The World Future Council (WFC) is calling for nominations for an award for protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals. The 2020 Future Policy Award aims to raise global awareness about and highlight exemplary laws, policies and legal frameworks that minimize the adverse effects of exposure to chemicals, and strengthen their sustainable management across the lifecycle. WFC is especially interested in policies from developing countries and countries with economies in transition, given the rapid increase in chemicals consumption and production in those countries.

Nominations can cover comprehensive chemical policies, as well as specific policies on, inter alia: chemicals in plastic products; highly hazardous pesticides; lead in paint; hazardous and child labor; and environmentally persistent pharmaceutical pollutants. The laws, policies, and frameworks can be national, subnational, regional, or local. They must: be in existence for a minimum of two or three years to demonstrate effective implementation and impact; deliver tangible improvements; be replicable under similar circumstances; and consider systemic aspects.

Nominations must be submitted by 31 March 2020. Winners will be honored during a high-level award ceremony during the fifth session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5), scheduled to convene in Bonn, Germany, from 5-9 October 2020.

2020 is a critical year for chemicals as the mandate is set to expire for the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), which was adopted in 2006 to promote chemical safety, with the goal of ensuring that, by 2020, chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on the environment and human health. Governments have launched a process to prepare recommendations regarding SAICM and the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020. In addition, chemicals and waste management is critical for achieving the SDGs, particularly SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), and SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation).

The WFC is working on the 2020 Future Policy Award process in partnership with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), SAICM, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), with support from the Government of Germany. Each year, the Award focuses on a topic on which policy progress is of the utmost urgency. [Future Policy Award 2020 Announcement and Link to Download Call for Nominations]