In 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) decided to establish a science-policy panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste, and to prevent pollution. IPCP fully endorses this establishment. In support of the work ahead, we have prepared a white paper with a focus on the Panel’s scope and principal functions.

https://www.ipcp.ch/activities/ipcp-white-paper-on-the-scope-and-functions-of-the-future-science-policy-panel

In short, IPCP would like to see a broad systemic approach to chemicals, waste, and pollution. This should include: (i) legacy chemicals, pollution, and waste, (ii) currently used chemicals and their transformation products, (iii) waste, such as industrial waste, biosolids, and wastewater, (iv) geogenic pollution from anthropogenic sources (e.g., many metals and metalloids), and (v) unintentional emissions, such as from industrial accidents and natural disasters.

A possible wording for the scope could be “to strengthen the science-policy interface on the sound management of chemicals, waste, and pollution and associated impacts at global and regional scales to safeguard human and ecosystem health.”

The Panel should include four principal functions: (a) Undertaking “horizon scanning” to identify issues of relevance to policymakers and, where possible, propose evidence-based options to address them.  (b) Conducting assessments of current issues and identifying potential evidence-based options to address, where possible, those issues, in particular, those relevant to developing countries (c) Providing up-to-date and relevant information, identifying key gaps in scientific research, encouraging, and supporting communication between scientists and policymakers, explaining, and disseminating findings for different audiences, and raising public awareness.  (d) Facilitating information-sharing with countries, in particular developing countries seeking relevant scientific information.

We look forward to the upcoming discussions at the first session of the ad hoc Open-Ended Working Group on the Science Policy Panel (OEWG-1.2) in Bangkok, Thailand, from the 30th of January to the 3rd of February 2023.