A Horizon Scan to Support Chemical Pollution–Related Policymaking for Sustainable and Climate‐Resilient Economies

摘要

While chemicals are vital to modern society through materials, agriculture, textiles, new technology, medicines, andconsumer goods, their use is not without risks. Unfortunately, our resources seem inadequate to address the breadth of chemicalchallenges to the environment and human health. Therefore, it is important we use our intelligence and knowledge wisely toprepare for what lies ahead. The present study used a Delphi‐style approach to horizon‐scan future chemical threats that need tobe considered in the setting of chemicals and environmental policy, which involved a multidisciplinary, multisectoral, andmultinational panel of 25 scientists and practitioners (mainly from the United Kingdom, Europe, and other industrialized nations) in a three‐stage process. Fifteen issues were shortlisted (from a nominated list of 48), considered by the panel to hold globalrelevance. The issues span from the need for new chemical manufacturing (including transitioning to non‐fossil‐fuel feedstocks);challenges from novel materials, food imports, landfills, and tire wear; and opportunities from artificial intelligence, greater datatransparency, and the weight‐of‐evidence approach. The 15 issues can be divided into three classes: new perspectives onhistoric but insufficiently appreciated chemicals/issues, new or relatively new products and their associated industries, andthinking through approaches we can use to meet these challenges. Chemicals are one threat among many that influence theenvironment and human health, and interlinkages with wider issues such as climate change and how we mitigate these wereclear in this exercise. The horizon scan highlights the value of thinking broadly and consulting widely, considering systemsapproaches to ensure that interventions appreciate synergies and avoid harmful trade‐offs in other areas.We recommend furthercollaboration between researchers, industry, regulators, and policymakers to perform horizon scanning to inform policymaking,to develop our ability to meet these challenges, and especially to extend the approach to consider also concerns from countrieswith developing economies.