UNEP and the GEF’s long-term goal is to protect humans and the environment from exposure to harmful chemicals and waste, including Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and mercury, through reduction in their production, use, consumption and emissions/releases.
The UNEP GEF Chemicals and Waste Portfolio currently implements 53 projects in 98 countries. To help countries overcoming the challenges of controlling and disposing of hazardous chemicals, the Portfolio provides technical knowledge and an international approach to issues at the global and regional levels and supports countries to improve normative processes at national level.
Current projects and programmes meet the GEF Global Environmental Benefits, and tackle cross-cutting planetary issues, with increasing contribution to climate change, nature loss, and pollution in terms of co-benefits:
- Reduced mercury use and emissions
- Reduced POPs use and releases
- Sound management of chemicals and waste
