Its creation follows a United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolution in 2022 that called for the establishment of such an intergovernmental body.
- The negotiations were convened by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which will now also host the panel.
- The New panel will provide nations with Independent, policy-relevant scientific advice on issues related to chemicals, waste and pollution prevention.
- The next step is to prepare for the panel’s first plenary session, where governments will discuss and adopt its initial work programme, priorities, and partner engagement.
- It completes a global scientific trifecta, alongside the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
Need for the Panel
- To reduce the impact of the triple planetary crisis: The crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste.
- To reduce the impact of Chemicals, Waste and Pollution as
- Chemicals used daily in modern life have increased and there can be unintended negative impacts.
- Municipal solid waste generation is predicted to grow from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050.
- Modern forms of pollution have risen by 66 per cent over the past two decades.
