UNITAR named as new Host Organization of the IOMC

Established in 1995  after the Rio Earth Summit, the IOMC was created to enhance international coordination on chemical safety and address the growing risks posed by hazardous substances to human health and the environment. The initiative currently brings together ten leading international organizations: FAO, ILO, UNDP, UNEP, UNIDO, UNITAR, WHO, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Bank Group, and the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS). Under its new motto – Working Together to End Chemical Pollution – the IOMC helps its member organizations provide countries with coordinated scientific, technical, legislative, and financial support. This reflects multi-sectoral collaboration in action, across the health, environment, workplace, agriculture, development, industry, and finance fields.

Over its first decade, the IOMC focused on advancing global chemical safety priorities outlined in Chapter 19 of Agenda 21. Over its second decade, the IOMC shifted focus toward supporting the priorities of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) framework. The IOMC later moved toward supporting international frameworks for chemicals management and, in recent years, has played a central role in advancing global efforts to address pollution and hazardous waste.