SEAToday.com, Geneva - The Indonesian delegation, led by Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Indonesia in Geneva, Ambassador Achsanul Habib, along with representatives from the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, actively participated in the High-Level Segment (HLS) of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions in Geneva, Switzerland, held from 30 April to 1 May 2025.

A total of 77 ministers from various countries attended the 2025 BRS COP, reflecting strong political attention to the issues of pollution, hazardous chemicals, waste—including plastic and electronic waste—and support for global action to tackle them.

This year’s HLS carried the theme "Make visible the invisible: sound management of chemicals and wastes." The meeting brought together countries and stakeholders to cooperate in managing hazardous chemicals and toxic waste. Through the three conventions—Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm—the forum reinforces global commitment to protect the environment and public health from the impacts of hazardous chemicals and waste, aiming for a cleaner and more sustainable future.

In its national statement, Indonesia emphasized the importance of strengthening the implementation of the BRS Conventions as part of the international community’s collective efforts to make multilateral cooperation work effectively.

“Indonesia reaffirms its strong commitment to implementing the BRS Conventions and combating illegal trade in hazardous chemicals and waste, including plastic waste. Our approach highlights collaboration, innovation, and data-driven policy in environmentally sound chemical and waste management,” the Indonesian delegation stated.

Indonesia is also home to the Basel and Stockholm Convention Regional Center, which has contributed to capacity building for developing countries in Southeast Asia.

The delegation also shared concrete actions at the national level, including circular economy implementation, waste management efforts, and other environmental initiatives.

On the sidelines of the BRS COP, Ambassador Achsanul Habib attended a special meeting hosted by the Executive Director of UNEP on 1 May 2025, discussing the ongoing intergovernmental negotiation process on plastic pollution. Indonesia reiterated the need for robust support for developing countries in combating plastic pollution and emphasized that any global agreement on plastics must be effective, implementable, and equitable. The next round of negotiations is scheduled to take place in Geneva in August 2025.