Press Release
October 05, 2023
- Health & Chemicals
Results of the 5th session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5)
1. The 5th session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5) was held in Bonn, Germany, from 25 to 29 September 2023.
2. Approx. 110 member states and a regional economic integration organization participated in this session and adopted the “Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC) – For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste” as a new global framework for chemicals management. The document incorporates items showing measures for promoting the involvement of the industry sector, the health sector, the labor sector, etc. and aims to strengthen voluntary chemicals management by multi-stakeholders.
3. The Ministry of the Environment, Japan, will collaborate with relevant ministries and agencies to develop a national implementation plan toward steady implementation of chemicals management based on this new framework, and will continue supporting developing countries in the Asia Pacific region for chemicals management steadily.
Background
At the first session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) held in February 2006, the “Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)” was adopted.
Toward the goal of aiming to achieve, by 2020, that chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment (WSSD 2020 Goal), which was adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2002, SAICM provides for strategies and action plans for the reduction of risks based on scientific risk assessment, collection and provision of information on chemicals, development of a chemicals management system by individual countries, and promotion of technical cooperation to developing countries, based on the idea of a precautionary approach. Sessions of the ICCM have been held regularly for following up the progress of the strategies and action plans.
After ICCM4, discussions have been accelerated to develop a new framework for the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020 through the Intersessional Process toward the ICCM5. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ICCM5 and the subsequent adoption of a new framework was delayed significantly, but ICCM5 was finally held as below.
Toward the goal of aiming to achieve, by 2020, that chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment (WSSD 2020 Goal), which was adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2002, SAICM provides for strategies and action plans for the reduction of risks based on scientific risk assessment, collection and provision of information on chemicals, development of a chemicals management system by individual countries, and promotion of technical cooperation to developing countries, based on the idea of a precautionary approach. Sessions of the ICCM have been held regularly for following up the progress of the strategies and action plans.
After ICCM4, discussions have been accelerated to develop a new framework for the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020 through the Intersessional Process toward the ICCM5. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ICCM5 and the subsequent adoption of a new framework was delayed significantly, but ICCM5 was finally held as below.
Outline of ICCM5
・Period: September 25 to September 29, 2023
・Venue: Bonn, Germany
・Organizer: United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
・Participants: Government representatives, relevant international organizations, the industrial sectors, civil society organizations, etc.
MATSUZAWA Yutaka, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and others participated from Japan.
MATSUZAWA Yutaka, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and others participated from Japan.
* Documents: Agenda and conference documents, etc. are available on the following website.
Major outcome
・Adoption of the “Global Framework on Chemicals – For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste” (See the attachments for detail.)
Japan’s major contribution
・Japan proposed a mechanism for taking stock of progress to enable each stakeholder to efficiently report their progress for achieving the goal under the new framework, visualize the progress thereof and communicate the relevant information broadly, and the proposal was incorporated in the framework document.
・Japan served as the chair in one of the discussion groups on individual agenda and contributed to smooth consensus formation. Such contribution was highly evaluated and Japan was selected as the regional focal point in the Asia Pacific region in the new framework.
・Japan served as the chair in one of the discussion groups on individual agenda and contributed to smooth consensus formation. Such contribution was highly evaluated and Japan was selected as the regional focal point in the Asia Pacific region in the new framework.
Attached File
Contact
Environmental Health and Safety Division, Environmental Health Department, Ministry of the Environment, Japan
- +81-(0)3-5521-8259