Multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) play a fundamental role in achieving sound management of chemicals and waste at the global level. For example, 30 chemicals or groups of chemicals have been listed under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) for global elimination or restriction. However, as the MEAs have grown more complex over time, it is increasingly challenging for Parties, particularly low- and middle-income countries, to develop and implement national measures in accordance with the MEAs’ provisions and decisions. An online survey under the joint “From Science to Action” initiative under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions identified several major science–policy gaps, including (1) data gaps and the lack of capacity to generate data in low- and middle-income countries, (2) the lack of national capacity to review and assess information, and (3) challenges in knowledge translating and making scientific information accessible to policy- and decision-makers. <br/>This presentation builds on a series of reviews that analyze detailed needs for policy-relevant science under several MEAs on chemicals and waste. The goal is to highlight these needs in order to foster timely research and scientific support for implementing the MEAs. The target audience is not only scientists and practitioners from various disciplines of natural and social sciences and from all sectors (academia, civil society organizations, industry and governmental institutions), but also funding agencies. In brief, it discusses needs for scientific evidence related to existing policy processes set by the MEAs’ provisions and decisions, including both needs relating to the general implementation matters and needs relating to specific chemicals or implementation matters with specific policy time windows. Also, it looks into needs for scientific evidence that go beyond existing policy processes, but are nevertheless important in order to improve the overall effectiveness of the MEAs’ implementation. It further provides practical guidance on how scientists and practitioners may provide their support to the MEAs’ implementation, followed by a brief outlook.

Enhancing scientific support for implementing the multilateral environmental agreements on chemicals and waste: Mapping policy needs for scientific evidence

ACS Spring 2022

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