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| Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions | |
|---|---|
| Name | Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions |
| Formation | 2010 (triple joint secretariat) |
| Headquarters | Geneva, Switzerland |
| Parent organization | United Nations Environment Programme; hosted by United Nations Environment Programme |
Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions is the joint administrative and technical body supporting the implementation of the Basel Convention, the Rotterdam Convention, and the Stockholm Convention on hazardous chemicals and wastes. It operates from Geneva and interfaces with multilateral processes including the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the United Nations Office at Geneva. The Secretariat coordinates meetings, technical assistance, and information exchange among Parties such as European Union, United States, China, India, and Brazil.
The Secretariat serves as the executive support unit for the three treaties: the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. It provides services similar to those of other treaty secretariats like the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat. The office facilitates intersessional work between Conferences of the Parties such as Conference of the Parties (CBD) and Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC)-style meetings, and supports subsidiary bodies akin to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change working groups.
The joint Secretariat emerged from decisions taken at meetings of the Parties to consolidate services for efficiency after separate secretariats had supported each convention. Its formation built on earlier instruments including the Basel Convention Secretariat established in the 1990s, the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat formed after the Chemical Weapons Convention era of chemical governance development, and the Stockholm Convention Secretariat instituted following the World Summit on Sustainable Development. High-level intergovernmental fora such as sessions of the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Environment Programme Governing Council influenced the merger into a unified Secretariat to streamline assistance to Parties including Kenya, Nigeria, Mexico, Japan, and Australia.
Under its mandate, the Secretariat prepares and services meetings of the Conference of the Parties for each convention and supports subsidiary bodies comparable to the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee and the Chemical Review Committee. It administers the implementation of mechanisms such as the Prior Informed Consent procedure, the Bamako Convention-adjacent cooperation on hazardous wastes, and the export control provisions mirrored in instruments like the Rotterdam Convention. Functions include facilitating capacity-building for Parties including South Africa and Philippines, managing technical guidance similar to that developed by World Health Organization collaborations, and operating information systems analogous to the Global Environment Facility-supported databases.
The Secretariat is organized into units reflecting legal, technical, and administrative portfolios, with leadership appointed through processes involving the Parties and hosted by United Nations Environment Programme. Key components include officers for scientific and technical matters who liaise with bodies such as the Stockholm Convention POPs Review Committee and the Rotterdam Convention Chemical Review Committee, legal advisers who coordinate with agencies like the International Maritime Organization on hazardous cargoes, and programme officers who manage cooperation with regional commissions including the Economic Commission for Europe and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. The Secretariat collaborates with regional centres such as those established under the Basel Convention Regional and Coordinating Centres network.
The Secretariat assists Parties in implementing obligations under the treaties, including notification procedures, reporting obligations, and compliance mechanisms comparable to those used by the Montreal Protocol and the Minamata Convention on Mercury. It compiles national reports, coordinates technical assistance and training delivered in partnership with institutions like the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization, and advises Parties during non-compliance proceedings or remedial actions akin to other environmental treaty secretariats. The Secretariat also organizes scientific review processes involving experts from institutions such as Universities, national chemical authorities, and internationally recognized laboratories.
Acting as an interface among Parties, the Secretariat maintains formal relations with intergovernmental organizations including the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the International Labour Organization. It engages with non-state stakeholders such as Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund, industry federations like the International Council of Chemical Associations, and regional bodies including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The Secretariat negotiates memoranda of understanding and cooperation frameworks with partners including Interpol on illegal trafficking and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora-adjacent enforcement mechanisms.
Funding is provided principally through assessed and voluntary contributions from Parties including donor countries like Germany, Norway, United Kingdom, Canada, and multilateral funding instruments such as the Global Environment Facility. The Secretariat manages trust funds and project portfolios, delivers capacity-building financed by bilateral donors and foundations such as the Rockefeller Foundation and coordinates resource mobilization with development banks like the Asian Development Bank. Resource constraints influence programme delivery and prioritization of activities for developing Parties such as Bangladesh and Ethiopia.
Category:International environmental organizations