Eighth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to Article 4 of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and relevant parts of Annexes A and B to the Convention,

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to DDT,

1. Takes note of the report by the DDT expert group on the assessment of the continued need for DDT for disease vector control, including the conclusions and recommendations set forth therein;

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to polychlorinated biphenyls,

1. Takes note of the consolidated assessment of efforts to eliminate polychlorinated biphenyls developed by the Chemicals and Waste Branch of the Division of Technology, Industry and Economics of the United Nations Environment Programme, in cooperation with the Secretariat and in consultation with the advisory committee of the Polychlorinated Biphenyls Elimination Network, and the report on the activities of the Network7 prepared by the Chemicals and Waste Branch;

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to the elimination of brominated diphenyl ethers8 contained in articles,
Recalling that, pursuant to paragraph 6 of Article 3 of the Stockholm Convention, any Party that has a specific exemption in accordance with Annex A to the Convention shall take appropriate measures to ensure that any production or use under such exemption is carried out in a manner that prevents or minimizes human exposure and release into the environment,

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride,
Recalling paragraph 7 of decision SC-7/5, by which it decided to undertake the further evaluation of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride pursuant to paragraphs 5 and 6 of part III of Annex B to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants at its ninth meeting,

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to Article 5 on measures to reduce or eliminate releases from unintentional production,

1. Takes note of the nominations to the joint Toolkit and best available techniques and best environmental practices expert roster16 and the reports of the expert meetings on the Toolkit and best available techniques and best environmental practices;

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to measures to reduce or eliminate releases from stockpiles and wastes,
1. Welcomes with appreciation decision BC-13/4 on technical guidelines on persistent organic pollutants, by which the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, at its thirteenth meeting, adopted updated general technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants and other technical guidelines specific to persistent organic pollutants listed in that decision;

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to implementation plans,

1. Welcomes the additional implementation plans transmitted by Parties pursuant to Article 7 of the Stockholm Convention, including revised and updated plans;

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to the listing of chemicals in Annexes A, B and/or C to the Convention,

1. Welcomes the reports of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee on the work of its eleventh and twelfth meetings36 and the documents forwarded by the Committee to the Conference of the Parties;

The Conference of the Parties

Having considered the risk profile, the risk management evaluation and the addendum to the risk management evaluation for decabromodiphenyl ether (commercial mixture, c-decaBDE) as transmitted by the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee,

Taking note of the recommendation by the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee that decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) of c-decaBDE be listed in Annex A to the Convention with specific exemptions,

The Conference of the Parties

Having considered the risk profile and the risk management evaluation for short-chain chlorinated paraffins as transmitted by the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee,

Taking note of the recommendation by the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee that short-chain chlorinated paraffins be listed in Annex A to the Convention with controls to limit the presence of short-chain chlorinated paraffins in other chlorinated paraffin mixtures, with or without specific exemptions,

The Conference of the Parties

Having considered the risk profile and the risk management evaluation for hexachlorobutadiene, as well as the evaluation of new information in relation to listing hexachlorobutadiene in Annex C to the Convention, as transmitted by the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee,

Taking note of the recommendation by the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee that hexachlorobutadiene be listed in Annex C to the Convention and the conclusion of the evaluation of new information on unintentional production of hexachlorobutadiene,

The Conference of the Parties

1. Invites each Party listed in the register of specific exemptions for decabromodiphenyl ether listed in Annex A to the Stockholm Convention to report to the Secretariat, by December 2019, justifying its need for the registration of that exemption;

2. Invites each Party listed in the register of specific exemptions for decabromodiphenyl ether listed in Annex A to the Convention, as well as observers, to provide to the Secretariat, by December 2019, information on the following:

The Conference of the Parties

Invites each Party listed in the register of specific exemptions for short-chain chlorinated paraffins listed in Annex A to the Stockholm Convention to report to the Secretariat, by December 2019, justifying its need for the registration of that exemption;

2. Invites each Party listed in the register of specific exemptions for short-chain chlorinated paraffins listed in Annex A to the Convention, as well as observers, to provide to the Secretariat, by December 2019, information on the following:

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to technical assistance and the recommendations contained in the report on the overall review of the synergies arrangements,

1. Requests the Secretariat to continue to collect, through the database established for that purpose, information on the technical assistance and capacity-building needs of developing-country Parties and Parties with economies in transition;

The Conference of the Parties

Recalling Articles 13 and 14 of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants,

Recognizing the urgent need for financial resources for developing countries for the implementation of the Stockholm Convention and the considerable gap between that need and the financial resources provided by the principal entity entrusted with the operations of the financial mechanism of the Convention under the current financial arrangements,

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to Article 15 on reporting,

1. Takes note of the progress made by the Secretariat in further improving the electronic reporting system;

The Conference of the Parties

Mindful of the purpose of the effectiveness evaluation, namely, to assess whether the Convention has succeeded in achieving its objective of protecting human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants,

Recognizing that conclusions and recommendations by the effectiveness evaluation committee as to the effectiveness of specific measures of the Convention to achieve its objective have an impact on all elements of the Convention and are useful in informing the relevant processes and mechanisms under the Convention,

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to the global monitoring plan,

1. Takes note of the report on the meetings of the global coordination group;

The Conference of the Parties

1. Takes note of the report by the Secretariat on international cooperation and coordination; the note by the Secretariat on integrating chemicals and waste management into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals; and the information provided by the secretariat of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management on the Strategic Approach and the sound management of chemicals and wastes beyond 2020;

The Conference of the Parties

Mindful of the legal autonomy of, respectively, 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,
Reaffirming that actions taken to enhance coordination and cooperation should be aimed at strengthening the implementation of the three conventions at the national, regional and global levels, promoting coherent policy guidance and enhancing efficiency in the provision of support to Parties with a view to reducing their administrative burden and maximizing the effective and efficient use of resources at all levels, taking into account national-level activities, circumstances and priorities, as appropriate,

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to Article 9 of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, on information exchange,

1. Welcomes the progress made in the implementation of the joint clearing-house mechanism;

The Conference of the Parties

Recalling Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality, adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015 in its resolution 70/1, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”,

Recalling also United Nations Environment Assembly resolution 2/5 of 27 May 2016, entitled “Delivering on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, which, among other things, stresses the importance of respecting, protecting and promoting gender equality in delivering the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the priority areas for action recognized in decision SC-8/18 on effectiveness evaluation as they relate to strengthening legislation and regulations for the implementation and enforcement of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants,

Mindful of decision BC-13/10 on national legislation, notifications, enforcement of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal and efforts to combat illegal traffic under the Convention,

The Conference of the Parties

1. Emphasizes that, through its subsidiary bodies, expert groups and other related mechanisms, including with other partners, the necessary processes are in place to ensure science-based work and decision-making under the Basel Convention on the Control of the Transboundary Movement 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 and welcomes their work in that regard;

The Conference of the Parties

Noting the legal autonomy of the Conference of the Parties and noting that the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the conferences of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the 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 have equal decision-making authority within their respective mandates,

The Conference of the Parties

Taking note of the financial reports on the Stockholm Convention trust funds for 2016 and estimated expenditures for 2017 from the Trust Fund for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (Stockholm Convention Trust Fund),