New panel seeks to limit pollution’s deadly toll

Pollution is widespread – and often fatal.   

To stem this pollution crisis, countries agreed in 2022 to establish a new body that would provide policymakers with robust, independent information on chemicals, waste and pollution prevention.   

Negotiators are finetuning the details of this new science-policy panel, with the latest round of discussions set for 15-18 June in Uruguay. If agreed upon and established, the panel would complete a trifecta of similar scientific bodies designed to counter climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.  

“What we’ve been missing is a strong and comprehensive science-policy interface to tackle the pollution pillar of the triple planetary crisis,” says Tessa Goverse, a Principal Officer with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)  supporting the intergovernmental working group that is preparing the foundational elements of the panel. “Now the global community is constructively working towards a panel that can deliver policy impacts that save lives and protect the environment for decades to come."

UNEA resolution 5/18 in 2022 established an ad hoc open-ended working group to prepare proposals for the science-policy panel. Such a science-policy panel could help translate scientific findings into action and work strategically with the Global Framework on Chemicals adopted in 2023 and numerous Multilateral Environmental Agreements.   

Ahead of the Uruguay discussions, here’s a closer look at the science-policy panel and why experts say it could play a major role in reducing pollution.   

What is the aim of the new science-policy panel?   

It seeks to equip policymakers with the best available science and knowledge, enabling them to make well-informed decisions and develop policies to lessen the toll of toxic chemicals, waste and pollution on human health and the environment.   

“There’s a lot of information out there but the landscape is quite fragmented because of a tendency to look at issues chemical by chemical,” said Goverse. “The panel has the potential to look at chemicals, waste and pollution in a more integrated way and offer the knowledge for more holistic solutions.”   

Why is the new panel necessary?  

Chemicals bring many benefits to society. But their unsafe and unsustainable management means hazardous and long-lived chemicals are polluting air, land and water. This threatens human health and ecosystems. For example, pesticides used to kill insect pests leak into rivers and lakes. Discarded medicines end up in wastewater. Contaminated liquids from waste dumps seep into soil.   

Those problems are expected to mount. By 2050, the world’s municipalities are projected to generate nearly 4 billion tonnes of solid waste – a 56 per cent increase from what was generated in 2021, according to UNEP Global Waste Management Outlook. The size of the global chemical industry is also projected to double by 2030.  

“We need urgent action because worldwide the issues are growing and the risks are wide-ranging,” Goverse said.  

What would be the science-policy panel’s key functions?  

The panel is expected to conduct assessments of current issues and identify potential solutions, in particular those relevant to developing countries. It will also identify key gaps in scientific research, support communication between scientists and policymakers, and raise awareness. The panel will also assist information-sharing and build capacity to strengthen the science-policy interface. 

Will the panel be looking for emerging areas of concern?  

Yes, the panel could play a critical role in undertaking “horizon scanning” to identify trends and emerging issues that could be relevant to policy makers in the future.    

“In these fast-changing times, it is imperative to better understand how the chemicals, waste and pollution crisis could evolve,” said Goverse. “To secure a pollution-free world and achieve sustainability while recognizing the differences in contexts, we need to be ahead of the curve.”  

Are any of the emerging types of pollution and waste especially worrying?  

Yes. A 2020 UNEP report highlighted several of them, including endocrine disrupting chemicals, microplastics, persistent pharmaceutical pollutants, including antibiotics that can promote antimicrobial resistance and nanomaterials.   

When will the panel be up and running?  

In 2022, an ad hoc open-ended working group was established to prepare proposals for the panel. The working group aims to complete this task this year and convenes 15-18 June in Punta del Este, Uruguay, back-to-back with an intergovernmental meeting scheduled for 19 and 20 June where countries would consider the panel’s establishment.    

Who will be on the panel?  

The panel will be an independent intergovernmental body which governments will be invited to join. Member governments will make up the panel’s governing body that takes decision and approves its programme of work.   

Who else will be involved in the panel?  

To produce policy-relevant deliverables, the panel will depend on the contributions of thousands of scientists and experts around the world. It will also need to engage with local communities, workers and Indigenous Peoples, since they are often the ones on the receiving end of pollution. Engagement with the private sector is also relevant for addressing the source of pollution and waste, and for coming up with solutions grounded in reality. But careful attention must be paid to potential conflicts of interest.  

How will the science-policy panel contribute to Multilateral Environmental Agreements?   

These accords can both contribute to and benefit from the findings of the panel. They could invite the panel to look into specific scientific and technical matters that require global attention. Examples include the use of chemicals in products and the reduction of the footprint of high-impact sectors. Relevant agreements include the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, which set out measures for handling chemicals and waste, and the Minamata Convention to manage the use of mercury.   

Could the panel help counter the other two prongs of the triple planetary crisis, climate change and nature loss?