New Scientific Panel to Combat Chemicals, Waste, Pollution Formed

By Stephanie Mukandairo

World governments have established an international panel to tackle the escalating crisis of chemical pollution and waste, completing a powerful trio of scientific bodies addressing the planet’s most pressing environmental threats.

The newly created Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution emerged from complex negotiations in Punta del Este, Uruguay, following years of diplomatic effort that began with a 2022 United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolution.

The panel will provide countries with independent, policy-relevant scientific advice on managing chemicals and waste while preventing pollution. Operating under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), it joins the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services(IPBES) to form what officials call a “global scientific trifecta” addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

“Today we made history,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “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.”

The urgency behind this initiative is stark. Air pollution alone kills an estimated 6.5 million people annually, while deaths from modern forms of pollution have surged 66% over the past two decades. Municipal solid waste is projected to nearly double from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050, with global waste management costs already reaching $252 billion in 2020.

Chemical contamination increasingly threatens the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we depend on, creating profound impacts on human and environmental health. Despite chemicals playing essential roles in modern life, their unintended consequences contribute significantly to global pollution and disease burdens.

The panel will conduct global assessments, identify critical knowledge gaps, and translate complex scientific findings into policy-friendly formats that governments can use for decision-making. It will focus particularly on supporting developing countries with evidence-based tools and will conduct horizon scanning to anticipate emerging environmental threats.

This achievement comes despite challenging geopolitical conditions, demonstrating that environmental multilateralism can still deliver meaningful progress. The establishment followed intensive negotiations by a dedicated working group that reconvened to resolve outstanding issues from 2024 discussions before the formal Intergovernmental Meeting.

The panel’s next milestone will be its first plenary session, where governments will adopt its initial work programme, establish priorities, and determine partner engagement strategies. UNEP will serve as the panel’s host organization.

Andersen emphasized the significance of this moment, which echoed: “During complex times, environmental multilateralism has yet again delivered for people and for planet. Now our focus turns to operationalizing the panel so that it can quickly and effectively support countries, safeguard our environment, and protect generations to come.”

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