Latest news with #RotterdamandStockholmConventions
The Star
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
M'sia reaffirms strong waste stance
Nation committed to addressing its movement and disposal, says Nik Nazmi PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has reaffirmed its strong stance on controlling the transboundary movement and disposal of hazardous waste at the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COPs), held from April 28 to May 9 in Geneva, Switzerland, says Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad ( pic ). The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister said Malaysia's participation in the summits reflected its firm commitment to address the movement and disposal of hazardous waste. 'As a developing nation, Malaysia has consistently been active and vocal in voicing its position at the negotiation table, particularly on the control of hazardous waste and chemical imports into the country. This meeting also served as the first platform for Malaysia to represent Asean's voice – that Asean is not the world's dumping ground for toxic, problematic or hard-to-recycle waste,' he said in a statement yesterday, Bernama reported. The BRS COPs consist of three key multilateral environmental agreements that govern the management of hazardous chemicals and waste. The Basel Convention focuses on reducing the generation of hazardous waste and regulating its cross-border movement. The Rotterdam Convention oversees international trade in hazardous chemicals, while the Stockholm Convention addresses the control of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Nik Nazmi said he exchanged views with his counterparts from other member states on the impact of poorly regulated hazardous chemicals and waste, particularly in relation to climate change and biodiversity loss. He also held bilateral talks with Qatar's Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Dr Abdullah Abdulaziz Turki Al Subaie, to explore potential cooperation through a memorandum of understanding in environmental protection and climate change. 'I also held a brief meeting with representatives of the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty and the executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, to discuss ways to finalise and implement the Global Plastics Treaty in a fair, effective and practical manner,' he added. Nik Nazmi said Malaysia will continue its collaboration with the Basel Action Network (BAN) and reaffirmed its commitment to combat the illegal import of e-waste and plastic waste, especially from developed countries. 'My discussion with BAN executive director and founder Jim Puckett focused on Malaysia's efforts to intercept and return illegal waste shipments, and the importance of cooperation in information sharing and regional enforcement,' he said. He emphasised the need for Malaysia to maintain an active role at the international level to safeguard national interests in addressing environmental pollution, especially in the control of the movement of hazardous waste and chemical imports. 'Such commitments ensure Malaysia remains focused on key negotiation issues and continues to stay on the right path in protecting both human well-being and the environment,' he said.
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Business Standard
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
India advocates for international financing mechanism to manage waste
India, at the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COPs), called for predictable international financing mechanisms and the mobilisation of domestic resources through tools like progressive taxation, carbon levies, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to tackle chemicals and waste better for human health and the environment. The BRS COPs occur every two years and aim to advance global action on hazardous chemicals and waste management. These joint meetings, often referred to as a 'triple COP', provide a unique platform for discussing and implementing measures to safeguard human health and the environment. With the theme of 'Make visible the invisible: sound management of chemicals and wastes', the 2025 BRS COPs began on 28 April in Geneva and will conclude on 9 May. At a ministerial roundtable on 'Means of Implementation' on Wednesday, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav said that effective execution of the BRS Conventions heavily depends on access to finance, technology transfer, capacity building, technical assistance, and enhanced international cooperation, according to an official statement. He outlined India's integrated approach to implementing the conventions through national legislation such as the Environment (Protection) Act, the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, and the E-Waste Management Rules of 2016, all supported by sustained investments in institutional and technical infrastructure. In 2022, India banned single-use plastic items that have limited utility but are frequently littered, damaging terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Despite this, India continues to be the largest plastic polluter in the world, releasing 9.3 million tonnes of plastic annually, as revealed by a study published in the journal Nature last year. The roundtable discussion underscored the need for strong institutional mechanisms. Participating ministers stressed the importance of inter-agency coordination, capacity building, and empowering environmental ministries to effectively lead the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements. They recognised that robust data infrastructure and transparent monitoring systems are essential for evidence-based decision-making and building public trust. Ministers also called for enhanced regional cooperation, urging the strengthening of regional centres to facilitate technical exchanges, shared infrastructure, and capacity development. Special attention was given to the needs of conflict-affected nations and countries with limited institutional capacities. Proposals included providing direct access to international financing, conflict-sensitive programming, and tailored technical partnerships to ensure inclusive and equitable implementation. The discussion highlighted the need for innovative financing solutions, such as green bonds, debt-for-nature swaps, chemical certificates, and green loans, to attract private investment—especially in countries facing fiscal constraints or emerging from crises. The necessity for coherent and transparent regulatory frameworks that encourage private sector engagement through policies like bans on single-use plastics and tax incentives for green technologies was also emphasised. Furthermore, the importance of cross-sectoral alignment of environmental goals to drive transformative outcomes was highlighted. The 2023 BRS COPs resulted in several key outcomes for the management of hazardous chemicals and waste. These included the listing of three new chemicals under the Stockholm Convention, the addition of a pesticide to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure under the Rotterdam Convention, and the adoption of technical guidelines for managing plastic waste, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) waste, and electronic waste (e-waste) under the Basel Convention.
New Straits Times
02-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Malaysia reaffirms firm stand on hazardous waste control at BRS COPs
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has reaffirmed its strong position on controlling the transboundary movement and disposal of hazardous waste at the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COPs), held from April 28 to May 9 in Geneva, Switzerland. Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, in a statement today, said Malaysia's participation reflects its firm commitment to addressing the movement and disposal of hazardous waste. "As a developing nation, Malaysia has consistently been active and vocal in voicing its position at the negotiation table, particularly on the control of hazardous waste and chemical imports into the country. "This meeting also served as the first platform for Malaysia to represent Asean's voice - that Asean is not the world's dumping ground for toxic, problematic, or hard-to-recycle waste," he said. The BRS COPs consist of three key multilateral environmental agreements that govern the management of hazardous chemicals and waste. The Basel Convention focuses on reducing the generation of hazardous waste and regulating its cross-border movement. The Rotterdam Convention oversees international trade in hazardous chemicals, while the Stockholm Convention addresses the control of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Nik Nazmi said he exchanged views with his counterparts from other member states on the impact of poorly regulated hazardous chemicals and waste, particularly in relation to climate change and biodiversity loss. He also held bilateral talks with Qatar's Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Dr Abdullah Abdulaziz Turki Al Subaie, to explore potential cooperation through a memorandum of understanding in environmental protection and climate change. "I also held a brief meeting with representatives of the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty and the Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, to discuss ways to finalise and implement the Global Plastics Treaty in a fair, effective, and practical manner," he added. Nik Nazmi said Malaysia will continue its collaboration with the Basel Action Network (BAN) and reaffirmed its commitment to combating the illegal import of e-waste and plastic waste, especially from developed countries. "My discussion with BAN executive director and founder Jim Puckett focused on Malaysia's efforts to intercept and return illegal waste shipments, and the importance of cooperation in information sharing and regional enforcement," he said. He emphasised the need for Malaysia to maintain an active role at the international level to safeguard national interests in addressing environmental pollution, especially in the control of hazardous waste movement and chemical imports. "Such commitments ensure that Malaysia remains focused on key negotiation issues and continues to stay on the right path in protecting both human well-being and the environment," he said.– BERNAMA
