January 2011: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) convened the third meeting in the consultative process on financing options for chemicals and wastes, in Pretoria, South Africa, from 10-11 January 2011.

The meeting considered the need for: mainstreaming of sound management of chemicals and hazardous wastes; industry involvement, including public-private partnerships and the use of economic instruments at the national and international levels; a new trust fund similar to the Multilateral Fund; and establishing safe chemicals and wastes management as a new focal area, expanding the existing persistent organic pollutants focal area under Global Environment Facility (GEF) or establishing a new trust fund under GEF.

Delegates requested that UNEP undertake further analysis on: the GEF track in respect of the global benefits of the sound management of chemicals and hazardous wastes; a new trust fund similar to the Multilateral Fund, including various possible operating structures; the role of industry, including at the national level, in financing the sound management of chemicals and hazardous wastes; and challenges, practical value, lessons learned and best practices related to mainstreaming the sound management of chemicals and hazardous wastes in other sectors of the development agenda, including a compendium of positive mainstreaming examples at the national level.

UNEP was also requested to analyze the effectiveness of relevant UN strategic coordination processes at the national level, such as UN development assistance frameworks, and other relevant activities and stakeholders, such as the UN Development Group, the partnership initiative between the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UNEP, the Poverty-Environment Initiative of UNDP and UNEP and the Health and Environment Linkages Initiative administered jointly by UNEP and the World Health Organization. The Group agreed to meet again in May 2011. [UNEP GC.26/11/Add.1]