In recent years Switzerland has successfully lobbied for the strengthening of synergies in international policies on waste and chemicals. Now for the first time the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has organised joint sessions of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel Agreement, the Rotterdam Agreement and the Stockholm Agreement (see Box 1). They will take place from 22 to 24 February 2010 on Bali, Indonesia.

At the heart of the joint conference is the continued development of the process initiated by Switzerland in 2001 aimed at increasing synergies. Since that time the three convention secretariats have continued to work together more closely. Specific joint activities will now be decided on at the Conferences of the Parties on Bali. In addition the project for joint governance of the Conventions, also initiated by Switzerland, will be further developed.

Global Ministerial Environment Forum

The Global Ministerial Environment Forum will also be held on Bali, from 24 to 26 February 2010, directly after the simultaneous session of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. The states will then have the opportunity to assess the situation regarding the environment, to discuss international strategies for the protection of natural resources and to decide on environmental policy measures. On the agenda this year are three topics: the Green Economy, strengthening the institutions and processes of international environmental policy and biodiversity and ecosystems.

Switzerland and Indonesia will invite the environment ministers to a working lunch at which discussion will focus on the further consolidation of synergies in the international chemicals regime. In particular Switzerland wants to gain support for its goal of extending the new mercury convention, for which negotiations start in June 2010, to other toxic substances such as lead and cadmium.

Federal Council has assigned mandates

In its session of 17 February 2010 the Federal Council assigned the mandates for participation in the Conferences of the Parties and in the Global Ministerial Environment Forum. Bruno Oberle, Director of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), will represent Switzerland at the ministerial level and will hold the title of State Secretary for the duration of the Conference. At the same time the Federal Council has set Switzerland's contribution to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for the years 2010-2011. Because of the great importance of UNEP for Swiss environmental foreign policy, the contributions will be continued at the current level of approximately 4 million CHF per year.

Box 1:
Three global conventions on chemicals and waste

Several international regimes and instruments designed to ensure the responsible management of hazardous chemicals and wastes have been established in recent decades. Their ultimate objective is to safeguard human health and environmental quality. In particular, three global conventions have been negotiated and have entered into force, all with secretariats in Geneva:

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Dangerous Wastes and their Disposal
The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (also known as the PIC Convention)
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (also known as the  POPs Convention)

Three global conventions on chemicals and waste to hold joint meeting for the first time