Independent science – encompassing both traditional scientific knowledge and lived experience – is a foundation for informed global decision-making. However, as the first meeting of the International Science Panel became bogged down in procedural negotiations, the delivery of the Panel’s substantive work risks being delayed at a critical moment.
At a time when societies worldwide are facing growing exposure to chemical pollution and complex chemical mixtures, delays in mobilising independent science undermine the very purpose of the Panel. Scientific evidence already shows that real-world exposure does not happen one substance at a time, yet global governance structures continue to struggle to reflect this reality.
The Science Panel has a vital role to play in ensuring that policy discussions are grounded in the best available evidence. Procedural standstills must not slow progress on the urgent scientific questions that underpin human and environmental health.
Quotes – Ieva Rucevska (staff bio), expert GRID-Arendal:
“Independent science, encompassing both scientific knowledge and lived experience, is essential for credible global decision-making. When the Science Panel stalls in procedure, the real work of protecting people and ecosystems is delayed.”
“The science is clear that chemical pollution is about mixtures, not single substances. The Science Panel must help bridge the gap between how exposure happens in reality and how regulation is designed.”
“Uncertainty should not be used as an excuse for inaction. The role of the Science Panel is to inform decisions based on the best available evidence – not to wait for impossible levels of certainty.”
GRID-Arendal stands by the urgency of addressing pollution challenges, which are greatly underestimated when considering issues such as chemical cocktail effects and the transboundary nature of pollution.
What is the International Science Panel? The International Science Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution is a science–policy body established by governments to strengthen the interface between science and decision-making on chemicals, waste, and pollution.
The Panel was formally agreed by UN Member States at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) in 2022, following years of calls for a global mechanism comparable to the IPCC for climate change or IPBES for biodiversity. Its mandate is to provide independent, policy-relevant scientific advice to support countries in addressing pollution and its impacts on human and environmental health.
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