The theme of the meetings and the high-level segment will be “Make visible the invisible: sound management of chemicals and wastes”.
Highlights from the BRS COPs
We have an observer status at the COP, and are members of the Household Waste Partnership and Plastic Waste Partnership.
The main focus at COP17 was the update of Annex IV to better reflect the realities of waste streams crossing borders. Annex IV defines treatment methods of waste for disposal or recycling, which may or may not comply with Ecologically Sound Management (ESM) criteria, in order to track the end point of waste transfers. Open burning was ultimately not added to the list, despite advocacy from several African countries seeking recognition of this non-ESM compliant reality. Similarly, the “preparation for reuse or repair” category was not added, due to lack of consensus on the reporting implications it might create.
Beyond the formalities of waste transfers, the Basel Convention defines ESM of waste and provides guidance for different treatment methods or waste types. COP17 introduced a new guidance document on ESM of household waste, which was presented during the FSWP side-event where the “Global Push” was launched (see above). FSWP supported the integration, in the 2026–2027 Work Plan of the “Household Waste Partnership” under BRS, of the activity enabling joint forums, webinars, and side-events on issues related to household and plastic waste. This will be a key component supporting the Global Push.
In the future, these BRS Conventions will be linked to new agreements: the Plastics Treaty (INC5.2 in August 2025) and the “Scientific and Policy Panel on Chemicals and Waste”, which will be discussed in June 2025.
Side event organisation
“Waste in the Spotlight: A Call for Sound Management & Global Action”
This side event highlighted the need to implement Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of waste and promote the circular economy to achieve sustainable development goals. It emphasized the essential transition to a society that produces less waste, safely recovers materials and energy, and ensures environmentally sound final disposal solutions. This side event shed light on the invisible impacts of poor waste management on health and environment and explored solutions to integrate waste and resource management into sustainable development frameworks. The waste and resources community are inherently multi-stakeholder encompassing municipalities and local authorities, national governments, private companies, UN- agencies, NGOs and international finance providing capital investments. These stakeholders must unite under a shared vision to drive transformative change in waste and resource management. This side event marked the beginning of a series dedicated to forging this unified approach and advancing waste and resource management as a global priority.
