SEO Riders:
– UNEP launches third panel in “triple planetary crisis” alongside IPCC & IPBES.
– Mandate finalised in Uruguay to deliver global assessments and early warning tools.
– Panel set to offer policymakers science-backed insights on chemical safety and pollution control.
Governments convening in Punta del Este, Uruguay (19–20 June 2025) have formally approved the creation of an Intergovernmental Science‑Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution Prevention, hosted by the UN Environment Programme3. This panel fills a crucial gap in global environmental governance, joining the ranks of the IPCC (climate) and IPBES (biodiversity). It is mandated to produce comprehensive assessments, horizon scans, and policy guidance to tackle growing threats from hazardous chemicals, plastic waste, and pollution .
The final decision is the culmination of a multi-year process stemming from UNEA Resolution 5/8 (2022) and extensive negotiations by an Open‑Ended Working Group that met in Nairobi, Bangkok, Geneva, and resumed in Uruguay this June. Spearheaded by UNEP, and expected to work with bodies like WHO under frameworks such as SAICM, the panel will offer authoritative, evidence-based insights to inform policy decisions aimed at preventing pollution and ensuring sustainable chemicals management worldwide
