2 October 2015: The fourth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM4) gathered over 450 delegates from governments, international organizations, and NGOs and industry to consider the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020, the overall orientation and guidance (OOG), emerging policy issues (EPIs) and other issues of concern, progress towards attaining the 2020 goal on the sound management of chemicals and waste (the 2020 goal), and the activities of the Secretariat and the budget, among other issues.

The meeting, which convened from 28 September – 2 October 2015, in Geneva, Switzerland, included a High-Level Segment, from 1-2 October 2015, which considered the theme ‘Commitment to a Chemical Safe Future for Health, Environment and Economic Growth.’

The Conference adopted five resolutions including: an omnibus resolution on EPIs; highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs); the OOG; the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020; and on the activities of the Secretariat and budget.

ICCM4 represented the last chance to take decisions on both SAICM implementation and preparatory steps that may be needed for addressing sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020. ICCM4 also addressed EPIs and other issues of concern, which ranked high on the agenda. There was also consideration of the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in plenary and as a cross-cutting issue in all contact groups, which addressed them in their work, where applicable.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin notes that ICCM4 had a packed agenda to get through, but participants came to the meeting prepared to put in long hours and make compromises in order to adopt the final resolutions, as this was the last decision-making Conference before the 2020 goal for sound management of chemicals and waste expires. There were four contact groups, most of which had to establish ‘Friends of the Co-Chairs’ groups to try and resolve contentious issues that arose. Although there was some concern that there would be debate on the resolutions during the closing plenary, the resolutions were adopted without amendments, ending the week on a positive note.

ICCM5 is currently scheduled for March 2020. [IISD RS Coverage of ICCM4]