GENEVA, Switzerland – Over 180 nations will send representatives to Geneva, Switzerland, from April 28 to May 9, 2025, to consider limiting a number of harmful chemicals, such as a popular stain repellent and a pesticide.
The Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions’ Conferences of the Parties are a series of biennial gatherings that will include the negotiations.
They coincide with growing worries that the planet is being overrun by dangerous toxins. The spread of these substances is one of the most concerning indicators of a global pollution problem, according to experts.
“Chemicals are an integral part of the modern world,” said Jacqueline Alvarez, chief of the Chemicals and Health Branch at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Alvarez further said, “But too often, exposure to harmful chemicals through food, consumer products, and the environment can have severe consequences for people and the planet.”
Three persistent chemicals that can accumulate in humans
The Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm conventions are three closely connected international agreements that were adopted between 1989 and 2001 to protect people and the environment from waste and dangerous chemicals.
The nations that have ratified or otherwise recognised the agreements convene every two years; this year’s talks will be held in Geneva.
A scientific review panel’s suggestion that parties to the Stockholm Convention stop using three persistent chemicals that can accumulate in humans and other living things is set to be discussed by delegates.
These include the pesticide chlorpyrifos, long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids, which are frequently present in stain repellents, and some chlorinated paraffins, which are utilised in adhesives and sealants.
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Under the Rotterdam Convention, country delegates are also expected to discuss imposing restrictions on the cross-border trade of certain substances, such as asbestos and mercury.
Adoption of the measure would prohibit exporting certain chemicals to other countries without prior informed consent, a practice that was initially intended to avoid harmful dumping in developing countries.
Additionally, there will be a high-level part where government ministers are anticipated to talk about ways to enhance waste and chemical management. “Make Visible the Invisible” will be the focus of the discussions. Alongside the negotiations, there will be several side events, some of which UNEP will host.
What do observers expect from the forthcoming Geneva talks
According to a UNEP study, between 40,000 and 60,000 chemical compounds are frequently found in commercial goods, ranging from electronics to fertilisers.
As the chemicals industry is predicted to grow to a value of US$10 trillion by 2030, observers hope the Geneva talks will help increase awareness of the safe and sustainable need for sound management of chemicals and the risks of chemical pollution from exposure to harmful chemicals.
Discussions on how to advance the implementation of the Global Framework on Chemicals, a comprehensive 2023 agreement intended to safeguard the environment from chemicals and waste, will also be part of the Geneva meeting. The agreement’s goals are influenced by the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions.
Alvarez expressed her expectation that country representatives would advocate for systemic changes to chemical use, such as lowering or doing away with harmful ingredients in compounds through what is known as green and sustainable chemistry, ahead of the Geneva discussions. Additionally, rather than addressing chemical contamination compound by compound as has historically been done, she would like to see nations take a sector-wide strategy.
“Governments have had trouble keeping up with the frenetic pace of chemical development, which has led to gaps in regulation and challenges in monitoring the effects of chemicals on the environment,” said Alvarez.
Alvarez disclosed that the forthcoming discussions in Geneva will be an important moment to highlight the need for a more holistic approach to the safe management of chemicals and waste.
