Reporting on SAICM implementation is a key tool in assessing progress towards the achievement of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation’s goal of sound management of chemicals by 2020. It also helps to assess progress on the individual objectives set out in the SAICM texts.
The Overarching Policy Strategy, in paragraph 24, provides that the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) will undertake periodic reviews of SAICM. In doing so, it will receive reports from all relevant stakeholders on progress in SAICM implementation. The ICCM evaluates the implementation of SAICM with a view to reviewing progress against the 2020 target and taking strategic decisions, programming, prioritizing and updating the approach as necessary.
Paragraph 26 of the Overarching Policy Strategy also assigns to regional meetings a role in reviewing progress in SAICM implementation. The functions of the SAICM secretariat, which are set down in paragraph 28 of the Strategy, include reporting to the ICCM on implementation of SAICM by all participants.
The third meeting of the Open-ended Working Group requested the secretariat to develop a simple progress report for the period 2017–2019 that, using existing data, provided an overview of Strategic Approach activities, accomplishments and challenges for consideration by the International Conference on Chemicals Management at its fifth session. The Strategic Approach secretariat invites all the stakeholder groups to submit progress reports they intend to submit to International Conference on Chemical Management at its fifth session by 28 February 2020.