – SAICM and sound management of chemicals and waste in the light of future developments” and “Challenges and opportunities for sustainable chemistry to contribute to sustainable development.” After lunch a high level segment was held, with keynotes provided by: Sarney Filho, Environment Minister, Brazil; Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment; Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary, German Federal Ministry for the Environment; and Amb. Carvalho. This was followed by a panel discussion including these speakers as well as Fernando Musa, CEO, Braskem, Marco Mensink, Director General, CEFIC, Jeffer Castelo Branco, Coordinator, Association for Combatting Persistent Organic Pollutants, and Erika Yamada, Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In the late afternoon plenary reconvened to begin discussion on “Beyond 2020,” focusing initially on reactions to the scope and vision outlined in the “Thought starter” prepared by the Bureau of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM). In the evening, delegates attended a reception hosted by the Government of Brazil. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage from the 1st Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has produced a summary and analysis report of the meeting, which is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Opening Session (L-R): Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil; Gertrud Sahler, Director General, German Federal Ministry of Environment, and President, Fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5); Marcelo Cruz, Executive Secretary, Environment Ministry, Brazil; and Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, GEF, addressed delegates via a video message Gertrud Sahler, Director General, German Federal Ministry of Environment, and ICCM5 President Marcelo Cruz, Executive Secretary, Environment Ministry, Brazil Brenda Koekkoek, SAICM Secretariat, shakes hands with Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil (L-R): Gertrud Sahler, Director General, German Federal Ministry of Environment, and ICCM5 President; Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil; Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat; and Marcelo Cruz, Executive Secretary, Environment Ministry, Brazil, at the end of the opening session (L-R): Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat; Co-Chair Leticia Reis Carvalho, Environment Ministry, Brazil; Co-Chair David Morin, Health Canada; and Brenda Koekkoek, SAICM Secretariat Co-Chair Leticia Reis Carvalho, Environment Ministry, Brazil Co-Chair David Morin, Health Canada Felix Dodds, Tellus Institute Robert Nurick, consultant Brenda Koekkoek, SAICM Secretariat Jorge Ocaña, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Reginald Hernaus, EU Iftikhar-ul-Hassan Shah Gilani, Pakistan Noluzuko (Zukie) Gwayi, South Africa Mohammad Hematyar, Iran David Azoulay, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) Oluday O. Dada, Expert for Africa Region Francis Kihumba, Kenya Felix Wertli, Switzerland Karissa Taylor Kovner, US María Florencia Grimalt, Argentina Achim Halpaap, UN Environment Jorge Peydro Aznar, EU Informal Dialogue 1: Looking Ahead – SAICM and Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste in the Light of Future Developments Panel speakers of the informal dialogue during Marco Mensink’s address Christabel Mibenge, Ministry of Health, Health Promotion, Environment and Social Determinants, Zambia Marco Mensink, Director General, European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC), and Bob Diederich, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Sabaa Khan, University of Eastern Finland Olga Speranskaya, International POPs Elimination Network Participants during the discussion A view of the room during the informal dialogue Informal Dialogue 2: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Chemistry to Contribute to Sustainable Development Panel speakers of the informal dialogue Marina Mattar, Brazilian Chemical Industry Association Qian Cheng, Greenpeace East Asia Jutta Emig, Ministry of Environment, Germany Noluzuko Gwayi, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa Moderator Achim Halpaap, UN Environment Participants during the discussion A view of the room during the informal dialogue High Level Panel: A Holistic Approach to Addressing Sustainable Development The dais during the high level panel Johanna Lissinger-Peitz, Senior Adviser, Climate Change Chief Negotiator, Government of Sweden Sarney Filho, Minister of Environment, Brazil Ricardo Barros, Minister of Health, Brazil Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil Marco Mensink, Director General, CEFIC Fernando Musa, CEO, Braskem Jeffer Castelo Branco, Coordinator, Association for Combating Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Erika Yamada, Independent Expert on the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Reception Hosted by the Government of Brazil

CGRFA 16 delegates met in plenary to continue discussing sectoral matters including: review of implementation of the second Global Plan of Action on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (GPA-PGR 2); preparation of the third report on the State of the World’s PGRFA (SOW-PGR 3); review of implementation of the GPA for the Conservation, Sustainable Use and Development of Forest Genetic Resources (GPA-FGR); and status of the Commission’s work on microorganisms and invertebrates. The contact group on access and benefit-sharing (ABS) met at lunchtime and in the evening to discuss intersessional work on ABS elements in agricultural subsectors. The Committee on the Strategic Plan and Multi-year Programme of Work 2018-2027 met in the evening. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided digital coverage and a summary report of the Special Event: The Contribution of Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture to Resilience. In addition, IISD Reporting Services produced daily reports, daily digital coverage, and a summary and analysis report from CGRFA 16. The summary and analysis report is available in HTML and PDF format. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Morning Plenary View of the dais during the morning plenary Cho Chang Yeon, CGRFA 16 Chair Chikelu Mba, FAO Flavia Zammit, Malta, speaking on behalf of the EU Tomotaro Nishikawa, Japan Seuseu Tauati, Samoa, speaking on behalf of the Southwest Pacific Christina Blank, Switzerland Hussein Al Zubi, Syria Delegates raise their placard to speak Michael Halewood, Bioversity International Mayra Caldera, US Hamad Saket Al-Shamari, Qatar Chaouki Alfaiz, Morocco Svanhild-Isabelle Batta Torheim, Norway Mahaman Mourtala Issa Zakari, Niger Kuldeep Singh, India Afternoon Plenary View of the dais during the afternoon plenary Médi Moungui, Cameroon Johanna Wider, Germany Sibidou Sina, Chair, Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Forest Genetic Resources (ITWG-FGR) Jarkko Koskela, FAO Larissa Maria Lima Costa, Brazil Thembinkosi Gumedze, Swaziland Kalaya Boonyanuwat, Thailand Cesar Tapia, Ecuador Antonio Gonzalez, International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty Kim van Seeters, the Netherlands, speaking on behalf of the European Regional Group Dickson Nguni, Zambia Ji Hee Jeong, Korea   Lala Aimé Razafinjara, Madagascar Afaf Abdelrahim Elgozouli, Sudan Informal Consultations Throughout the Day Contact Group on Access and Benefit-Sharing for Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture The Committee on the Strategic Plan and Multi-year Programme of Work 2018-2027 Delegates huddle to discuss matters informally Side Events During the Day Delegates attend a side event entitled 'Strengthening women’s capacity in biodiversity and nutrition through farmer field schools' Delegates attend a side event entitled 'Access and benefit-sharing of animal genetic resources: community protocols and other perspectives' Around the Venue Delegates from Canada, Argentina and Germany speak in the corridors Delegates speak informally Delegates attend the launch of a photography exhibition hosted by Malta in celebration of the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union at the FAO

On Friday, 20 January 2017, the UN Forum on Forests concluded Working Group discussions at UN Headquarters in New York City, and in a Special Session adopted the UN’s first strategic plan for the world’s forests. In the morning, following informal negotiations that went until 3:30 am the night before, delegates returned to discuss a revised proposal for the quadrennial Programme of Work 2017-2020 (4POW). In the afternoon, delegates resumed discussions on the Strategic Plan, to finalize the global forest goals and targets, implementation framework, review framework, and the communication and outreach strategy. Some of the issues discussed included how to refer to the Global Environment Facility, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and new indicative thematic areas for actions. The Working Group reached consensus on all elements of the Strategic Plan and the 4POW and concluded at 6:05 pm. Immediately following this, a Special Session of the UNFF was held, and the report of the UNFF Working Group and the draft Report of the Forum at its Special Session was adopted. UNFF12 Chair Peter Besseau closed the meeting at 6:15 pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web updates from the UNFF Working Group and Special Session. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report of this event, which is available in HTML and PDF. Luca Perez, EU, suggested additional thematic areas for the Programme of Work, including biodiversity, sustainable consumption and production, energy. Christoph Dürr, Switzerland Delegates confer Delegates follow on-screen editing of the draft Strategic Plan on Forests. Manoel Sobral Filho, Director, UNFF Secretariat, gavels the Working Group to a close. Manoel Sobral Filho, Director, UNFF Secretariat, gives the floor to UNFF12 Chair Besseau The delegation from Papua New Guinea (L-R) Dambis Kaip and Fred Sarufa Co-Chair Mohammad Ali Zarie Zare, Iran and Hans Hoogeveen, the Netherlands

On Tuesday, 17 January 2017, a Working Group of the UN Forum on Forests continued discussions at UN Headquarters in New York City, focused on drafting a Strategic Plan and Programme of Work for the next four years. The Working Group aspires to reach consensus on these documents by the end of the week, so that they can be adopted at a special session on Friday, 20 January, to be considered at the 12th session of UNFF, to be held in May 2017. In the morning, delegates discussed the Programme of Work for 2017-2020, including themes for upcoming UNFF sessions, intersessional work, and financing. A revised text was circulated at lunch, and delegates met within regional groups for discussion. In the afternoon, delegates resumed discussion on the Strategic Plan, with a focus on Global Forest Goals. Translation services ended at 6:00 pm, but delegates continued discussion in an informal capacity, tackling issues such as how to refer to indigenous peoples within the Global Forest Goals. Some delegates expressed concern that the document could become unwieldy if too many targets and thematic areas are included, and encouraged consolidation. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web updates from the UNFF Working Group and Special Session. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report of this event, which is available in HTML and PDF. Liubov Poliakova, Ukraine, requested including more information on work undertaken at the regional level. Markku Aho, Farmers and Small Forest Landowners, said including regional meetings in the 4POW would give opportunity for sharing experiences and best practice. Sibylle Vermont, Switzerland, requested a report of the Trust Fund be presented at each session. Javad Momeni, Iran, called for inclusion of resource mobilization to advance SFM and implementation of the Strategic Plan. Luca Perez, EU, called for aligning the priority thematic areas of discussion for each UNFF session with that year’s HLPF focus. Elias Sekaleli, Lesotho, suggested including progress reports within the 4POW on mobilization of forest finance from different resources particularly from G3FN. Adamou Ibro, Niger, suggested that the mission statement should consider “trees outside of forests.” Delegates conferred during the lunch break. Delegates queued eagerly to receive the revised draft text.