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«Knowledge and Information» is one of the five Strategic Objectives of SAICM.SAICM’s Overarching Policy Strategy recognizes that knowledge, information and public awareness are the foundations of sound decision-making, on the management of chemicals and products containing chemicals. However, the Policy Strategy also under-lines that there is a lack of clear, timely and appro-priate information easily accessible to local popula-tions about the health and safety effects of chemi-cals.It is for this reason, that knowledge and information sharing are critical components of

1. The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management is a global policy framework to guide efforts to attain the goal set out in the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development that, by 2020, chemicals will be produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse effects on human health and the environment. The involvement of all relevant sectors and stakeholders is central to achieving the objectives of the Overarching Policy Strategy of the Strategic Approach. 2

The present Overarching Policy Strategy flows from the commitments expressed in the Dubai Declaration on International Chemicals Management developed in the context of the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.

The future we want for the sound management of chemicals1.In paragraph 23 of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, Governments identified the goal of “achiev[ing] by 2020, that chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment” (see appendixA).That goal was further adopted as part of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management by the International Conference on

The aim of the guidance is to advance broader agreement on a general approach and criteria for the selection of safer alternatives, with a focus on chemical substitution. It is intended to advance a consistent understanding of the minimum requirements needed to determine whether a chemical alternative is safer than the priority chemical, product, or technology for substitution, independent of the entity performing the assessment or the alternatives assessment framework being used.The guidance focuses on minimum assessment criteria and recommended

The new version of SAICM texts exists in English only and includes the resolutions adopted by ICCM at its first, second and third sessions. The older other language versions include only resolutions adopted by ICCM at its first session.New activities included in the Global Plan of ActionAt ICCM3 (17-21 September 2012), SAICM stakeholders agreed to the inclusion of new activities relating to the environmentally sound management of nanotechnologies and manufactured nanomaterials and hazardous substances within the life-cycle of electrical and

Free online courses on the Multilateral Environmental Agreements in various topics: biological diversity, chemicals and waste, climate and atmosphere, environmental governance, marine and freshwater, land and agriculture.These courses are hosted by the United Nations Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements (InforMEA)

Suite of online Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), developed by the UN Environment Programme and partners on different topics:Marine litterUrban metabolism for policy makersIntroduction to life cycle thinkingEnvironmental security and sustaining peaceDisasters and ecosystems: Resilience in a changing climateWheels of metals: Urban mining for a circular economyFood and our future: Sustainable Food Systems in Southeast AsiaGreening consumption and productionClose the Loop - SDG 12 Introduction to Sustainable Consumption and production in LACAll courses are available here

This course will help the participants to understand why and how to manage e-waste in an environmentally sound manner and how action on e-waste could be taken in their own life, business, or organization.The aims of the course are to:Show how sound management of e-waste can help reduce GHG emissions, mitigate climate change and prevent hazards to health and the environment in accordance with the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm conventions;Share best practices, technological innovations, and sustainable e-waste recovery and inclusive

An Independent Evaluation of SAICM over the 2006 to 2015 period (SAICM/IP3/INF/3) was conducted to assess the degree by which SAICM has delivered on its 2020 goal. It finds that SAICM made significant progress in a number of areas in terms of strengthening capacity, commitment, technical knowledge and political will to implement and mainstream chemicals into national planning. However, the evaluation also reconfirms the findings of the Global Chemicals Outlook II, that SAICM’s objectives and 2020 goal would not be