There are none more pressing issues of global sustainable significance than those relating to a country’s management of the disposal of its environmental pollutants including hazardous waste, radioactive materials and other chemicals. To this end, uniting international communities with the specific objective to ensure the safe and sustainable management of waste and pollution control with due regard for the conservation of biodiversity, the health and wellbeing of its inhabitants, along with mitigating climate change concerns, is of the utmost importance.
There is presently no single international organization or convention that establishes rules of general application for waste management; however, multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) provide strong foundations to support and guide Pacific nations in working toward the SDGs and a healthier environment.