Chemicals and Pollution
Chemicals and waste are integral to almost all sectors of society, bringing important benefits, however, they can have negative impacts on human health and on the environment. Environmentally sound management of chemicals is essential for living healthy lives and for a healthy planet.
Updates
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Organizations
Intergovernmental Organizations
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Liaison Office in Geneva
FAO
Multilateral Environmental Agreements
UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution
UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution
Multilateral Environmental Agreements
UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents
UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents
Multilateral Environmental Agreements
UNECE Espoo Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context
EIA Convention
Intergovernmental Organizations
United Nations Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements
InforMEA
Experts
Abiola Olanipekun
Abiola Olanipekun is the Chief of Science and Technical Assistance Branch at the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS).
Andrea Lechner
Andrea Lechner is a Programme Officer at Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, Governance branch.
Andrés del Castillo
Andrés del Castillo is the Senior Attorney for the Environmental Health Program of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
Brenda Koekkoek
Brenda Koekkoek is the Senior Coordination Officer at the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
Carla Valle-Klann
Carla Valle-Klann is a Programme Officer responsible for National Reporting at the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Convention (BRS).
David Azoulay
David Azoulay (he/him) is the director of Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)- Switzerland and Director of CIEL’s Environmental Health Program.
Francesca Cenni
Francesca Cenni is a programme officer of the Science and Technical Assistance Branch and the also focal point for BRS activities in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Giulia Carlini
Giulia Carlini is a Senior Attorney for the Environmental Health Program of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), and co-chair of IPEN Toxic Plastics Working Group.
Jacqueline Alvarez
Jacqueline Alvarez is the Chief of the UNEP Chemicals and Health Branch.
Katherine Theotocatos
Katherine Theotocatos is the Head of the Special Programme on Institutional Strengthening of the Chemicals Cluster at UNEP's Chemicals and Health Branch.
Katherine Urbáez
Katherine Urbáez is the Founder and Executive Director of the Health Diplomacy Alliance.
Kay Williams
Kay Williams is the Head of the Global Framework on Chemicals.
Kei Ohno Woodall
Kei Ohno Woodall is a Senior Coordination Officer at the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS).
Kenneth Davis
Kenneth Davis is a Program Officer from the Technology and Metals Team of the UN Environment Programme's (UNEP) Chemicals and Health Branch.
Melisa T.S. Lim
Melisa Lim is A Programme Officer and the Focal Point to Central and Eastern Europe and Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) at BRS.
Mickaël Repellin
Mickaël Repellin is the Co-founder and Secretary General of PIRSE-IEHRI, attorney and researcher in international environmental and health law.
Monika Stankiewicz
Monika Stankiewicz is the Executive Secretary of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
Otto Simonett
Otto Simonett is the Director of Zoï Environment Network.
Rolph Payet
Rolph Payet is the Executive Secretary of the Basel Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS).
Sandra Avérous-Monnery
Sandra Avérous-Monnery is seconded to the World Trade Organization as Economic Officer.Events
Body Meeting
7th Meeting of the Expert Working Group on the Review of Annexes to the Basel Convention (Part II)
27 – 30 Sep 2026
International Environment House II | Room Rhin, Aare and Rhone,
BRS
Conference
Technical Meeting on Occupational Safety and Health in the Retail Sector
28 Sep – 02 Oct 2026
ILO
ILO
Conference
Honey-Coated Defoliants: Biochemicals, the American-Vietnam War, and Scientists taking Sides
01 Oct 2026 | 12:15 – 13:45
Maison de la Paix, Room S10
IHEID
Virtual
The Economics of Addressing Pharmaceuticals in the Environment | Addressing Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Series
01 Oct 2026 | 14:00 – 15:30
Online | Webex
UNEP Chemicals and Health Branch, GEN
Body Meeting
3rd meeting of the Stockholm Convention Compliance Committee
05 – 09 Oct 2026
Online
BRS
Conference
Briefing on the 2027 Meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
05 Oct 2026 | 10:00 – 11:30
International Environment House I | Room 3 & Online | Teams
BRS, GEN
Virtual
Chemicals and waste on the road to CBD COP 17 | Minamata Online
06 Oct 2026 | 13:00 – 15:00
Online | Webex
Minamata Convention
Body Meeting
Sixtieth meeting of the WHO Expert Committee on Specifications for Pharmaceutical Preparations
12 – 16 Oct 2026
WHO Headquarters
WHO
Body Meeting
17th meeting of the Basel Convention Implementation and Compliance Committee (ICC-17)
12 – 16 Oct 2026
International Environment House I | Room 3
BRS
Body Meeting
95th session of the Working Party on Pollution and Energy
14 – 16 Oct 2026
Palais des Nations
UNECE
Virtual
Mercury from Contaminated Steel in the Oil and Gas Industry: Challenges with Analysis, Waste Treatment, Disposal and Recycling | Hg in Steel – Learning from Global Approaches
14 Oct 2026 | 13:00 – 15:00
Online | Teams
UNEP Global Mercury Partnership
Virtual
Programme of Work and Budget for 2026–2027 & Status of Contributions (Parties only) | Minamata Online
15 Oct 2026 | 13:00 – 14:00
Online | Webex
Minamata Convention
Conference
Road to the First International Conference of the Global Framework on Chemicals
27 Oct 2026 | 14:00 – 15:30
International Environment House I, Room 3 & Online | Webex
GFC, GEN
Body Meeting
24th session of the Steering Committee of the Transport Health and Environment Pan-European Programme
29 – 30 Oct 2026
Palais des Nations | Room IX
UNECE, WHO
Body Meeting
9th meeting of the small intersessional working group on technical guidelines on persistent organic pollutants as wastes
31 Oct – 02 Nov 2026
International Environment House II
BRS
Conference
Global Supply Chains Forum: Advancing Circular and Chemical-Safe Supply Chains in Fashion and Construction
12 – 13 Nov 2026
Palais des Nations | Room VII
UNEP Chemicals and Health Branch, GEF, UNDP, UNIDO, FAO
Body Meeting
First International Conference of the Global Framework on Chemicals
16 – 20 Nov 2026
CICG
GFC
Body Meeting
Joint Bureau Meeting of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
23 – 24 Nov 2026
Geneva
BRS
Virtual
Addressing the supply and trade of mercury not in compliance with the Convention | Minamata Online
24 Nov 2026 | 13:00 – 14:00
Online | Webex
Minamata Convention
Virtual
Review of Implementation of Article 7 on Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining | Minamata Online
26 Nov 2026 | 13:00 – 14:00
Online | Webex
Minamata Convention
Body Meeting
12th meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Protocol on PRTRs
30 Nov – 01 Dec 2026
Palais des Nations | Room V
UNECE
Body Meeting
10th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention and 6th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on SEA
01 – 04 Dec 2026
Palais des Nations
EIA Convention
Virtual
Towards a Mercury-Free Dentistry | Minamata Online
01 Dec 2026 | 13:00 – 14:00
Online | Webex
Minamata Convention
Virtual
Financing mercury action: GEF, SIP and country experiences | Minamata Online
03 Dec 2026 | 13:00 – 14:00
Online | Webex
Minamata Convention
Workshop
Global seminar on the Safe and Secure Management of Hazardous Chemicals: Strengthening Policy and Governance to Prevent and Mitigate Industrial Accidents
08 Dec 2026
Palais des Nations | Room XVI
UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents
Conference
Global seminar on the Safe and Secure Management of Hazardous Chemicals: Strengthening Policy and Governance to Prevent and Mitigate Industrial Accidents
08 Dec 2026 | 11:00 – 17:00
Palais des Nations | Room XVI
UNECE
Body Meeting
Ninth meeting of the Implementation and Compliance Committee
26 – 28 Jan 2027
International Environment House
Minamata Convention
Body Meeting
17th meeting of the Basel Convention Implementation and Compliance Committee (ICC-17)
22 – 26 Feb 2027
International Environment House II
BRS
Body Meeting
Seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP-7)
06 – 10 Sep 2027
Minamata Convention
Learning
Online Course
From Climate Crisis to Health Transformation: A Planetary Approach
28 Sep – 09 Oct 2026
UNIGE
Course in Geneva
United Nations Chemicals and Waste Management Study Programme
09 – 13 Nov 2026
Geneva
UNITAR
Online Course
Introductory Course to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
InforMEA
Online Course
Protecting Children’s Health From Environmental Threats: Free Online Course by UNICEF & WHO
WHO, UNICEF
Publications
Report
Guidelines on access to justice and effective remedies in the context of toxics
2025
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
Report
The Imperative of Defossilizing Our Economies
2025
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
Policy Brief
Analysis of Governments’ Authority to Mitigate Micro- and Nanoplastic Releases to Inform the Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations
2024
University of Wollongong, Minderoo Foundation
Policy Brief
A global plastics treaty and biodiversity: converging or conflicting regimes?
2024
IUCN
Report
Climate Impacts of Plastics: Global Actions to Stem Climate Change and End Plastic Pollution
2024
GRID-Arendal
Report
The toxic impacts of some proposed climate change solutions – Report of the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes
2023
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
Report
Strengthening collaboration and coordination between biodiversity and chemicals and waste clusters
2022
Nordic Council of Ministers
Report
Interlinkages between the chemicals and waste multilateral environmental agreements and biodiversity: Key Insights
2021
BRS, Minamata Convention
Report
An Assessment of Options for Strengthening the Science-Policy Interface at the International Level for the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste
2020
UNEP Chemicals and Health Branch
Jobs
Intern
Publications Digitization and Records Management Intern
30 Sep 2026
UNEP Chemicals and Health Branch