In June 2024, Benjamin Maxwell, Senior Environmental Compliance Officer from the National Environment Service represented the Cook Islands at a series of critical international environmental meetings in Geneva last month. His participation highlights the Cook Islands’ commitment to global efforts in chemical, waste, and pollution management.
SPP OEWG-3: Establishing a Science-Policy PanelMaxwell attended the third session of the ad hoc open-ended working group (OEWG) on establishing a science-policy panel (SPP) dedicated to the sound management of chemicals and waste and the prevention of pollution. This meeting aimed to lay the groundwork for a robust science-policy interface to address these critical environmental issues.
Discussions at the SPP OEWG-3 covered various important topics outlined in the working documents. Crucial items among these were strategies for improving global chemical management, enhancing waste management practices, and preventing pollution. The outcome of the meeting was a set of recommendations to the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). These recommendations will guide the preparation of an intergovernmental meeting to establish the Science-Policy Panel and call for the continuation of smaller working groups to finalize the necessary documents for the panel’s establishment.
The Cook Islands was one of only four Pacific Island nations represented at this meeting, alongside Fiji, Tuvalu, and Tonga. This representation underlines the region’s collective concern and proactive stance on environmental sustainability and pollution prevention.
ICC16: Promoting Compliance with the Basel ConventionFollowing the SPP OEWG-3, Maxwell participated in the sixteenth meeting of the Committee Administering the Mechanism for Promoting Implementation and Compliance of the Basel Convention (ICC16).
The ICC16 meeting commenced with an open dialogue covering critical topics for member parties and stakeholders, focusing on their obligations under the Basel Convention. In 2022, the Cook Islands received support from to complete its national reports for the years 2021 to 2023. The committee commended the Cook Islands for successfully completing these reports and re-establishing their obligations under the convention.
OEWG-14: Addressing Transboundary Movement of Hazardous WastesThe Cook Islands also took part in the fourteenth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (OEWG-14). Discussions and negotiations at OEWG-14 covered several critical topics drafted in the draft documents and agenda items, focusing on enhancing international cooperation and strengthening the Basel Convention’s effectiveness in addressing global waste management challenges.
The outcomes of each of the contact group discussions at OEWG-14 were promising, with several documents adopted in each plenary session in preparation for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) in 2025. These efforts reflect a shared commitment to improving global waste management and ensuring the Basel Convention’s goals and member parties obligations are compliance.
Through active involvement in these high-level discussions, the Cook Islands continue to contribute to the global dialogue on environmental sustainability, demonstrating their readiness to collaborate with other nations in tackling some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.
