SAICM Overview
The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) is a policy framework to promote global chemical safety through its overall objective of achieving the sound management of chemicals throughout their life cycle so that by the year 2020, chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on the environment and human health. SAICM was developed by a multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral Preparatory Committee and adopted by the first International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM 1) in Dubai on 6 February 2006 to support the achievement of the 2020 goal agreed at the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development. The ICCM is the governing body of SAICM with the primary function of evaluating its implementation and reviewing progress against the 2020 target.
Through the Dubai Declaration on International Chemicals Management, high level political stakeholders have expressed commitment to SAICM and its objectives which are grouped into five (5) themes: risk reduction, knowledge and information, governance, capacity-building and technical cooperation, and illegal international traffic. The overall scope, needs, objectives, financial considerations, underlying principles and approaches, and implementation and review arrangements are outlined in the Overarching Policy Strategy, and a Global Plan of Action provides guidance to support the implementation of SAICM as well as other international initiatives.
In 2015, at the fourth (4th) session of the ICCM, it was realised that the 2020 goal would not be achieved. Therefore, it was agreed that an intersessional process would be initiated to prepare recommendations regarding the strategic approach and the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020.