UNEP has carried out various outreach activities to raise awareness and knowledge on the topic. A summary of these activities and other relevant materials are presented on this page.
Reports
UNEA 2 Resolution 2/7 invited stakeholders with relevant experience on the issue of sustainable chemistry to submit best practices. The subsequent report Analysis of Stakeholder Submissions on Sustainable Chemistry Pursuant to UNEA Resolution 2/7 compiles the responses and concludes that sustainable chemistry is viewed by stakeholders as an important component to achieve the sound management of chemicals and waste.
During the preparation of the Framework Manual, UNEP sent a call to stakeholders for illustrative examples of green and sustainable chemistry. The examples have been compiled and analysed to complement both the stakeholder submissions on best practices and the 10 objectives and guiding considerations.
The report Update by the United Nations Environment Programme on relevant work undertaken in response to United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) Resolutions 4/8, 5/7 and 5/8 was provided as an information document for the fourth meeting of the intersessional process considering the Strategic Approach and the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond (IP4). The report includes updates and content on UNEP Green and Sustainable Chemistry work.
Consultations and Workshops
An in-person expert workshop on green and sustainable chemistry within the buildings and construction sector was organized by UNEP in Paris in January 2023. 38 experts from the chemicals and buildings and construction communities came together to discuss the potential of green and sustainable chemistry innovation for a more sustainable buildings and construction value chain, and key strategies and actions to reach that potential.
A virtual event on Strategic Action to Advance Green and Sustainable Chemistry was organized by UNEP within the framework of the 4th ISC3 stakeholder forum in November 2022. Panelists with experience building programs which advanced green and sustainable chemistry shared insights and lessons learned for planning a successful strategic action. Jutta Emig from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, David Santillo from Greenpeace International and Rafael Cayuela of DOW Chemical presented their experiences supporting strategic action to advance green and sustainable chemistry.
A virtual event on Planning for Strategic Action to Advance Green and Sustainable Chemistry was organized by UNEP in September 2022 attended by 72 stakeholders from governments, NGOs, academia and the private sector. The event was an opportunity to hear and exchange with stakeholders that have undertaken planning efforts which led to strategic green and sustainable chemistry action. Presentations were given by Peter Gregory and Ahmad Ansari from Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC), Lesley Onyon of the World Health Programme, David Constable of the American Chemical Society and Bharat Jain from the Gujarat Cleaner Production Centre.
A virtual workshop on UNEP’s specialized manual on green and sustainable chemistry education saw 37 experts from government, academia, NGOs and the private sector meet in March 2021. The participants were gathered to assist in further developing the manual through offering strategic guidance on the document and providing examples of initiatives and programs for green and sustainable chemistry learning.
A virtual consultation to provide comments and suggestions on the first draft of the Framework Manual was held in June 2020. It was attended by 25 experts from government, academia, NGOs and the private sector. Along with assisting in further developing the Framework Manual, participants suggested additional reports to be referenced and stakeholders to engage during the development of future specialized manuals.
A workshop to give initial advice on the process of developing of the green and sustainable chemistry manuals towards UNEA 5 held in December 2019, in Geneva, Switzerland, gathered 23 experts from government, academia, NGOs and the private sector. Suggestions on the scope, audience and objectives of the manuals were provided by the experts.
In September 2017, some 30 innovators, entrepreneurs and experts from around the world met in Berlin, Germany, to share experiences and insights from sustainable chemistry start-up initiatives and companies. Participants identified opportunities for sustainable chemistry innovation and start-ups to act as a driver to support implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Outreach Activities
UNEP presented its Manuals on Green and Sustainable Chemistry, and the work targeting the buildings and construction sector, at two events during the ISC3 spotlight series in April and May of 2023. The Sustainable Chemistry Spotlights highlighted four core topics within Sustainable Chemistry, discussed their importance, and started the exchange ahead of the 5th Global Chemical Conference 2023.
In 2022 and 2023, UNEP was a participant in the ISC3’s Sustainable Chemistry Club series, providing deep-dives on the Objectives and showcasing how they can be a tool to foster the green and sustainable chemistry start-up ecosystem. Co-hosted by ISC3 and the Science and Technology Park Pune, the webinar series features start-ups and other key stakeholders from India that are working to advance UNEP’s Objectives.
UNEP presented the Framework Manual and the Objectives at an event in November 2022 on Circular Chemistry; the enabler to help solve global challenges hosted by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The aspects of the Manual, and Objectives, which are relevant to promoting non-toxic circularity were emphasized in the presentation.
The Framework Manual and Objectives were presented at a webinar on green and sustainable chemistry in Latin America and the Caribbean in March 2022. The event co-organized by UNEP’s Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Office, the Intergovernmental Network for Chemicals and Waste in Latin America and the Caribbean and the Latin America Regulatory Cooperation Forum (LARCF) featured presentations from SME’s, policymakers and the chemical industry on how to promote green and sustainable chemistry action in the LAC region.
UNEP participated in the first ever global sustainable chemistry week, hosted online by ISC3 in November 2021. During the stakeholder forum, UNEP hosted an event in which an overview of the advanced draft of the specialized education manual was given followed by a multi-stakeholder panel discussion. Panelists included Amy Cannon from Beyond Benign, Rovani Sigamoney of UNESCO and Claudio Cinquemani from ISC3. The panelists highlighted actions related to green and sustainable chemistry learning and commented on how UNEP’s specialized education manual and ten objectives and guiding considerations could be used to support further action. Read the Forum report.
A webinar hosted in tandem with the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP), was held in May 2021. The virtual event featured a presentation of the Framework Manual along with a panel discussion on how to turn the 10 objectives and guiding considerations for green and sustainable chemistry into action. The panel was comprised of leaders from industry, research, education, government and NGOs. They were Amy Cannon of Beyond Benign, Rafael Cayuela of DOW Chemical, Victorine Pinas from the government of Suriname, Tatiana Santos of the European Environmental Bureau and Vania Zuin from the Federal University of São Carlos.
The Framework Manual and Objectives were presented at the Geneva Environment Network’s Chemicals and Waste Briefing in May 2021. The briefing was organized to provide an overview of the status of the negotiations related to chemicals and waste and upcoming important conferences.
In April 2021, UNEP presented an overview of the Framework Manual at a virtual webinar hosted by the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC). The event, titled Leveraging Green and Sustainable Chemistry for Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste beyond 2020, consisted of presentations demonstrating applications of green and sustainable chemistry and tools to support its implementation.
At the ISC3 Stakeholder Forum, held virtually in November 2020, UNEP was afforded two opportunities to present their work green and sustainable chemistry. First, a plenary presentation of the Framework Manual was held to act as a “launch” for the development of the report. In a second session the outline for the UNEP specialized manual on green and sustainable chemistry education was presented. After this presentation, an open discussion took place focusing on the ways in which green and sustainable chemistry education could be supported within and outside formal education institutions.
At the third meeting of the intersessional process considering the Strategic Approach and the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond (IP3) held in Bangkok in September 2019, a presentation on the conceptual framework and initial development of the green and sustainable chemistry manuals was given as part of a technical briefing on linking science and policy.
Green and Sustainable Chemistry in the GCO-II
The Global Chemicals Outlook II launched in April 2019 concluded that the global goal to minimize adverse impacts of chemicals and waste will not be achieved by 2020. More urgent and ambitious worldwide action by stakeholders was required. The report states that a real opportunity resides in accelerating greener and more sustainable chemistry innovation.
Furthermore, the GCO-II highlights the following key messages and considerations regarding green and sustainable chemistry:
- Sustainable product design based on green and sustainable chemistry innovation, are important approaches to address hazardous substances in products throughout their life cycle.
- Green and sustainable chemistry are equally important for minimizing potential future releases from material stocks and products, and for generating safe and sustainable secondary raw materials in a circular economy.
- Green and sustainable chemistry strategies implemented by frontrunner companies are gaining momentum.
- Opportunities exist to integrate green and sustainable chemistry in education, research, and innovation policies and programmes.
- Governments, industry and civil society are already taking the lead in exploring the full potential of sustainable chemistry, through initiatives such as the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3) or the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry (SusChem).
