Preventing, controlling and managing pollution is central to improving health, human well-being and prosperity for all.
UNEP drives capacity and leadership in sound management of chemicals and waste while working to improve ways to reduce waste through circularity and pollutants released to the air, water, soil and the ocean.
Event: Unmasking Mercury and Colorism in Cosmetics
When: 13:00-14:00 CET | 5 March 2025
Where: Geneva, Switzerland and Online
Skin-lightening products (SLPs) may contain harmful ingredients, including steroids, hydroquinone and toxic mercury compounds, that not only damage the skin but can lead to serious health concerns. Many cosmetic products still contain mercury to increase their whitening effect.
The use of SLPs is promoted by media, advertising and marketing that often reinforce the bias that a lighter skin tone is more desirable than darker skin tone. The bias is rooted in systemic colorism that promotes harmful stereotypes that associate lighter skin with beauty and better prospects of employment, marriage and social standing.
In this event, leading voices invited to speak will stress that without addressing the underlying socio -cultural norms surrounding SLPs – the idealization of whiteness and the concepts association with beauty, wealth and power – the demand for SLPs will continue.
In the azure waters of the Indian Ocean lies Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands. While being the smallest country in Africa in terms of land area, Seychelles serves as a strong voice for small island states through its environmental stewardship and sustainable development initiatives.
Like many small island states, Seychelles faces difficulties in waste management due to its limited land area and vulnerability to environmental impacts, exacerbated by rapid population growth and increasing tourism. The Solid Waste Management Plan of Seychelles 2020-2035 outlines strategies to address this by focusing on efficient waste collection, recycling initiatives and reducing landfill dependence. It aims to mitigate land and marine pollution through integrated approaches tailored to the island's geographic and environmental constraints.
At a systemic level, Seychelles recognizes the need to transition to sustainable consumption and production. UNEP, through the Joint Sustainable Development Goals Fund, has supported the Seychelles in developing its circular economy roadmap and action plan. To further catalyze investment in circular economy ventures and businesses, a Circular Economy Challenge fund worth US$150,000 was initiated in March 2024.
Solving environmental challenges in complex geopolitical times can be arduous but collaboration works. Dive into UNEP’s annual report and see how we advanced global action on climate, nature, and pollution for a fairer, sustainable planet.
Cancer rates have been found to be rising among non-smokers globally, a development researchers linked in part to air pollution according to a study by the World Health Organization.
This was the latest in a string of studies outlining the perils of airborne contaminants, which cause some 8 million premature deaths a year and cost the global economy more than US$8 trillion annually.
The third International Day of Zero Waste, facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), will be observed on 30 March 2025. This year’s theme, “towards zero waste in fashion and textiles”, highlights the vital role of the fast-growing fashion and textiles sector in countering the waste pollution crisis gripping the planet.
Advocates say the industry could embody the zero-waste agenda by bolstering waste management globally, reducing waste generation, and promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns.
More than 100 children under the age of five die every day in East Asia and the Pacific due to air pollution, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned in a new analysis released on Thursday, calling for urgent action to tackle the crisis.
Happening from 17-19 February in Osaka, Japan and online, the UNEP-IETC Global Dialogue is a high-level biennial conference aimed to convene key stakeholders, including policymakers, private sector representatives, academia, civil society, and youth, to foster dialogue and develop actionable strategies for advancing circular waste management practices.
This Dialogue aspires to serve as a catalyst for collaboration, establishing clear pathways to integrate sustainable practices across sectors. It emphasizes social equity, gender responsiveness, and impactful policy frameworks. Participants will explore insights from global case studies and actively engage in discussions aimed at shaping inclusive, future-ready waste management solutions that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
At a session titled New Agreement on Plastics: What will it take? at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Inger Andersen said the following:
"After two years of talks, we are closer to securing a treaty for the ages. One that hits the problem of plastic pollution hard and protects human, planetary and economic health.
"A high degree of convergence has been reached in 29 out of 32 articles that are proposed to make up the treaty text. However, three areas require significant further work. Products, including the issue of chemicals. Sustainable production and consumption. Financing, including a financial mechanism and aligning financial flows.
"There is a strong determination across Member States, across communities, across science, across civil society and across industry to get the treaty done. But a big political and diplomatic push is needed in the coming months, with the engagement of all stakeholders and strong G20 leadership, to lay the ground for success at INC 5.2."
To commemorate International Day of Zero Waste 2025, the public is invited to submit good zero waste practices in the fashion and textiles sector - whether a widely accepted approach or an innovative business model, method, process, or technique that demonstrates effectiveness and contributes to positive zero waste outcomes.
Submissions must feature practices that have been in implementation for at least one year. If the practice has already concluded, it should have been completed as recently as 2024.
Submission deadline: 12 February 2025
