UNDP-UNEP Partnership Initiative
The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM),
adopted in February 2006, supports the achievement of the WSSD goal
to ensure that, by the year 2020, chemicals are produced and used
in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on the environment
and human health.
Two major value-added features of the Strategic Approach, relative
to the international sound management of chemicals work that preceded
it, are:
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A strengthened focus on improved cross-sectoral
governance for the sound management of chemicals** at the national
and local levels (i.e. rather than addressing chemicals on a chemical
by chemical class basis exclusively); and
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Recognition that for the sound management
of chemicals to be advanced significantly beyond the pre-SAICM situation,
there will need to be much stronger links established with the development
planning priorities, processes and plans of developing countries.
| ** The sound management of chemicals (SMC) is defined
as the application of best management practices throughout the life
cycle of chemicals to minimize, and where feasible eliminate, the
potential for exposure of people and the environment to toxic and
hazardous chemicals, as well as those chemicals suspected of human
and/or environmental toxicity. |
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The Initiative
In support of these two prominent value-added
features of SAICM, and in line with the Global Partneship between
UNDP and UNEP that aims to increase collaboration and joint activities
between the two agencies to better support internationally agreed
environment and sustainable development goals espoused by partner
countries, UNDP and UNEP have developed a Partnership Initiative
for the Sound Management of Chemicals (SMC) to help client countries
to:
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Assess their sound management of chemicals
regimes relative to the strategic objectives of the SAICM Overarching
Policy Strategy, and put in place a plan to begin addressing gaps
in the national regime; and
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Improve the incorporation of national
SMC priorities into the national development discourse and planning
agenda.
This partnership initiative draws on the unique support services
that can be provided by the cooperating agencies:
UNDP Support Services
- Capacity development
- Integrated policy design
- Support to MDG-based national development assessment and
investment planning processes
- Implementation guidance at the country level
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UNEP Support Services
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Partnership Initiative Criteria
- The country has at least a rudimentary national chemicals profile/inventory
in place; and,
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The country has a good sense, or at
the very least suspects, where major chemicals management problems/exposure
risks exist.
Download
here a full description of the UNDP-UNEP Partnership Initiative...
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