The Global Framework on Chemicals – For a planet free of harm from chemicals and waste (“GFC”) was adopted at the fifth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM-5) in 2023.

The GFC succeeds the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), which was a multi-sector and multi-stakeholder policy framework to foster the sound management of chemicals ensuring that chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on the environment and human health. SAICM helped countries to make progress on emerging policy issues, helped create an enabling environment for sound chemicals management in developing countries, and has also made progress in developing a monitoring and evaluation framework for assessing the chemicals and waste management.

The GFC is an overarching global instrument addressing strategic aspects of chemicals and waste issues, setting it apart from other stand-alone conventions.  It seeks to protect both the planet and human health, advocating for strong governance mechanisms and enforcing international standards.

As a participating organization of the Inter-organization Programme for the Management of Chemicals (IOMC), UNDP supports the development and implementation of the GFC.  We are currently preparing for the first Global Forum on Chemicals International Conference (IC-1) that will take place in late 2026.