1. One planet: one health. A call to support the initiative on a global science–policy body on chemicals and waste
- Author
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Brack, Werner, Barcelo Culleres, D., Boxall, A.B.A., Budzinski, H., Castiglioni, S., Covaci, A., Dulio, V., Escher, Beate, Fantke, P., Kandie, F., Fatta-Kassinos, D., Hernández, F.J., Hilscherová, K., Hollender, J., Hollert, H., Jahnke, Annika, Kasprzyk-Hordern, B., Khan, S.J., Kortenkamp, A., Kümmerer, K., Lalonde, B., Lamoree, M.H., Levi, Y., Lara Martín, P.A., Montagner, C.C., Mougin, C., Msagati, T., Oehlmann, J., Posthuma, L., Reid, M., Reinhardt, M., Richardson, S.D., Rostkowski, P., Schymanski, E., Schneider, F., Slobodnik, J., Shibata, Y., Snyder, S.A., Sodré, F.F., Teodorovic, I., Thomas, K.V., Umbuzeiro, G.A., Viet, P.H., Yew-Hoong, K.G., Zhang, X., Zuccato, E., Brack, Werner, Barcelo Culleres, D., Boxall, A.B.A., Budzinski, H., Castiglioni, S., Covaci, A., Dulio, V., Escher, Beate, Fantke, P., Kandie, F., Fatta-Kassinos, D., Hernández, F.J., Hilscherová, K., Hollender, J., Hollert, H., Jahnke, Annika, Kasprzyk-Hordern, B., Khan, S.J., Kortenkamp, A., Kümmerer, K., Lalonde, B., Lamoree, M.H., Levi, Y., Lara Martín, P.A., Montagner, C.C., Mougin, C., Msagati, T., Oehlmann, J., Posthuma, L., Reid, M., Reinhardt, M., Richardson, S.D., Rostkowski, P., Schymanski, E., Schneider, F., Slobodnik, J., Shibata, Y., Snyder, S.A., Sodré, F.F., Teodorovic, I., Thomas, K.V., Umbuzeiro, G.A., Viet, P.H., Yew-Hoong, K.G., Zhang, X., and Zuccato, E.
- Abstract
The chemical pollution crisis severely threatens human and environmental health globally. To tacklethis challenge the establishment of an overarching international science-policy body has recently beensuggested. We strongly support this initiative based on the awareness that humanity has already likelyleft the safe operating space within planetary boundaries for novel entities including chemicalpollution. Immediate action is essential and needs to be informed by sound scientific knowledge anddata compiled and critically evaluated by an overarching science-policy interface body. Majorchallenges for such a body are (i) to foster global knowledge production on exposure, impacts andgovernance going beyond data-rich regions (e.g., Europe and North America), (ii) to cover the entiretyof hazardous chemicals, mixtures and wastes, (iii) to follow a one-health perspective considering therisks posed by chemicals and waste on ecosystem and human health, (iv) and to strive for solutionorientedassessments based on systems thinking. Based on multiple evidence on urgent action on aglobal scale, we call scientists and practitioners to mobilize their scientific networks and to intensifyscience-policy interaction with national governments to support the negotiations on the establishmentof an intergovernmental body based on scientific knowledge explaining the anticipated benefit forhuman and environmental health.
- Published
- 2022