The second edition of the Global Chemicals Outlook
The Global Chemicals Outlook II – From Legacies to Innovative Solutions: Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, mandated by the UN Environment Assembly in 2016, seeks to alert policymakers and other stakeholders to the critical role of the sound management of chemicals and waste in sustainable development. It takes stock of global trends as well as progress made and gaps in achieving the global goal to minimize the adverse impacts from chemicals and waste by 2020.
The Global Chemicals Outlook II was launched electronically on 29 April 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland, at a side event at the meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions. The Synthesis Report was launched on 11 March 2019 at the fourth session of the UN Environment Assembly. A shorter Summary for Policymakers was tabled as working document of the fourth session of the UN Environment Assembly and is available in all six UN languages.
The Global Chemicals Outlook II finds that the global goal to minimize adverse impacts of chemicals and waste will not be achieved by 2020. Solutions exist, but more ambitious worldwide action by all stakeholders is urgently required.
The Global Chemicals Outlook II consists of the following parts:
- Introduction and key messages for policymakers
- Part I: The evolving chemicals economy: status and trends relevant for sustainability
- Part II: Where do we stand in achieving the 2020 goal – assessing overall progress and gaps
- Part III. Advancing and Sharing Chemicals Management Tools and Approaches: Taking Stock, Looking into the Future
- Part IV: Enabling policies and action to support innovative solutions
- Part V: Scaling up collaborative action under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Index
- Figures
Information on the press coverage of the launch of the Synthesis report is available here>>
For more resources related to the Global Chemicals Outlook II, including thematic review papers, the key findings brochure, key messages for beyond 2020 brochure and translated versions of the Synthesis Report and Summary for Policymakers click here>>
Process and mandate for the Global Chemicals Outlook II
The Global Chemicals Outlook II has been prepared over the past three years through a process involving more than 400 scientists and experts around the world under the guidance of the Steering Committee of the Global Chemicals Outlook II with participation from all regions and a wide range of stakeholders. The report has been developed in response to Governing Council decision 27/12, adopted in 2013, and United Nations Environment Assembly resolution 2/7, adopted in 2016.
The first edition of the Global Chemicals Outlook
The Global Chemicals Outlook: Towards Sound Management of Chemicals was published in February 2013 and assembled scientific, technical and socio-economic information on the sound management of chemicals.
It covered trends and indicators for chemical production, transport, use and disposal, and associated health and environmental impacts; economic implications of these trends, including costs of inaction and benefits of action; and instruments and approaches for sound management of chemicals. Decision 27/12, adopted by the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme in 2013, recognized the significance of the findings of the Global Chemicals Outlook. Synthesis Report for Decision-Makers
