IISD Reporting Services Blog

Basel COP9 - Highlights for Friday, 27 June 2008

View of the entrance of the Bali International Convention Centre

The ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal convened for its final day on Friday. Delegates convened during the morning in COW to discuss and agree on various draft decisions, including on the: review of the operation of Basel Convention Regional Centres; work plan for the Nariobi Declaration on the ESM of Electrical and Electronic waste; Basel Convention Partnership Programme; budget; and the guidance document on the ESM of used and end-of-life mobile phones.

Plenary adopted several decisions, inter alia: legal matters; the President’s initiative on the Ban Amendment; technical matters; and ship dismantling. After congratulating delegates on the their hard work throughout the week President Kartaadipoetra gavelled the meeting to a close at 9:12pm.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

MEA Bulletin - Issue #50 now available!

L-R: AWG-LCA Chair Luiz Machado, Brazil, and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer

BONN CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS CONCLUDE AS ATTENTION TURNS TO ACCRA

Four parallel meetings took place between 2-13 June 2008, in Bonn, Germany, under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Kyoto Protocol. The second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA), which was launched in Bali, started its substantive work in Bonn, while the resumed fifth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) began the process of listing issues for further negotiation, particularly on the Kyoto Protocol’s market-based mechanisms and on carbon sinks. The Subsidiary Body for Implementation advanced preparations for a second review of the Kyoto Protocol under Article 9 in December 2009, and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice made some progress on methodologies for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation in developing countries (REDD). Collectively, these meetings resulted in the adoption of 30 conclusions and four draft decisions that will be taken up at subsequent meetings. More information: IISD RS coverage of the meeting and UNFCCC Secretariat website.

Since 13 June, the Secretariat’s focus has moved to the next round of talks (21-27 August 2008, Accra, Ghana). These meetings will include the third session of the AWG-LCA and the sixth session of the AWG-KP. On 23 June, the Secretariat published a notification for parties and observer States with details about the Accra talks and annexes containing provisional agendas and guidelines for visas. More information.

The AWG-KP will consider conclusions on such issues as the Protocol’s flexible mechanisms and land use, land-use change and forestry, while the AWG-LCA is expected to discuss sectoral issues and REDD. More information. 

In other UNFCCC news, the fifth meeting of the Enforcement Branch of the Kyoto Protocol’s Compliance Committee took place in Bonn on 14-15 June. The meeting considered a question of non-compliance relating to Canada, and decided that it would not pursue this matter further. More information: UNFCCC website - Compliance under the Kyoto Protocol; and UNFCCC website - Enforcement Branch of the Compliance Committee - Fifth meeting.

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ICP-9 - Highlights for Thursday, 26 June 2008

Participants during Thursday’s discussions

On Thursday morning, delegates to the ninth meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (Consultative Process or ICP-9) reconvened in a discussion panel on maritime security and safety to briefly address issues related to enhancing cooperation, coordination and integration, and increased capacity building. Delegates then reconvened in plenary for a general exchange of views on areas of concern and actions needed. In the afternoon, delegates discussed inter-agency cooperation and coordination, addressed issues that could benefit from attention in the UN General Assembly's future work, and heard a general round of comments on the Co-Chairs' paper on possible elements to be suggested to the UN General Assembly.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

Basel COP9 - Highlights for Thursday, 26 June 2008

Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director, signed the first day cover of the release of stamps dedicated to COP9 by the Government of Indonesia.

The ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal convened in the high level segment throughout the day. The segment consisted of an opening ceremony and a World Forum on Waste Management for Human Health and Livelihood. During the afternoon delegates heard presentations from NGOs and industry. The work programme and finance, legal, and evaluation and strategic planning contact groups met throughout the day.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

ICP-9 - Highlights for Wednesday, 25 June 2008

The dais during the Discussion Panel: Enhancing Cooperation, Coordination and Integration, and Increasing Capacity-Building

On Wednesday, delegates to the ninth meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (Consultative Process or ICP-9) reconvened in a discussion panel on maritime security and safety. In the morning, presentations were made and a discussion was held focusing on people at sea. In the afternoon, panelists and delegates addressed issues relating to enhancing cooperation, coordination and integration, and increasing capacity building.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

Basel COP9 - Highlights for Wednesday, 25 June 2008

COW Chair Mary Harwood opened the morning session.

On Wednesday, 25 June 2008, COP9 to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal convened for its third day. Delegates met in the COW throughout the day. In the morning, delegates heard reports from contact groups on technical matters, BCRCs and finance and the work programme, which continued meeting concurrently with the COW, and on ship dismantling, which announced it had completed its work. Throughout the morning, the Committee continued addressing a number of technical matters, forwarded several draft decisions to plenary, and began consideration of the Partnership Programme. During the afternoon, delegates discussed various matters including: the Nairobi Declaration on the ESM of Electrical and Electronic Waste; national reporting; and several partnership initiatives. In the late afternoon, an informal consultation was convened on an initiative by the COP9 President to consider the President’s Non-Paper on the way forward with the Ban Amendment.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

ICP-9 - Highlights for Tuesday, 24 June 2008

Delegates during the Discussion Panel: Combating Transnational Organized Crime

On Tuesday, delegates to the ninth meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (Consultative Process or ICP-9) reconvened in a discussion panel on maritime security and safety. In the morning, presentations were made and a discussion was held on prevention and suppression of transnational organized crime. In the afternoon, delegates addressed issues relating to experiences and challenges in maritime safety.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

Basel COP9 - Highlights for Tuesday, 24 June 2008

The dais of the Committee of the Whole.

On Tuesday, 24 June 2008, COP9 to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal convened for its second day. Delegates gathered in the morning in the COW to continue consideration of the implementation of decisions adopted by COP8, including cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions and financial matters. 

During the afternoon, delegates addressed the strategic plan, the process of evaluation of the effectiveness of the Convention and a number of legal issues.

Contact groups on technical matters, BCRCs and ship dismantling convened throughout the day and in the evening. The finance and work programme contact group met in the afternoon.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

ICP-9 - Highlights for Monday, 23 June 2008

Delegates during Monday’s ICP9 plenary session

The ninth meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (Consultative Process or ICP) opened on Monday, 23 June 2008, at UN headquarters in New York. Delegates convened in Plenary in the morning, to hear opening remarks, address organizational matters and exchange views on concerns and actions needed. In the afternoon, a discussion panel on maritime safety and security was held.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting

Basel COP9 - Highlights for Monday, 23 June 2008

Local dancers during the opening ceremony of Basel COP9

On Monday, 23 June 2008, the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal began with a welcoming ceremony, followed by an opening plenary. Delegates heard opening statements, elected Rachmat Nadi Witoelar Kartaadipoetra, State Minister for the Environment (Indonesia), as COP9 President, and addressed organizational matters. In the early afternoon, delegates established a Committee of the Whole (COW), chaired by Mary Harwood (Australia), to address substantive issues. The COW convened immediately and began its consideration of the implementation of decisions adopted by COP8, including a review of the Basel Convention Regional and Coordinating Centres, several technical matters and the dismantling of ships.

IISD RS coverage of the meeting