The EMG Issue Management Group on Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste was established in 2014 to strengthen the priority given to chemicals management across the UN system and improve coordination in supporting countries towards the global 2020 goal on sound chemicals management. The Group brought together expertise from across the UN system to examine how chemicals and waste issues could be better integrated into economic, social and sustainable development planning.
A major outcome was the 2015 synthesis report, United Nations and Sound Chemicals Management: Coordinating delivery for Member States and sustainable development. Based on a system-wide mapping of UN and related organizations, the report demonstrated the wide range of mandates and activities relevant to chemicals and waste management and identified opportunities for stronger collaboration. It recommended raising the visibility of chemicals as a sustainable development issue, strengthening cross-sectoral engagement, expanding joint capacity-building and improving coordination at country level. The process also resulted in a joint statement by EMG members committing to promote sound chemicals management, integrate it across sectors and strengthen synergies between organizations.
The IMG also helped strengthen the connection between the wider UN system and the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC). Following consideration of the IMG's findings, the IOMC convened the first Inter-agency Meeting on Sound Chemicals Management in May 2016, bringing together 25 participants from 16 agencies and secretariats—including organizations beyond the IOMC's core membership. Participants agreed to continue this broader inter-agency dialogue to exchange information, identify opportunities for collaboration and support implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and international chemicals agenda. This established a continuing series of IOMC inter-agency meetings and provided a mechanism for sustaining the broader coordination initiated through the EMG process.