18 November.pdf

The Virtual Working Group on Financial Considerations held its 1st virtual meeting on November 18, 2020, to discuss an integrated approach to financing the sound management of chemicals and waste (SMCW) and capacity building. The meeting was co-facilitated by Jonah Davis Ormond from Antigua and Barbuda and Reggie Hernaus from the Netherlands.

The SAICM Secretariat provided an overview of the virtual working group process, mandate, and dedicated website. Thirteen stakeholders had submitted electronic feedback prior to the discussion, including the EU, IPEN, UNDP, UNEP, and others.

The discussion focused on three main areas:

1. General views on the integrated approach to financing SMCW, including the need for adequate, predictable, and sustainable financing, and the importance of a multi-sectoral approach.
2. Mainstreaming, with general support for considering mainstreaming as crucial to implementing SMCW and achieving the SDGs. Stakeholders suggested actions at the national level, such as setting up an inter-ministerial forum, and highlighted the role of the private sector and finance sector in supporting mainstreaming.
3. Private sector involvement, with general agreement that private sector involvement is necessary for achieving SMCW, and suggestions for strengthening industry contributions and encouraging greater responsibility.

The meeting also discussed specific ideas, such as establishing a clearinghouse mechanism to track development aid, and developing methodological guidelines for mainstreaming, especially for developing countries. Overall, the meeting emphasized the importance of a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach to financing SMCW and capacity building.