Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management

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Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management ( SAICM , German: Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management ) is a 2006 law passed non-binding framework , which is the promotion of a sustainable chemicals management aims. The negative effects of the use of chemicals on people and the environment should be reduced to the lowest possible level.

SAICM is a multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral platform, so that in addition to the relevant participating countries, non-governmental organizations , companies and scientific actors are represented, who in turn come from the sectors of environment , health , agriculture , labor and others.

Goal of the strategic approach

Through its founding documents, in particular the Overarching Policy Strategy (OPS; overarching political strategy), SAICM is committed to the goal of using and producing chemicals by 2020 in such a way that significant negative effects on human health and the environment are minimized (in the original: "The overall objective of the Strategic Approach is to achieve the sound management of chemicals throughout their life cycle so that, by 2020, chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment. ")

The following aspects are relevant in the context of SAICM:

• Environmental, economic, social, health and occupational aspects of chemical safety
• Agrochemicals and industrial chemicals , with a view to promoting sustainable development and taking chemicals into account in all life cycle phases, including in products

The basic elements of SAICM are the overarching political strategy and the global action plan, in which the goals to be achieved and their implementation measures are formulated. The central goals of the policy strategy are:

• Risk reduction
• Improvement of knowledge and information
• good governance and administration
• Capacity building and technical cooperation
• Combating illegal international trade

Main topics

Since 2006, SAICM has defined various subject areas that are treated as emerging policy issues or issues of concern and on which specific projects are to be carried out.

The emerging policy issues are:

• Lead in colors
• Chemicals in products
• Hazardous substances in the life cycle of electrical and electronic products
• Nanotechnology and nanomaterials
• Endocrine disruptors

The issues of concern are:

• Perfluorinated chemicals and the transition to safe alternatives
• Very dangerous pesticides

organization

Negotiations on the strategic approach in April 2019 in Montevideo

The relevant decision-making body for the strategic approach is to every three to five-yearly International Chemicals Management Conference (ICCM) ( English International Conference on Chemicals Management ). The ICCM is used to review the progress made so far, to set new priorities and to decide on the budget and activities of the secretariat.

The previous meetings of the ICCM were:

• 2006: ICCM in Dubai
• 2009: ICCM2 in Geneva
• 2012: ICCM3 in Nairobi
• 2015: ICCM4 in Geneva

The fifth ICCM is planned for October 2020 in Bonn .

Currently (as of December 2016) there are 181 national contact points, 16 intergovernmental contact points and 99 contact points at non-governmental organizations . In Germany the national contact point is the Federal Environment Agency , in Switzerland the Federal Office for the Environment and in Austria the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism .

Among the international environmental protection and health organizations of civil society, IPEN , the Pesticide Action Network , the Center for International Environmental Law and Health Care Without Harm in SAICM are active.

The secretariat is located at the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Program in Geneva.

Reform process "beyond 2020"

At the fourth international chemicals management conference (ICCM4), the delegates decided to make arrangements for the period after 2020. Since SAICM is largely pursuing the 2020 target, a renewal of the foundations of the strategic approach is necessary.

In the relevant resolution IV / 4 of 2015 it is anchored that an intersessional process is to be set up, which should develop proposals for the future of SAICM and international chemicals management at three or four meetings.

Web links

• saicm.org , web presence of the UN on the SAICM program (English).
• SAICM , information from the German Federal Environment Agency on SAICM.
• Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) , information from the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment on SAICM.
• SAICM - Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management beyond 2020 , information from the Austrian Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism on SAICM.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management: SAICM texts and resolutions of the International Conference on Chemicals Management , accessed on March 18, 2018.
2. ↑ Progress report on the national implementation of the strategic approach to international chemicals management (SAICM) , Federal Environment Agency , text 11/2009, p. 6.
3. ↑ The Strategic Approach to International Chemical Management (SAICM) , Federal Environment Agency , accessed on March 18, 2019.
4. ↑ SAICM Focal Points , accessed January 7, 2017.