BOSTON, September 12 — A new policy brief from the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research (UNU-CPR) examines whether the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution (ISP-CWP) can deliver on its mandate, and its author argues the answer will turn on how member states handle geopolitical tension while building a credible institution. The brief, titled “Can the New Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution Succeed?”, was written by Henrik Selin, Professor of International Relations at the Frederick S.
Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. It was posted in Faculty News and tagged with chemical pollution, Climate Action, Environment, global climate change, and the author’s name.
A panel created in 2025, tested in 2026
The ISP-CWP was created in 2025 to strengthen global cooperation on pollution and chemicals governance, providing authoritative scientific assessments to inform policymaking. Its first plenary meeting, held in February 2026, revealed significant challenges. Procedural disputes prevented agreement on several foundational decisions, according to the brief.
Selin writes that the panel must now move from formal establishment to practical implementation while maintaining broad international participation and support. He identifies three issues that will shape its future: legitimacy and participation, expert engagement, and the design of its assessments.
Membership is not the same as participation
Countries already participating number in the many dozens, including the United States, China, India, Brazil, and members of the European Union. Selin calls that a strong foundation for global representation. But he emphasizes that meaningful participation requires more than membership alone.
Decisions about funding, capacity-building, and the inclusion of diverse forms of expertise — among them social science, Indigenous knowledge, and industry perspectives — will be critical to ensuring the panel produces credible and widely accepted assessments, the brief states. Selin argues that strong conflict-of-interest safeguards and transparent expert selection processes will be particularly important as the panel develops its operating procedures.
Chemicals and waste resist a one-size template
The policy memo highlights the need for assessments tailored to the complex realities of chemicals and waste management. Selin argues the ISP-CWP must develop approaches suited to a field that includes hundreds of thousands of chemicals, highly varied pollution risks, and significant regional differences. Looking ahead, he calls for assessments that are not only scientifically rigorous but also increasingly solutions-oriented, helping policymakers identify practical and equitable options for addressing pollution challenges.
Selin concludes that the ability of member states to find common ground despite differing priorities will determine whether the new panel can fulfill its mission of strengthening the science-policy interface and advancing the sound management of chemicals, waste, and pollution worldwide. He is a prolific author and researcher with an extensive body of work focused on environmental politics and policy, and he is currently the editor of the journal Global Environmental Politics.
What to watch next: whether the panel’s operating procedures — expert selection, conflict-of-interest rules, and assessment design — are settled at its next round of meetings, and whether the countries already at the table stay engaged as those decisions are made.
