Key Principles for the Intergovernmental Science–Policy Panel on Chemicals and Waste

Environmental management cycles for chemicals and climate change, EMC4: A new conceptual framework contextualizing climate and chemical risk assessment and management

“…An important question is whether the new framework emanating from the SAICM Beyond 2020 process can incentivize governments, who have the power to regulate, to ask the questions listed above. Second, UNEP is currently developing a Science Policy Panel that is intended to bridge the information gap between governments and current scientific research on chemical and waste risks (Ågerstrand et al, 2023). The Science Policy Panel is ideally placed to collate and communicate existing knowledge of the likely impact of climate change on chemicals risk assessment, in addition to taking steps to understand, prioritize, and close evidence gaps.…”

“…Furthermore, it makes sense to develop a scientific expert process to evaluate chemical fate and effects data that exist and the implications that may result due to climate change (e.g., SPI, IOMC). With the development of the UNEP's new Chemical and Waste Science Policy Panel (Ågerstrand et al, 2023), the opportunity is there to develop a collaborative relationship between the IPCC and Intergovernmental Science‐Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for a partnership focused on the effect of chemicals in the environment under climate change. Partnership success requires involved parties to find common or related priorities such that decision‐makers and representatives from each party have programmatic reason to work together.…”

Conflicts of Interest in the Assessment of Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution

“…First, rigorous COI provisions need to be defined and then strictly enforced for all experts. 117 This is key for creating clear and transparent criteria for appointing scientists as experts within the SPP. Experts with a COI should not be allowed to participate in the decision making process or the core work of the SPP (e.g., writing assessments) but may still contribute to the SPP's work as observers.…”

“…First, rigorous COI provisions need to be defined and then strictly enforced for all experts . This is key for creating clear and transparent criteria for appointing scientists as experts within the SPP.…”

Orienting the Sustainable Management of Chemicals and Waste toward Indigenous Knowledge

“…The United Nations’ recent report on plastic and pollution, which at its heart is about chemical pollution, does not mention Indigenous peoples or knowledge . We applaud the development of the 10 key principles developed by Ågerstrand and colleagues for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution Prevention but further expand from these principles to include consideration of Indigenous peoples and knowledge.…”