Event Conference
Making Human Rights Central in the Chemicals and Waste Discussions | Geneva Toxic Free Talks
20 Sep 2023
13:15–14:45
Venue: Palais des Nations, Room H.307-1 & Online | Webex
Organization: Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council, Earthjustice, Geneva Environment Network
On the sidelines of 54th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC54), this year’s Toxic Free Talks will take place from 20 to 22 September — three days of conferences and discussions, highlighting the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights, and of organizations in the struggle for the right to live in a toxic-free environment.
About this Session
Various important international environmental negotiations taking place in 2023 in Geneva and beyond, are addressing chemicals, wastes and pollution, bringing developments in international law on toxic substances and pollution.
The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions held their last meetings of the Conference of the Parties in Geneva in May 2023. The 5th International Conference on Chemical Management (ICCM 5) will take place in Bonn at the end of September 2023. The 5th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention will take place in November 2023, in Geneva, while the negotiations for a future treaty on plastics will held its third session in Nairobi in November 2023, and the future science-policy platform on toxic substances and pollution will be discussed at a meeting to be held in Jordan, in December 2023. In all these discussions human rights have a central role to play, as the raison d’être of these instruments and institutions is to protect humans and their natural environment.
At this session of this year’s Geneva Toxic Free Talks, panelists discussed steps that have been taken on discussing and integrating human rights into ongoing negotiations, and will explore how these can be further strengthened in ongoing and future discussions.
About the Geneva Toxic Free Talks
The Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights reports every fall to the Council and to the UN General Assembly on issues related to his mandate. The Geneva Toxic Free Talks aim to harness the opportunity of this moment of the year to reflect on the challenges posed by the production, use, and dissemination of toxics and on how Geneva contributes to bringing together the actors working in reversing the toxic tide.
On the sidelines of HRC54, this year’s Toxic Free Talks will take place from 20 to 22 September — three days of conferences and discussions, highlighting the work of the Special Rapporteur and of organizations in the struggle for the right to live in a toxic-free environment.
Speakers
H.E. Amb. Romy TINCOPA
Deputy Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations Office and International Organizations in Geneva
Marcos ORELLANA
UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights
David OGDEN
Deputy Executive Secretary (officer-in-charge), Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions
Brenda KOEKKOEK
Programme Management Specialist, Plastic Pollution INC Secretariat
Richard GUTIERREZ
Programme Management Officer, Minamata Convention Secretariat
Therese KARLSSON
Science and Technical Advisor, IPEN
Ana Paula DE SOUZA
Human Rights Officer, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Diana RIZZOLIO
Coordinator, Geneva Environment Network | Moderator
Video
Live from Youtube
Live in the Room
Photo Gallery
