Briefing on the 2025 Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions | Road to 2025 BRS COPs

About this Event

The Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions meet every two years to advance multilateral action to protect human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes.

The seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (BC COP-17), the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention (RC COP-12) and the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (SC COP-12) will be held back-to-back in Geneva from 28 April to 9 May 2025. The meetings will include a high-level segment on the afternoon of Wednesday, 30 April 2025 and the morning of Thursday, 1 May 2025. Preparatory meetings will be held on 27 April 2025. The theme of the meetings and the high-level segment in 2025 will be “Make visible the invisible: sound management of chemicals and wastes”.

This briefing, organized by the BRS Conventions Secretariat and the Geneva Environment Network, will provide the latest information on the preparations for the 2025 BRS COPs.

Road to 2025 BRS COPs

In the lead up to the 2025 Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, taking place from 28 April to 9 May 2025 in Geneva, the Geneva Environment Network is collaborating with various partners, including the BRS Secretariat, for a series of events providing information on preparations and facilitating dialogues on key issues to be discussed at the meetings.

Speakers

By order of intervention. 

Rolph PAYET

Executive Secretary, Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

Juliette KOHLER

Senior Legal Officer and Chief, Governance Branch, BRS Secretariat

Gundega TRUMKALNE

Chief, Administrative Management Branch, BRS Secretariat

Maria Cristina CARDENAS

Head of Unit & Senior Policy Advisor, Policy and Strategy Unit, BRS Secretariat

Océane DAYER

Waste and Chemicals Focal Point, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland

Highlights

Video

Possible contact and other groups

We anticipate a range of joint- and convention-specific contact groups. These include:

• SC:
  • Listing of chemicals
  • Compliance
• BC:
  • Group on strategic matters
  • Group on technical matters
  • Group on compliance and legal matters
• RC:
  • Enhancing the effectiveness of the Convention
  • Compliance
  • Listing of chemicals
• Joint Issues
  • Programmes of work and budgets
  • Technical assistance/financial resources and mechanisms
  • Joint issues, including CHM, international cooperation, cooperation with Minamata Convention, gender issues, among others.

Maria Cristina CARDENAS | Head of Unit & Senior Policy Advisor, Policy and Strategy Unit, BRS Secretariat

High-level Segment

A high level segment of the Conferences of the Parties being held on Wednesday 30 April and Thursday 1 May.

• Attendance
  • Attendance to these meetings is open in the plenary to everyone.
  • The ministerial roundtables are only open for ministers, deputy ministers or their equivalent. If you ask if you can have a plus one, in principle we’re looking at the capacity of the rooms. We suggest that, if you have a plus one, kindly register them indicating that they that would be accompanying the minister, and we will let you know closer to the time whether there is a possibility or not to access the venue.
• Languages
• The plenary sessions will be conducted with simultaneous interpretation.
• However, the roundtables would be held only in English or the language that ministers would speak from the floor. This is due to the logistic capacity of the rooms as it’s very difficult to have very informal discussions with simultaneous interpretation.
• Further information on the high-level segment, documents and the thought-starter (available in all languages), are available on the website.

High-level Segment Programme & Related Events

• Ministerial Round Table discussions
  • Several tables consisting of approximately 10 ministers each, will take place simultaneously (language preferences will be taken into account). Will consider the three sub-themes.
• Ministerial Interactive Panel discussions
  • Three sequential moderated panel discussions on pollution, circularity, and means of implementation.
    • Pollution – Exploring opportunities to address pollution and other environmental challenges such as climate change, and biodiversity loss through the implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm conventions.
    • Circularity – Exploring opportunities within the three conventions to promote sustainable consumption and production through the advancement of circularity in an environmentally sound manner.
    • Means of implementation – Exploring opportunities to enhance the implementation of the three conventions by improving access to technical assistance, new and clean technologies and promoting innovative financing approaches.
  • We will consider the sub-themes from a global and regional perspective.
• Outcomes of the HLS will include
  • a report summarizing the discussions; and
  • a consolidation of the key messages emerging from the round-table discussions and the interactive panel discussions. Registered ministers were asked to provide in advance key messages they wish to highlight during the sessions.

Theme and Related Events

• The theme of the meetings is « Make Visible the Invisible: The sound management of chemicals and waste »
• Related events will include BRS Exhibition at the Rotonde du Mont Blanc (1 April – 4 May 2025), Briefings for media, Press Conferences, Guided Tours, Celebrity Engagement, Screening of Movie
• The « Make Visible the Invisible » Fair is also taking place from 29 April to 2 May 2025: a range of exciting and innovative side events will be taking place at the Fair with many of our partners and stakeholders.

Juliette KOHLER | Senior Legal Officer and Chief, Governance Branch, BRS Secretariat

Side Events

• 90-minute side events will be held by Parties and observers at lunch times and evenings.
• This is an opportunity to share knowledge, build capacity, network and exchange on experience in the convention implementation.
• There are a total of 56 side events have been selected on a large range of issues relating to the COPs, agendas and theme.
• Format: Held in-person with possible online participation
• The schedule and further information are available on the website.

Election

• Another issue of importance for the COPs. This will also concern a range of membership in standing subsidiary bodies. The image above shows the elections that will be taking place per convention, as well as the positions available per position.
• As decided by the three COPs, there is a process in place to facilitate the nomination of candidates and ultimately the decision by the COP.
• Nomination of candidates were invited by 1 February 2025 along with supporting documents, and the selection of candidates facilitated by the regional election focal points, and will be facilitated until the COPs. The following are the different focal points for regional elections.
  • Africa | Leonard Tampushi (Kenya)
  • Asia-Pacific | Sameera Mohammed Al-Dosari (Qatar)
  • Eastern Europe | Mario Vujić (Croatia)
  • GRULAC | Miriam Medel Garcia (Mexico)
  • WEOG | Katja Larsen (Denmark) – for EU; Sverre Thomas Jahre (Norway) – for non-EU
• Parties should take into account the following for each candidate:
  • Required time and travel needs
  • Qualifications and supporting documents (where relevant) and working language of the body
  • Presence of candidate at the COP is required for election as BC and SC bureaux members
• According to the financial rules, no representative of any Party whose contributions are in arrears for 2 or more years shall be eligible to become:
  • A member of the BC COP Bureau or its subsidiary bodies,
  • A member of the RC or SC COP Bureau or a member of its subsidiary bodies,
  • Except for LDCs, SIDS and Parties respecting a schedule of payments.
• Efforts are still needed to ensure that women and men from all Parties are represented in the bodies and processes of the three conventions
• Candidates for election in the CRC and POPRC must provide a CV and declaration of conflicts of interest form

Overview of key items on the provisional agendas of the meetings

Gundega TRUMKALNE | Chief, Administrative Management Branch, BRS Secretariat

Programmes of Work and Budgets

• Joint documents include:
  • Programmes of work and budgets for the biennium 2026–2027: combined proposal, provides 2 proposed budget scenarios by the Secretariat.
  • Programmes of work and proposed budgets for the biennium 2024–2025: proposed operational budgets for the two funding scenarios
  • Programmes of work and proposed budgets for the biennium 2026–2027: programmes of work activity fact sheets
  • Contributions to the technical cooperation and voluntary special trust funds of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions in the biennium 2024-2025 (pending)
  • Report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme to the respective conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions on the implementation of the memorandums of understanding
• Convention-specific documents include:
  • UNEP/CHW.17/INF/71: Information on financial matters (pending)
  • UNEP/FAO/RC/COP.12/INF/41: Information on financial matters (pending)
  • UNEP/FAO/RC/COP.12/INF/44: Report of the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention on the implementation of the memorandum of understanding
  • UNEP/POPS/COP.12/INF/60: Information on financial matters (pending)
• Content:
  • 2 scenarios for the budget for 2026-2027
  • Executive Secretaries’ scenario, 5.4% increase:
    • Maintaining activities which are based on existing mandates and the needs of Parties, main proposed changes:
    • Increases: Secretariat’s travel; services provided by the United Nations Office at Geneva; conference services, venue and logistics; DSA for Rome and Geneva; new face-to-face meeting of the SC Compliance Committee; the staffing envelope under both scenarios increased due to within-grade step increments, inflation and exchange rate fluctuations; 50 per cent of a P-3 position at the Geneva duty station for SC Compliance Committee.
    • Decreases: no requirement for the review of the financial mechanism of the SC during 2026-2027 (4-year basis); reduction of documentation for the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC); no high-level segment.
  • Zero nominal growth scenario, 1.9% increase:
    • Significant reduction in services provided to Parties in numerous areas:
    • Reducing meeting-related costs: decreased editing and translation of documents in six UN languages; no interpretation in POPRC meetings; online bureaux meetings;
    • Funding technical work by voluntary funds: translation of technical guidelines, DDT expert group, GMP, national reporting, etc.

• • FAO Contribution to the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat
    • Total FAO financial support (2004–2025): $19.7M;
    • Expected continuation of FAO’s $1.5M contribution, aligned with FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022–2031;
    • Information on activities to be implemented, funded or co-funded in 2026–2027 using the FAO contribution is contained in annex IV to the proposed operational budgets document.
  • Arrears in core budget contributions: Information on the activities conducted by the Secretariat to encourage Parties with contributions in arrears to settle outstanding payments is set out in documents UNEP/CHW.17/INF/71, UNEP/FAO/RC/COP.12/INF/41 and UNEP/POPS/COP.12/INF/60.
  • Voluntary contributions to the special trust funds of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions: The Secretariat has received generous financial contributions from donors for the implementation of the programmes of work of the conventions in the biennium 2024–2025 and calls for early donor pledges for 2026–2027 activities.
  • Proposed actions:
    • To approve the BRS programmes of work and budgets for 2026 – 2027.

Juliette KOHLER | Senior Legal Officer and Chief, Governance Branch, BRS Secretariat

Regional preparatory meetings

• Africa | 18-20 March 2025 | Lusaka, Zambia
• GRULAC | 18-20 March 2025 | Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
• Eastern Europe | 26-28 March 2025 | Geneva, Switzerland
• Asia | 4-6 April 2025 | Beijing, China

Q&A

Q from Indonesia: On the high-level segment, should the minister or vice-minister not be able to attend, is it possible to send a written statement for the segment?

• Rolph PAYET | The HLS of the BRS COPs is a bit different because we don’t have high-level statements in plenary. However, if statements are submitted to the Secretariat, they will be published on the website.

Q from Ecuador: We see important linkages with other processes. We are very pleased to see that, including in the side events for instance, we have linkages with plastics – another important process going on. How do you foresee the contribution of the triple COPs outcomes, notwithstanding its mandate and its own agenda to the various upcoming meetings? Namely, on the establishment of the SPP in June in Punta del Este, Uruguay, the first meeting of the Working Group of the Global Framework on Chemicals, the Plastics Treaty INC, and other processes or conferences this year including UNOC3 and UNEA7. Do you foresee that in the high level segment how these linkages could be enhanced?

Rolph PAYET | In terms of contributions, there will be different areas where the BRS will be contributing to those international processes. The first one is under the agenda item on international cooperation where we highlight the areas of cooperation we’ve had with those processes, in particular inviting the COP to have further discussions on how we can enhance this cooperation. For SPP, there’s a side event, and for GFC, there’s a high level event during the high level segment. We will have a specific GFC session hosted by the government of Germany and UNEP. With regards to plastics, the COP will also be considering additional work that the BRS will be doing under this item.

Most important is the linkages to other processes happening, such as on climate change, and biodiversity that definitely will be a theme for the HLS discussions but also will be discussed under the item of international cooperation. We’ll be able to share with delegates the work that we are doing, but also invite comments, suggestions, and support on the work that we are doing in those spaces. We’ll also be participating in UNOC3 in Nice.

Q from Ecuador | On the high level segment, as our vice minister who was initially registered will not be able to participate in the plenary, could our ambassador be our representative who can participate in the panels?

Maria Cristina CARDENAS | On HLS participation, I’ll take the opportunity to address another similar question that we had online on who can participate or not in the high level segment. The opening ceremony and plenary sessions are open for all participants, to go into the room and sit there. However, for the panel sessions, we would only allow the ministers and deputy ministers to speak and take the floor. It’s not just those that are sitting in the panels but interventions from other ministers who are not sitting in the panels will also be invited and will be given priority. If there is time, we would look into giving the floor to ambassadors.

In terms of statements, we’re not collecting statements, but we would invite everyone to contribute to the discussions. We would like to ensure that these discussions in the high level segment are as open and as interactive as possible, and contribute to having a better outcome for our meetings and the implementation of the conventions.

On the possibility of changing your representative if someone else is not coming, there’s always a possibility. One just needs to indicate it to us and we will do our best to accommodate. However, if it implies funding, we will need to see whether it’s possible, as the names had already been nominated.

Rolph PAYET | We’ve already passed the deadlines, so to pass the ticket from one to another is a complicated affair, as we have to ensure transparency and accountability. For now, we don’t have resources and the time, in view of the COPs, as indicated in the letter. If nominations have been made and were changed, it would probably be at your own cost.

In terms of participation to all side events, it will be open to all who have registered and have a badge. 83% of the side events will be streamed – you will not be able to speak in the side events, but will be available for viewing.

In terms of nominations to different bodies, if you are in arrears, please contact the Secretariat as urgently as possible so that we can give you the information and right documents to start processes to clear arrears or negotiate the repayment plan with the Secretariat.

On registration of ministers, it is still open, except for the funding, as these have already been allocated. Ministers can also register on the day of, but will have to provide proper documentation, such as a note verbale from the mission or other kinds to prove they are ministerial or a high-level criteria.

Photo Gallery

Documents

• Presentations made during the event

Links

• Road to 2025 BRS COPs
• Towards the 2025 Meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions