Franz Perrez: Putting the ‘Basel’ back into the Basel Convention - Podcast

This podcast, created by Felix Dodds and Chris Spence, the editors of the book Heroes of Environmental Diplomacy: Profiles in Courage, focuses on the contributions of key people involved in international negotiations. 

In the world of environmental diplomacy, few have made as significant an impact as Franz Perrez, the Swiss Ambassador for the Environment. In this episode, we delve into Perrez's vital role in bringing the Ban Amendment to the Basel Convention into force, a critical step in combating the hazardous waste trade that endangers developing countries. 

We explore the challenges posed by the export of hazardous waste from OECD to non-OECD nations and how Perrez's dedication to environmental issues drove his efforts to address this urgent problem. 

Discover how his leadership of a Country-Led Initiative (CLI), in collaboration with Indonesia, helped navigate complex disputes and ultimately facilitated the amendment's successful implementation. Join us as we celebrate Perrez's perseverance, strategic vision, and collaborative spirit in strengthening global environmental protection.

The podcast is available here.

These earlier episodes can be found here.

Raúl Estrada-Oyuela: Hero of Kyoto: The Kyoto Protocol

Barack Obama: The Missing Hero? The Copenhagen Climate Summit

Christiana Figueres: The Can-Do Advocate: The Paris Agreement on Climate Change

Mostafa Tolba and the Battle for the Ozone Layer

Sidney Holt a Lifetime Fight to Save the Whales

Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti: Champion of Sustainable Development