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.
The following are statements made by Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, at the closing of the Intergovernmental meeting to establish a science-policy panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution in Uruguay.
Today is a momentous day. Let it be said that today was the first major step we collectively took to usher in a new future on the sound management of chemicals and waste and pollution prevention.
Every voice mattered in this journey. Each country, scientists, Indigenous Peoples, youth, business, non-governmental organizations and all Major Groups have made their voice heard. We know that your voice is critical. We see you all and I thank you all.
And let me say that UNEP is honoured to provide the secretariat for this important panel – an honour we do not take lightly or for granted. We are already hosting the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and – together with our friends at the World Meteorological Organization – the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). We are proud to also host this new panel.
From 24-27 June, governments, industry, civil society, and others will meet in Uruguay for the 1st international gathering under the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC).
The meeting will support the implementation of the GFC and provide a platform for inclusive dialogue on priorities and actions to strengthen the global governance of chemicals and waste.
Access meeting information, including documents and live streaming.
Against a challenging geopolitical backdrop and in a major move to protect people and planet, countries today came together to agree on a new global science-policy panel to support the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution.
Designed to fill a major gap in the global environmental architecture, the panel will provide countries with independent, policy-relevant scientific advice on chemicals, waste, and pollution prevention. Talks were kickstarted in 2022 following the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolution that called for the creation of an intergovernmental science-policy body on chemicals, waste and pollution prevention.
After several years of hard negotiations, convened by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the newly established panel is expected to conduct global assessments, identify knowledge gaps, communicate complex science in policy-friendly formats, and integrate capacity for national decision-making in relation to the panel’s function. It will also support horizon scanning to anticipate emerging threats and guide timely response.
“Today we made history. This panel represents science and cooperation coming together to minimize the negative impacts of chemicals and waste and prevent pollution. This is the first step in delivering meaningful action to address our global waste and pollution crisis and secure a healthier, safer future for all,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme.
Countries are in Uruguay shaping a new panel to tackle chemicals, waste and pollution with science at the centre.
The new body is expected to fill a critical science-policy gap. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides us with the state of science on climate. The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) provides us with the state of science on biodiversity and ecosystem services. But the pollution and waste challenge has lacked a science body for too long.
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen stated, "By working together, reviewing the best science and making this science universally available, we can reduce the exposure and harm that chemicals and waste cause to people and to the environment. So, let’s agree that what lies ahead in the negotiations over the coming days is entirely doable. We can and we must see this panel established."
Pollution is widespread – and often fatal. Dirty air alone is responsible for 6.7 million deaths globally every year, while conservative estimates suggest that in 2019, 5.5 million people died from heart disease linked to lead exposure.
To stem the pollution crisis, countries agreed in 2022 to establish a new body that would provide policymakers with robust, independent information on chemicals, waste and pollution.
Negotiators are finetuning the details of this new science-policy panel with the latest round of discussions set for 15-18 June in Uruguay. Once operational, it will complete a trifecta of similar scientific bodies designed to counter the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.
The new science-policy panel can help to translate scientific findings into action and is expected to work strategically with the recently adopted Global Framework on Chemicals and numerous Multilateral Environmental Agreements.
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen urged the international community to unite to tackle plastic pollution in an interview with NHK ahead of World Environment Day on 5 June.
Tune in to The Nice Call for an Ambitious Treaty on Plastic Pollution press conference from 18:15-19:15 hrs (GMT+2) happening at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France.
Guests will reaffirm the shared ambition, instilled in Busan (INC-5.1, November 2024), of a coalition of several countries from all regional groups and all levels of development, to conclude an ambitious treaty taking into account the entire life cycle of plastics.
Phasing out single-use plastic products like coffee cups, sachets, wet wipes and other short-lived items has been popular for years. Today, over 90 countries have banned or restricted plastic bags. In 2021, the EU banned many single-use plastic items. In response, new, practical alternatives are quickly emerging.
This has marked a shift in public awareness and attitude, with real-life consequences for businesses. Large-scale market changes, strong consumer sentiment, and an ever-tighter policy landscape mean businesses must reinvent themselves. By designing products for sustainability through reuse, refill, repairability and recyclability, businesses are reducing waste and aligning with global policy trends.
For consumers, an international legally binding agreement on plastic pollution would prioritise quality over quantity, offering consumers greater safety and reduced health risks. For businesses, it would provide clear, predictable rules within a fair regulatory framework.
Read the full article by Elisa Tonda, Chief of the Resources and Markets Branch of UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division.
5 June is World Environment Day. Follow live updates from across the globe as countries, communities and changemakers join in to #BeatPlasticPollution.
Cada dólar gastado en la restauración de bosques degradados puede resultar en US$ 30 en beneficios económicos.
