The Governing Council, Recalling the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, and the goal that by 2020 chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse impacts on human health and the environment, Welcoming the Rio+20 Outcome document, “The future we want”, Recalling also its decisions 26/3 and 26/12, and other relevant UNEP decisions on chemicals and wastes, and having considered the reports by the Executive Director on the implementation of Governing Council decision 26/12 and SS.XII/5 and on chemicals and waste management, Recalling further its decision 16/34 calling for the establishment of the International Environmental Technology Centre, based on the agreement between the United Nations Environment Programme and the Government of Japan, and welcoming the enhanced role of the Centre as a focus for the work of the United Nations Environment Programme on waste management, Recognizing that the sound management of chemicals and waste is crucial for the protection of human health and the environment and reaffirming the commitment of Governments to an approach for the sound management of chemicals and waste at all levels that responds in an effective, efficient, coherent and coordinated manner to new and emerging issues and challenges and encouraging further progress across countries and regions in order to fill the gaps in the implementation of commitments, Welcoming the role of the United Nations Environment Programme as a participating organization in the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management and underlining the value of the continuing cooperation between the United Nations Environment Programme and other participating organizations and observers of the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals, Recognizing the growing significance of hazardous waste management for sustainable development due to rapid industrialization and urbanization and the technical and other challenges faced by developing countries and countries with economies in transition, Recognizing that the actions in this decision are supportive of and consistent with commitments of countries to the sound management of chemicals and wastes,