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.
"...it is clear, we need to move beyond the waste era we are living in. An era driven by a throw away culture, cheaply made products and increasing consumer demand. We need to decouple waste generation from economic growth and shift to zero waste models, embrace waste management and embed circular economy approaches across economies and societies.
"Circularity and zero waste approaches can help break our waste addiction. Zero waste initiatives in just five sectors - cement, aluminum, steel, plastics, and food – could eliminate an estimated half of the emissions from the production of goods – 9.3 billion tonnes of CO2eq in 2050 – equivalent to cutting current emissions from the transport sector to zero," said Inger Andersen at the International Forum on Green World Solidarity in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Environmental policies are greatly enhanced when expert advice is provided, including on climate change, nature and pollution.
Science-policy panels are specifically designed to provide decision makers, including governments, with the information they need to make informed environmental policy. They assess the latest science to come to an authoritative consensus of where the science and evidence stands.
This month, a UNEP-hosted working group gathered in the Swiss city of Geneva to decide on the structure of the new science-policy panel, with the first session of the panel’s governing body expected to be held early next year.
Ahead of that, here is a deeper look at science-policy panels and why they are important.
Following the UN Environment Assembly resolution 5/8 in 2022, countries will meet at the International Conference Center in Geneva (CICG), Switzerland, from 17 to 21 June 2024 for the third session of the ad hoc open-ended working group to prepare proposals to establish an independent, intergovernmental panel to help countries better manage chemicals and waste, and to prevent pollution.
At its third session to be held in-person, the working group is expected to conclude its substantive discussions on proposals for the establishment of a science-policy panel and how the panel will be structured.
Ahead of the meeting, UNEP has prepared a factsheet on the need to act towards a pollution-free planet and how the science-policy panel will help in this process.
Happening today from 10:00 CEST online and in Geneva, the Chemicals and Waste Negotiations briefing will provide an overview of the work and key activities to advance the sound management of chemicals and waste globally. The event will also present the new Global Framework on Chemicals, adopted by the 5th International Conference on Chemicals Management in Bonn in 2023.
More information about the event, including participation details.
This briefing will provide updates on the preparations for the third session of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group on the Science-Policy Panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution (OEWG 3) taking place in Geneva, from 17 to 21 June 2024.
When: 06 Jun 2024 | 1400–1530 hrs CEST
Where: International Environment House II, Geneva & Online
Register for:
This document sets out the key recommendations of the Quadripartite organizations for an urgent and more accelerated response to AMR, for consideration by Member States at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-level Meeting (HLM) on AMR in September 2024.
The HLM on AMR presents a unique opportunity for global leaders to invest in the present and secure our future by enabling effective national and global actions to save millions of lives, safeguard animal health, food safety, food security, protect the environment, and fortify economies against the threats of AMR for years to come.
The event, Eliminating Hazardous Chemicals from Fashion and Construction Value Chains, is happening in Geneva and online on 30 May 2024 from 2 PM CET.
The event will delve into cross-cutting and policy issues within the construction and fashion value chains while introducing the Global Coordination Project of the Global Environment Facility’s (GEF) Integrated Program (IP) on Eliminating Hazardous Chemicals from Supply Chains.
In celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity on 22 May, the Minamata Convention Secretariat has released its mercury and biodiversity infographic in Chinese and Portuguese, further expanding the understanding of the impacts of mercury on biodiversity and human health. The infographic is also available in English, French, and Spanish.
Emitted from human-made sources, this highly hazardous chemical accumulates in various ecosystems, including tropical forests, mangroves, oceans, and the Arctic, causing significant harm to biodiversity and people.
只有12％的城市，其空气质量符合世卫组织的标准。
