新闻 Chemicals & pollution action

Spotlight on chemicals and pollution action

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.

28 Nov 2024 09:21

Curious about what happens inside the #INC5 negotiations for a #PlasticsTreaty?

26 Nov 2024 12:00

Want to know how to beat plastic pollution?

People Carrying Black Trash Bag while Walking on the Shore of a Beach
Pexels/ Inna Rabotyagina

Tackling plastic pollution takes everyone working together: business, governments, cities, civil society and individuals. So what can you do to help?  
Discover UNEP’s Beat Plastic Pollution page

26 Nov 2024 07:50

Understand international agreements in this handy video

In this short video, learn about different types of international agreements and how they shape global relations, from political frameworks like the Stockholm Declaration to legally binding conventions such as the Convention on Biological Diversity. You will find out the key distinctions, criteria, and processes that make these agreements essential for global cooperation and environmental protection. 

25 Nov 2024 19:04

Negotiations on a global plastic pollution treaty start in Busan, Republic of Korea

A panel seated at a table.
Credit: UNEP/Duncan Moore

On the opening day of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, negotiators approved the use of the INC Chair’s non-paper as the foundation to facilitate negotiations. 

INC-5, which takes place from 25 November to 1 December, aims to finalize and approve the text of the instrument. 

More than 3,800 participants have registered to participate in INC-5—the highest number of the five meetings—representing more than 170 countries and over 600 Observer organizations.  
 
Follow the INC-5 negotiations live

25 Nov 2024 13:00

UN Secretary-General: INC-5 a historic opportunity

“For too long, we have kicked the plastic bottle down the road,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres said in a video message urging negotiators to deliver an ambitious, credible, and just plastics treaty to end plastic pollution for a healthier and more prosperous future for people and planet.   

Watch the negotiations live.  

25 Nov 2024 10:44

UNEP Head: A thousand days of negotiation, a thousand plastic pollution-free years

INC-5 in Busan, Korea

25 Nov 2024 07:00

INC-5 begins today in Busan

INC-5 Busan, Korea

Today sees the beginning of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5) in Busan, Republic of Korea.  

Watch the negotiations live. 

19 Nov 2024 09:20

Stopping Antimicrobial Resistance is a shared responsibility

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents. World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) is a global campaign to raise awareness and understanding of AMR and promote best practices among One Health stakeholders to reduce the emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections. WAAW is celebrated from 18-24 November every year.

18 Nov 2024 12:35

Jeddah conference closes with adoption of global pledges to tackle antimicrobial resistance

Wide view of Second Plenary Assembly of the AMR Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Image: FAO/Yerkem Sembayeva

The 4th Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) wrapped up on Saturday with the adoption of the Jeddah Commitments, which lay out practical, actionable and cross-sectoral steps stakeholders can take to address this complex health issue.

Welcoming the adoption of the Jeddah Commitments, Jacqueline Alvarez, head of UNEP’s Chemicals and Health Branch, said the outcome document is an example of successful multilateralism and “the benefits of working jointly among the different sectors”.

She added: “The Jeddah Commitments bring everybody that has a role to play together for action.”

More on this.

18 Nov 2024 11:30

Crucial talks on plastic pollution to start next week

A large amount of plastic bottle caps in a cage
Image: Unsplash/Killari Hotaru

On 25 November, the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5) will start in Busan, Republic of Korea. 

The hope is that an agreement will be reached that is based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic, including its production, design, and disposal. With plastics causing 3.4 per cent of global emissions in 2019, it is vital that progress is made in Busan.