Good day everyone,

We're reaching out to you with a quick request—could you spare just one minute of your time to fill out our survey on gefislands.org knowledge? ?

? The CCKM team is continuously working on the knowledge hub for the ISLANDS Programme, and we're eager to hear your thoughts and needs. Your input is invaluable to us!

Thank you so much for taking the time to contribute. ?
The link to survey is below ->>>>

We often speak about climate change in terms of mitigation or adaptation. But what are the impacts of climate change in chemicals and waste management? Vice versa? Are they linked at all?

This UNEP report says yes, directly and substantially. Across different regions, projected impacts from climate change in terms of chemical and waste range from local contamination of POPs due to disruption of pipelines and storage facilities to unintended releases from increased movement of POPs. Particularly in SIDS, the risks of coastal flooding, heat stress, changes in precipitation patterns (climate change impacts) are anticipated to lead to increased releases of hazardous chemicals from waste disposal sites and other disrupted infrastructure, as well as increased fertilizer and pesticide use.

Overall, the report elaborates on from the baseline findings that: climate change can lead to increased releases of hazardous chemicals into the environment; and in contrary, chemicals production can give rise to both hazardous chemicals and GHGs. The waste sector in fact, is identified a potential source of GHGs and hazardous chemicals.

Therefore, in order to devise a more holistic approach to chemicals and waste management within the context of accelerating climate change, the report underlines both synergies and trade-offs between mitigation measures for GHG emission and hazardous chemicals, as well as opportunities exist for aligning inventories of GHGs and hazardous chemicals.

Take a look at this report to find out the lesser known, but equally crucial impacts of climate change in the language of chemicals and waste.

First-ever Chemicals and Waste Youth Forum Met During ICCM5

Children and young people are hurt the most and often heard the least with respect to chemicals and waste management. They are “locked into a world of waste but locked out of political processes to address it.”

To address these challenges, the first-ever youth forum on chemicals and waste sought to engage youth in the design, implementation, monitoring, follow-up, and review of chemicals and waste policies at all levels. Several panel discussions and a moderated intergenerational dialogue with youth and key decision makers took place in the margins of the fifth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5).

Panel discussions included ‘Children, Adolescents and Their Exposure to Toxic Chemicals: Environmental Health Case Studies and Priorities" and "‘The Right to a Toxic-Free Environment for Children and All Generations".

ISLANDS recognises youth as a key stakeholders and aims to engage with young people in SIDS region on toxic chemicals and waste through the Tide Turners initiative.

UNEP welcomes new Global Framework on Chemicals

During the fifth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5) the world has agreed the Global Framework on Chemicals.

The framework is based around 28 targets that aim to improve the sound management of chemicals and waste. Governments have committed to creating, by 2030, the regulatory environment to reduce chemical pollution and implement policies to promote safer alternatives. Whereas industry has committed to managing chemicals in a way that reduces chemical pollution and adverse impacts by 2030.

The framework calls for, by 2035, a phase out of highly hazardous pesticides in agriculture where the risks have not been managed and safer alternatives are available.

This is all very welcome at ISLANDS, were we support SIDS countries to reduce and manage chemicals pollution, including highly hazardous pesticides.

Hi there ISLANDS community,

Following up Clara Mottura 's podcast recommendation below, I'd like to share another fun episode for your weekly listen.

I'm sure majority of our SIDS-based audience are already aware of the amazing work of the Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

In this episode of BBC's 'The Climate Question', Mia Mottley shares her ideation behind the 'Bridgetown Agenda', through which she aims to help re-structure the architecture of global financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank to better fund countries - especially small island nations - with their climate action.

Against the growing number of natural disasters and the amplified impacts of rising sea levels, financial institutions should vouch for greater level of 'flexibility' and 'elbow room' for these countries. Quickest way will be scaled up funding and debt forgiveness, says Mia Mottley. She is urging these institutions to simply release billions and trillions more to boost action.

As sustainable finance for small island countries begin to branch out into the realm of climate adaptation, it will remain an important space also for tackling pollution. What chemicals and waste projects in SIDS would you like to see greater funding for? How do you think initiatives like the 'Bridgetown Agenda' can evolve to support climate, nature and pollution actions altogether, as they are inherently intertwined?

Hi ISLANDS community,
do you like listening to podcast?

I personally love them, and I think they are a great way to learn interesting things in an engaging way. If you like them too, here's a good one!

The Climate Islands Podcast is produced by our UNDP colleagues in Papua New Guinea exploring how climate change is impacting coastal communities. This episode focuses on the remarkable journey of women-led small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Kimbe Bay's blue economy.

Hosted by Dawn Thomas, this episode navigates the challenges and triumphs of these enterprising women as they chart a course towards sustainable success. Discover how a pioneering initiative is reshaping their dreams, and explore the financial hurdles they face in a male-dominated landscape.

At ISLANDS, we work to empower women, especially in the waste and chemicals sector, fostering gender equality in SIDS.