Environment and Energy

Ozone Layer Protection & Chemicals Management

Chemicals represent a vital element of human development, affecting virtually all sectors of human activity. Increasingly however, it is recognized that the poor management of chemicals adversely affects human health and the environment, compromising disproportionately the urban and the rural poor, particularly women and children.

UNDP thus promotes sound management of chemicals (SMC) as an important aspect of our work to reduce global poverty and promote human health. We advocate for the importance of integrating chemicals management priorities into national development policies and plans and help countries obtain the necessary resources to improve their chemicals management regimes in the following areas:

• Phasing out Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS): Protecting the Ozone Layer, safeguarding the global climate and achieving compliance with the Montreal Protocol
• Reducing and eliminating releases of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) under the Stockholm Convention
• Incorporating Sound Management of Chemicals into MDG-based plans in support of SAICM
• Reducing and preventing chemical pollution of international waters

What's New

UNDP and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

The 4th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Stockholm Convention (4 -8 May 2009) will for the first time in history consider nine new chemicals for listing in the Convention's annexes.

This publication gives an overview of the type of support UNDP provides to developing countries and countries with economies in transition in their efforts to reduce and eliminate POPs and meet the objectives of the Stockholm Convention. Download here the publication in English, Spanish or French.

More on UNDP's work in support of the Stockholm Convention.

Managing Chemicals for Sustainable Development

The 2nd session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (11-15 May 2009) will be the first opportunity to review progress in the implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) since its adoption in 2006.

This publication gives an overview of the type of support UNDP provides to developing countries and countries with economies in transition in their efforts to meet the objectives of SAICM and other chemicals-related MEAs (Stockholm Convention, Montreal Protocol, etc.) and sustainably manage the manufacture, use and disposal of chemicals.

Download here the publication in English.

The UNDP-UNEP Partnership Initiative, designed to support the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), has as primary objective to facilitate the integration of sound management of chemicals into national development planning processes in order to support sustainable development in developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

The publication provides information on the "mainstreaming approach" used and the experieces of countries in which the approach has been applied. Download here the publication in English, Spanish and French.

More on UNDP's work in support of SAICM.

UNDP Technical Guide for Integrating the Sound Management of Chemicals in MDG-Based Policies & Plans

The UNDP Technical Guide provides a systematic approach to countries to help assess their capacity for sound management of chemicals, identify needs, and ultimately “mainstream ” or incorporate identified priorities into national MDG-based development policies and plans.

The Technical Guide is based on applied, practical experience accumulated in pilot countries under the "UNDP-UNEP Partnership Initiative for the Integration of Sound Management of Chemicals (SMC) into Development Planning Processes"

Following a step-by-step approach, the Technical Guide describes in detail the proposed methodology, while addressing key considerations and providing “how-to” information associated with each step.

The Technical Guide was released during ICCM2 (11-15 May) and will be up for comments until 17 July 2009. Download here the Technical Guide in English.

How is the Sound Management of Chemicals related to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)?

Chemicals play an important role with respect to human development. However, without good management practices they can pose significant risks to human health and the environment, with the poorest members of the global community most vulnerable to their negative effects. For this reason the sound management of chemicals (SMC) is an important component of UNDP’s efforts to reduce global poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Download here the A3 size SMC and MDG poster.