December 15, 2023
NAIROBI — The second session of the Ad hoc Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG-2) on the Science-Policy Panel — to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution — has ended with Member States taking promising steps toward creating the Panel.
OEWG-2 has been tasked with preparing recommendations regarding the future functioning and organization of the Panel. This week’s session marks the scheduled mid-point of the negotiations, with the final session anticipated in June 2024. At the conclusion of that work, an intergovernmental meeting will formally establish the panel.
At the meeting’s conclusion, Giulia Carlini, Senior Attorney and Environmental Health Program Manager at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), offered the following statement:
“Despite a handful of States’ attempts to derail negotiations — using tactics similar to what we have seen in the plastics treaty talks — over the last week, Member States have made significant progress on work to build the foundation for the future Science Policy Panel. Although many critical aspects are still being developed, Member States are working with substantial negotiation text for the first time, and there is a strong roadmap for intersessional work between now and the next meeting in June.
“Even with the forward momentum, there are still outstanding questions that will determine the future Panel’s effectiveness. We still need to see the Working Group advance a process for selecting expert participants and finalize policies for conflict of interest and stakeholder participation. If the Panel is to be a credible, relevant body, it must include independent science, civil society, and Indigenous experts. Otherwise, it runs the risk of becoming another industry-backed sideshow.
“We look forward to engaging in intersessional work alongside scientists and other stakeholders to ensure that the Panel can live up to its goal of contributing to the sound management of chemicals and waste and preventing pollution.”
Media Contact
Cate Bonacini, press@ciel.org, +1-202-742-5847 (desk), +1-510-520-9109 (WhatsApp)