Image Source: UNEP 

In a significant move to combat the growing global crisis of chemicals and waste, a new funding initiative was launched on October 1 under the Global Framework on Chemicals. The first-ever call for projects under the framework will focus on supporting low- and middle-income countries, including small island developing states, in managing chemicals and waste sustainably and safely.

The projects funded by this new initiative are expected to promote green and innovative solutions that will reduce the harm caused by chemicals and waste in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions. These projects aim to enhance human health, protect the environment, and safeguard the livelihoods of communities, workers, and future generations.

“Pollution and waste constitute a daily crisis for people’s health, undermine economic activity, and leave nature permanently scarred,” said Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, Director of UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division. 

The launch follows the adoption of the Global Framework on Chemicals at the Fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management in September 2023, held in Bonn, Germany. During the conference, delegates from around the world—including governments, private sector representatives, civil society, academia, and youth—came together to set the framework in motion. One key outcome of this conference was the establishment of a dedicated trust fund to support developing countries in addressing the safe management of chemicals, products, and waste in line with international standards.

The newly created fund is designed to support projects with a transformative approach to preventing and minimizing harm from chemicals and waste. Eligible projects will receive between USD 300,000 and USD 800,000 for a duration of up to three years. The funding aims to strengthen national and regional capabilities in chemicals and waste management, advance solutions along supply chains, and support policies and regulations that promote long-term environmental and human health protections. Co-financing and in-kind contributions of at least 25% will be required to ensure that projects are financially sustainable beyond the three-year funding period.

The fund will prioritize medium-scale projects that foster collaboration among governments, civil society networks, industry sectors, health organizations, investment bodies, and development banks. These initiatives will be essential in advancing solutions that are both environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial for vulnerable communities.

Key Areas of Focus for the Fund Include:

• Strengthening National Legal Frameworks: Helping countries build effective regulations for chemicals management.

• Phasing Out Hazardous Chemicals: Particularly targeting the elimination of highly hazardous pesticides in agriculture by 2035.

• Sustainable Chemical Alternatives: Supporting the transition to safer, greener chemical substitutes.

• Improving Transparency: Ensuring better access to information on chemicals and their risks to protect communities and workers.

The Global Framework on Chemicals outlines 28 targets that address various challenges, including the prevention of illegal trade in chemicals and waste and enhancing transparency in the chemical supply chain. The framework also emphasizes the alignment of financial flows to support the transition to safer chemicals and waste management systems.

The new funding initiative complements other global financial mechanisms aimed at addressing the planetary crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. It has already secured initial support of USD 27 million from key donors, including Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the International Council of Chemical Associations.

Sheila Aggarwal-Khan emphasized that these resources are essential for creating lasting change in the management of chemicals and waste, which have long-term consequences for both the environment and public health.

“We are witnessing a paradigm shift—this is not just about managing waste, but about preventing it and creating a future where chemicals are no longer a threat to health or the environment,” she added.