Chemicals and Waste Issues of Concern: A Summary Analysis of Stakeholders’ Views

United Nations 2 years ago

Chemicals and Waste Issues of Concern: A Summary Analysis of Stakeholders’ Views on Priorities for Further Work and Potential Further International Action In 2020, UNEP published an Assessment Report on 19 chemicals and waste issues of concern which pose risks to human health and the environment. The Report concluded that urgent international concerted action is needed for sound management of chemicals. This report, which was requested by UNEA Resolution 5/7, offers a summary analysis of views from Member States and other stakeholders on priorities for further work, including potential further international action on each of the 19 issues of concern. The present report outlines in Chapter 2 an analysis of views on general considerations expressed by Member States and other stakeholders on the issues of concern. Chapter 3 provides an overview of suggested concrete actions for the issues of concern, also considering sectoral approaches. Finally, Chapter 4 explores possible next steps, considering the global policy context. More information
→ View Full Article

layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 12 hours ago



The strongest signal for sustainable construction is a shift from headline materials to delivery systems, skills and resource risk.

BIM4Water’s 2026-30 roadmap places digital twins, standardised data and asset information at the centre of water infrastructure performance, strengthening whole life carbon assessment, lifecycle assessment and life cycle cost decisions across design, procurement and operation.

CDP’s warning that major companies face almost $400bn in water-related impacts shows why sustainable building design, low carbon design and environmental sustainability in construction must address scarcity, flooding and operational resilience from the outset.

Circular economy capacity is becoming a practical construction priority. Hertfordshire’s £24m waste transfer station, designed to manage 140,000 tonnes of material a year, reflects the infrastructure needed to support circular economy in construction, resource efficiency in construction and end-of-life reuse in construction.

The move underlines the importance of circular construction strategies, sustainable material specification and better evidence on embodied carbon in materials, including environmental product declarations (EPDs), low embodied carbon materials, green building materials and low carbon construction materials.

The skills gap remains a critical constraint on net zero carbon buildings and net zero whole life carbon. The NFB and CITB-backed heritage construction skills plan matters because retrofit, repair and conservation are central to cutting embodied carbon and reducing the carbon footprint of construction. The greenest low carbon building is often the one already standing, provided the workforce can repair it properly. Software, BREEAM, BREEAM v7, eco-design for buildings and sustainable design frameworks will not deliver carbon footprint reduction without tradespeople able to turn policy into durable, energy-efficient buildings, green infrastructure and low-impact construction. Net zero carbon, carbon neutral construction and decarbonising the built environment now depend as much on capacity, competence and building lifecycle performance as on capital.

Show More

camera_altFeatured Instagram Posts:

Get your opinion heard:

Whole Life Carbon is a platform for the entire construction industry—both in the UK and internationally. We track the latest publications, debates, and events related to whole life guidance and sustainability. If you have any enquiries or opinions to share, please do get in touch.

Let's chat!
Avatar

WLC Assistant

Ask me about sustainability

Hi! I'm your Whole Life Carbon assistant. I can help you learn about sustainability, carbon assessment, and navigate our resources. How can I help you today?