Laying the foundations for a Cleaner and Fairer Future. Scientists’ inputs to the first Work Programme of the UN Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution

Sammendrag

The establishment of the Intergovernmental Science–Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution (ISP-CWP) is a major advance in global environmental and human health governance. The Panel will provide independent and non-prescriptive scientific advice on chemical and waste management and pollution, supporting national and multilateral environmental policies and agreements. Drawing on contributions from an interdisciplinary community of researchers, the report presents recommendations for the Panel’s first work programme, across four pillars: Capacity, ethical and knowledge foundations; International engagement; Harmonization and methodology of assessments; Transparent communication and evaluation. Central recommendations include coordination with existing science–policy panels and multilateral environmental agreements, partnerships with independent scientific societies, systematic inclusion of Indigenous, local and practice-based knowledge, and the development of harmonized and interoperable data and data infrastructures aligned with FAIR and CARE principles. The report emphasizes embedding precautionary and preventive action principles, intergenerational justice, and protection of vulnerable populations at the core of the Panel’s mandate in providing scenarios for policy options, alongside strong commitments to ethical governance and sustained capacity building.