COP-16 side event: Minamata Convention highlights the role of chemicals and waste in protecting biodiversity

Organized in collaboration with the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, this side event at the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP-16) focused on recent developments and outcomes in the chemicals and waste international agenda. The session explored how these efforts can support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and provided the opportunity for organizations and countries such as Colombia, Japan and Uganda to share experiences on enhanced cooperation and coordination, building on the collaborative efforts of UNEP and Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) like the Minamata Convention.

At the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-5) to the Minamata Convention, decision MC-5/17 welcomed the adoption of the GBF and tasked the Secretariat with preparing a draft road map, including possible actions and indicators, to help Parties maximize the co-benefits from implementing both the Convention and the GBF. The decision also noted the absence of indicators regarding the risk from highly hazardous chemicals in the monitoring framework for the GBF, and invited the CBD COP to consider additional indicators under target 7 ("Reduce pollution to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity") to cover mercury.

Pollution from chemicals and waste is a main driver of biodiversity loss, as highlighted in various technical reports covering the linkages between pollution and biodiversity. Strengthening cooperation between biodiversity and chemicals and wastes MEAs has become a priority for addressing these interconnected challenges and protect human health and the environment.

Learn more about the participation of the Minamata Convention at COP-16 here.