Fourth meeting of the intersessional process considering the Strategic Approach and sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020 (IP4...

When: 27 February - 3 March 2023

Where: Nairobi, Kenya

More information here.

The fourth meeting of the intersessional process considering the Strategic Approach and the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020 (IP4) is scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya from 27 February to 3 March 2023 and also happened in Bucharest, Romania from 29 August to 2 September 2022.

This and previous meetings support stakeholders in their efforts to elaborate the future arrangements of the Strategic Approach and the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020 for consideration and adoption at the next session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5).

Background

The consumption of chemicals by all industries and modern society’s reliance on chemicals for virtually all manufacturing processes make chemicals production one of the major and most globalized sectors of the world economy. However, the essential economic role of chemicals and their contribution to improved living standards needs to be balanced with recognition of potential costs: heavy use of water and energy and the potential adverse impacts of chemicals on the environment and human health. The diversity and potential severity of such impacts makes sound chemicals management a key cross-cutting issue for sustainable development. To address this challenge, in 2006 the United Nations Environment Programme launched the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), a multi-stakeholder policy framework to promote sound chemicals management around the world. SAICM is the core international forum for achieving a key goal set in 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development: by 2020, chemicals will be used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment.