THE NINETEENTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Opening Statement by Switzerland on the Chairperson?s
draft negotiating document
Mr. Chairman
With this short Statement we would like to thank the Secretariat for drafting this Negotiation text
and especially for making it available in advance to give us a solid preparation time.
Here our most important remarks. We thank you in advance for taking them into consideration:
On SCP:
The 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production must be
launched in this session in order to make CSD-19 a memorable moment. The outcome of CSD-
19 should be operational so that the framework can be implemented immediately afterwards.
Thus, we support the outlined concept of the 10 Year Framework of Programmes in the
Negotiation text, however, we have several proposals to the text and we are looking forward to
the negotiations.
On Chemicals:
The many of activities already undertaken through existing Conventions, SAICM and other
international instruments should be better reflected in the Chemicals section. CSD should
acknowledge the positive experiences from the synergies process within the Stockholm,
Rotterdam and Basel conventions, SAICM and other relevant instruments and it should send a
clear signal to further implement and develop the synergies process.
On Waste:
Since both, solid waste and hazardous waste have their special requirements, waste should be
divided into these two categories.
The majority of waste is solid waste which offers a significant potential to support the 10 Year
Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production through reduction, reuse
and recycle and is strongly supported by Switzerland through years of active experience. In
conjunction with the Chemicals cluster, hazardous waste is already integrated in existing
conventions.
We are also wondering why food waste is not mentioned in the Draft Negotiation text, since 30 to
50 percent of produced food ends as waste.
On interlinkages and cross-cutting issues:
The following principles are missing in the actual version of the Negotiation text: the polluterpays-
principle, the precautionary principle and the principle of internalizing external costs in
prices.
We would like to highlight two side-events, both taking place 10th of May. That day during lunch
time, Switzerland is organizing a side-event on the Swiss led Marrakech Task Force on
Sustainable Public Procurement. In the evening the side-event on the Programme on Sustainable
Food Systems, which will be led by FAO and UNEP and which Switzerland strongly supports, will
be taking place.
Thank you Mr. Chairman
