The International Mandate

The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) was adopted in the course of the first International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM1) held in Dubai from 4 to 6 February 2006. This comprehensive policy framework contains the Dubai Declaration on International Chemicals Management, an Overarching Policy Strategy and a Global Plan of Action. Its rapid adoption reflects the wholehearted acknowledgement that Sound Management of Chemicals is a priority, not only for safe-guarding human health and environmental quality but also for economic development.

SAICM has as its central tenet the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) goal to ensure that by the year 2020 chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on the environment and human health. Moreover, the Dubai Declaration on International Chemicals Management (2006) recognizes that “the need to take concerted action is accentuated by a wide range of chemical safety concerns at the international level, including a lack of capacity for managing chemicals in developing countries and countries with economies in transition”.

SAICM therefore calls for capacity building activities in developing countries and countries with economies in transition (CEITs) to be undertaken as part of development assistance activities, in order to fill the growing gap in capacity for managing chemicals between developed and developing countries. However, as recognized in SAICM, improving chemicals management in developing countries and CEITs has still to be included as a national priority in many cases, which involves strengthening the links between chemicals management and central decision making processes.

• An acknowledgement that the Sound Management of Chemicals is essential for achievement of sustainable development, including the eradication of poverty and disease, the improvement of human health and the environment and the elevation and maintenance of the standard of living in countries at all levels of development;
• Addressing, in a more comprehensive / holistic manner, the increasing gap in the capacity of developed and developing countries to manage risks posed by chemicals;
• Recognition that for Sound Management of Chemicals to be advanced significantly beyond the pre-SAICM situation, there will need to be much stronger links established with the development planning priorities, processes and plans of developing countries with the goal of integrating chemicals management into development planning (ICDP) and,
• A strengthened focus on improved cross-sectoral governance for the Sound Management of Chemicals at the national and local levels (i.e. rather than addressing chemicals on a chemical-by-chemical for chemicals class basis exclusively).

These four value-added features constitute the basis on which UNEP Chemicals Branch developed its mainstreaming activities.

Further information on the Strategic Approach can be found on www.saicm.org .

More information on the international context of mainstreaming can be found in the RFI document (adapted) “Mainstreaming Sound Management of Chemicals into Development Planning: Background and Rationale ”.

Next: Rationale for Mainstreaming