New IPCP paper on engaging with the ISP-CWP in ES&T

Diamond, M.L., Sigmund, G., Ågerstrand, M., Bertram, M.G., Ford, A.T., Lohmann, R., Schäffer, A., Starling, M.C.V.M., Soehl, A., Suzuki, N., Vlahos, P., Venier, M., Scheringer, M. 2026. A call to action: engaging with the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution. Environ. Sci. Technol. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c18169

BACKGROUND

An important milestone was passed in June 2025 when the new Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution (ISP-CWP) was established. Hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), this panel takes a seat on the international stage beside the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). All three panels aim to provide authoritative scientific assessments to decision-makers and the public to mitigate the “triple planetary crisis” of climate change, biodiversity loss and chemical pollution.

With the ISP-CWP still in its infancy, the world governments must now define how the ISP-CWP will achieve its goal of providing policy-relevant advice, prioritized from the wide diversity of issues under the umbrella of chemicals, waste, and pollution prevention, as well as horizon scanning and capacity building. This Viewpoint provides ideas to inform the panel’s work and encourages scientists and knowledge keepers to contribute to the panel’s activities. It comes as the ISP-CWP will hold its first plenary session in February 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland, where decisions will be made on how to set up the panel’s work program and make the panel operational.