Nations Establish New Global Panel to Tackle Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution

Punta del Este, Uruguay, 20 June 2025—In a major step to protect human health and the environment, countries today reached agreement on establishing a new global science-policy panel to support the sound management of chemicals and waste and prevent pollution despite a challenging geopolitical climate.

The new panel, designed to fill a critical gap in the global environmental architecture, will provide governments with independent, policy-relevant scientific advice on chemicals, waste, and pollution prevention. The effort was launched in 2022 following a United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolution calling for the creation of an intergovernmental science-policy body on these pressing issues.

Following several years of negotiations convened by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the panel will now begin its work. It is expected to conduct global scientific assessments, identify knowledge gaps, translate complex science into accessible formats for policymakers, and build capacity for national decision-making. It will also conduct horizon scanning to anticipate emerging threats and inform timely action.

As the triple planetary crisis, climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, grows ever more severe, this new panel will complement two existing global scientific bodies: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

“Today we made history. This panel represents science and cooperation coming together to reduce the harms of chemicals and waste and prevent pollution,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “It is a crucial step toward delivering meaningful action to address the global waste and pollution crisis and to secure a healthier, safer future for all.”

She added: “At a time of complex global challenges, environmental multilateralism has once again delivered for people and planet. Our focus now turns to operationalizing the panel so it can support countries effectively and safeguard the environment for future generations.”

A Critical Tool for Global Environmental Governance

Chemicals play an integral role in modern life, but their unintended impacts contribute significantly to pollution and disease, contaminating the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we depend on. The human and environmental toll is substantial.

Municipal solid waste generation is projected to rise from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050. In 2020 alone, the global direct cost of waste management was estimated at USD 252 billion. Air pollution contributes to an estimated 6.5 million deaths each year, while deaths from modern forms of pollution have increased by 66 per cent over the past two decades.

The panel will help bridge the gap between science and policy by equipping governments, particularly those in developing countries, with the evidence, insights, and tools they need to take effective, context-specific action.

This week’s negotiations in Punta del Este built on work from a dedicated working group, which reconvened to resolve remaining issues from its 2024 session. These discussions led to an Intergovernmental Meeting, held from 19–20 June 2025, where countries formally established the panel.

Next Steps

Countries have agreed that the panel will be hosted by UNEP. The next milestone is to prepare for the panel’s first plenary session, during which governments will adopt its initial work programme, set priorities, and agree on mechanisms for stakeholder engagement.