Coming soon! Read our position paper for the Intersessional Process Meeting 4 (IP4) and find out more about our demands to governments and how an ambitious SAICM could look like.

In the run to the fourth SAICM Intersessional Process (IP4) meeting, stakeholders need to have a clear overview of what happened at the SAICM Virtual Working Groups (VWGs). HEJSupport’s new report summarizes the outcomes of the VWGs’ work and presents recommendations.

In this report, a summary of the VWG activities and analysis emphasize the outcomes of the VWG 1,2,3. It also includes the recommendations from NGO representatives who participated in the meetings.

While noting the importance of the virtual working groups as an opportunity to enhance understanding and advance dialogue on a few specific issues, they were not intended to replace formal face-to-face discussions of IP4 or the negotiations at ICCM5.

Two models of work, virtual meetings and written input, were applied to meet the need for equitable representation, transparency, and inclusiveness. The virtual working groups were open to all who wished to participate. Nevertheless, many participants faced particular challenges, including poor virtual technology connectivity, differences in time zones, language barriers, and time constraints for delegations to consider proposals and provide input on working documents, resulting in uneven regional representation.

The report was produced in cooperation with groundWork South Africa and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation.