Rethinking the science-policy interface for chemicals, waste, and pollution: Challenging core assumptions

Jen Iris Allan; Anwesha Borthakur; Fiona Kinninburgh; Moritz Petersmann; Angeliki Balayannis; Andrew Barry; Silke Beck; Kevin Elliott; Tim Forsyth; Anita Hardon; Hannah Hughes; Philip Macnaghten; Henrik Selin; Yixian Sun; Alice Vadrot

doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2025.102995

Rethinking the science-policy interface for chemicals, waste, and pollution: Challenging core assumptions

Jen Iris Allan^*, Anwesha Borthakur, Fiona Kinninburgh, Moritz Petersmann, Angeliki Balayannis, Andrew Barry, Silke Beck, Kevin Elliott, Tim Forsyth, Anita Hardon, Hannah Hughes, Philip Macnaghten, Henrik Selin, Yixian Sun, Alice Vadrot

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of International Politics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Negotiations are ongoing but fraught for designing a new global science-policy panel for chemicals and waste pollution. In this Perspectives article, we challenge three assumptions guiding these negotiations. First, the new panel should resemble the existing panels of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Inter-governmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Second, the creation of a new panel will automatically carry authority within policymaking. Third, the participation of industry is crucial without special consideration for its interests. Further, we identify three steps to enhance the panel's relevance and influence.

Original language	English
Article number	102995
Journal	Global Environmental Change
Volume	92
Early online date	08 Apr 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2025.102995
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 08 Apr 2025

Keywords

Chemicals
IPBES
IPCC
Science-policy interface
Waste

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2025.102995Licence: CC BY

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Allan, J. I., Borthakur, A., Kinninburgh, F., Petersmann, M., Balayannis, A., Barry, A., Beck, S., Elliott, K., Forsyth, T., Hardon, A., Hughes, H., Macnaghten, P., Selin, H., Sun, Y., & Vadrot, A. (2025). Rethinking the science-policy interface for chemicals, waste, and pollution: Challenging core assumptions. Global Environmental Change, 92, Article 102995. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2025.102995

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Allan, JI, Borthakur, A, Kinninburgh, F, Petersmann, M, Balayannis, A, Barry, A, Beck, S, Elliott, K, Forsyth, T, Hardon, A, Hughes, H, Macnaghten, P, Selin, H, Sun, Y & Vadrot, A 2025, 'Rethinking the science-policy interface for chemicals, waste, and pollution: Challenging core assumptions', Global Environmental Change, vol. 92, 102995. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2025.102995

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T2 - Challenging core assumptions

AU - Allan, Jen Iris

AU - Borthakur, Anwesha

AU - Kinninburgh, Fiona

AU - Petersmann, Moritz

AU - Balayannis, Angeliki

AU - Barry, Andrew

AU - Beck, Silke

AU - Elliott, Kevin

AU - Forsyth, Tim

AU - Hardon, Anita

AU - Hughes, Hannah

AU - Macnaghten, Philip

AU - Selin, Henrik

AU - Sun, Yixian

AU - Vadrot, Alice

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AB - Negotiations are ongoing but fraught for designing a new global science-policy panel for chemicals and waste pollution. In this Perspectives article, we challenge three assumptions guiding these negotiations. First, the new panel should resemble the existing panels of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Inter-governmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Second, the creation of a new panel will automatically carry authority within policymaking. Third, the participation of industry is crucial without special consideration for its interests. Further, we identify three steps to enhance the panel's relevance and influence.

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KW - IPBES

KW - IPCC

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KW - Waste

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JO - Global Environmental Change

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Rethinking the science-policy interface for chemicals, waste, and pollution: Challenging core assumptions

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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