Industrial facilities have a significant impact on the environment due to their use of large amounts of raw materials and energy, resulting in the release of pollutants into the air, water and soil. These facilities are obligated to adhere to various regulatory requirements, including emission levels and environmental quality objectives at the local level. This report provides a cross-country analysis of Best Available Techniques Reference Documents (BREFs) for three industrial sectors: iron and steel, paper and pulp, and waste incineration. It examines six BREFs from different countries and organisations, such as China, India, South Korea, the US, the EU, and the World Bank. The information gathered from various jurisdictions may help and support countries in developing sector-specific BREFs. Furthermore, this comparative analysis can identify areas for potential harmonisation between countries and highlight aspects of the BREFs that may require expansion or updating to better address environmental impact considerations.

This report provides a year-by-year overview of the main trends in development finance with biodiversity-related objectives for the period 2015-22, considering a wide range of sources: bilateral providers from Development Assistance Committee (DAC) members and beyond, including South-South and triangular co-operation providers; multilateral development banks and other multilateral institutions; private finance mobilised by development finance; and private philanthropy. The estimates are based on statistical data from the OECD and the International Forum on Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD), capturing both official development assistance and non-concessional development finance. They include breakdowns by provider, sector, financial instrument and recipient country grouping, as well as details on financial allocations to the mainstreaming of biodiversity, climate change, Indigenous peoples and local communities, and gender equality. The evidence aims to help DAC members and other stakeholders implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity and track the contribution of development finance against its Target 19 on resource mobilisation.

Children can be more vulnerable than adults to environmental hazards, such as those presented by chemicals, due to their physiological differences and unique behaviour. Risk assessment methodologies that specifically consider children are required to ensure that potential risks are addressed. The purpose of this document is to compile parameters and algorithms for estimating children’s exposure to crafts and toys via the dermal, inhalation, and oral routes, with a focus on published guidance or approaches used by regulatory bodies. Key sources of information include publications and guidance from various international regulatory agencies, as well as peer-reviewed studies and reviews of parameters and algorithms for exposure to children’s crafts and toys. Examples of parameters, including considerations for selecting appropriate age groups, and algorithms are provided in detail for each product category and route (dermal, inhalation, and oral).

This document contains the Performance Standards (PS) for the assessment of proposed in vitro assays, similar to the in vitro Epidermal Sensitisation Assay (EpiSensA), or modified. The EpiSensA is an in vitro method for identifying the skin sensitisation potential of chemicals. The EpiSensA method has been included in Test Guideline 442D, upon a proposal from Japan, reviewed, consolidated and finally approved by the Working Party of the National Coordinators of the Test Guidelines Programme. This was a project on the work plan of the Test Guidelines Programme until 2024.

The report relates to discussions held on operational and financial aspects of test methods validation under the OECD Test Guidelines Programme. The workshop was organised in the context of a broader discussion on building confidence of regulatory bodies and modernising the validation process for new and emerging chemical safety testing methods and approaches. In this workshop, attention was raised on the need for increased public funding for validation activities, including independent peer review, and the need to make existing validation resources and know-how better known to method developers to facilitate the organisation of validation activities.

This document describes the design and results of the validation exercise for the Rapid Estrogen ACTivity In Vivo (REACTIV) Assay, organised by France and the United Kingdom. This method was developed for the detection of estrogen axis active substances. The project was on the Test Guidelines Programme work plan until 2024.

This document contains a Guidance Document (GD) on Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment (IATA) for Phototoxicity Testing, originally developed by Japan, reviewed, consolidated and finally approved by the Working Party of the National Coordinators of the Test Guidelines Programme. This document provides an overview and key characteristics of each individual information source available for phototoxicity testing, and their use within the IATA. The project was on the Test Guidelines Programme work plan until 2024.

This document encloses the Peer Review Report (PRR) of the validation study for OptiSafeTM Eye Irritation Test (EIT) for its inclusion in OECD Test Guideline 496 on In Vitro Macromolecular Test Methods. The OptiSafeTM EIT is validated for identifying chemicals that do not require classification for eye damage. The project was on the Test Guidelines Programme work plan until 2024.

This document presents the design and the results of a validation exercise for the short-term Juvenile Hormone Activity Screening Assay (JHASA) using Daphnia magna, organised by Japan. This method was developed to detect the potential endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with juvenile hormone activity. The project was on the Test Guidelines Programme work plan since 2016 and until 2024.

This document contains the validation report of the IL-2 Luc LTT assay on in vitro immunotoxicity, prepared by Japan in 2023. This was a project on the work plan of the Test Guidelines Programme until 2024.

This document contains the report of the peer review organised by Japan for the validation of the IL-2 Luc LTT assay on in vitro immunotoxicity, a project on the work plan of the Test Guidelines Programme until 2024.

This document contains the validation report of the H. azteca bioconcentration test (HYBIT), prepared by Germany in 2023 and approved as Test Guideline 321 by the Working Party of the National Coordinators of the Test Guidelines Programme. This was a project on the work plan of the Test Guidelines Programme until 2024.

The objective of the Integrated Approaches for Testing and Assessment (IATA) Case Studies Project is to increase experience with the use of IATA by developing case studies which constitute examples of predictions that are fit for regulatory use. The aim of this project is to create common understanding of using novel methodologies and the generation of considerations/guidance stemming from these case studies. This case study was developed by the International Council on Animal Protection in OECD Programmes (ICAPO) to illustrate practical uses of IATA, and was submitted to the 2023 review cycle of the IATA Case Studies Project. The case study provides a framework to fulfil an IATA for chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity assessment through a weight of evidence (WoE)-based approach, in the absence of rodent cancer bioassays. The purpose of this IATA is to illustrate the use of the Rethinking Carcinogenicity Assessment for Agrichemicals Project (ReCAAP) framework, which is a scientific, WoE-based approach that allows the estimation of a Point of Departure (POD) for use in agrochemical risk assessment. To illustrate the use of the ReCAAP framework, two examples are presented in this IATA.

The report is the first ever mapping of financial and technical assistance to industry decarbonisation in emerging and developing economies (EMDEs). It aims to provide key trends and findings on the financial and technical assistance for industry decarbonisation in emerging and developing economies (EMDEs). The mapping report highlights different types of financing sources, such as public bilateral and multilateral assistance, private finance mobilised by official development finance interventions, philanthropies, and institutional investors. It also highlights keys areas for action based on the report’s findings that could help to increase the focus of financial and technical assistance for industry decarbonisation in EMDEs, as well as their impact on GHG emissions reduction. One key conclusion drawn from the report shows that, financial and technical assistance for industry decarbonisation in EMDEs has not received the necessary attention so far.

In June 2023, the OECD organised a seminar series on the Management of Hazardous Substances at Port Areas. The first seminar presented examples from countries on the functioning of their ports with regard to the management of hazardous substances. The second focused on elements of chemical accidents management at port areas. A background report was developed for the seminar series and a survey was conducted amongst delegations, the goal of which was to collect information on what are perceived as the main challenges to managing chemical accidents risks and safety at port areas and possible means for improvement. This document builds on the background report developed for the seminar series supplemented with the conclusions from the seminars as well as the results from the survey.

The OECD Working Party on Chemical Accidents (WPCA) organised a half-day thematic session at the occasion of its 32nd meeting on 26th October 2022. This thematic session covered two themes: How to make lessons from accidents work? and Challenges and issues arising from decarbonisation and the energy transition. The thematic session was organised as a brainstorming meeting with presentations from experts and discussion to exchange on challenges in these two particular areas. This report summarises the main conclusions from the thematic session.

Ce rapport présente des projections jusqu'en 2040 de l'utilisation des plastiques, de la production de déchets et de leurs impacts environnementaux. Il donne un aperçu des avantages environnementaux potentiels et des conséquences économiques de différents niveaux d'ambition politique internationale visant à mettre fin à la pollution plastique. Les scénarios stylisés élaborés dans ce rapport diffèrent par le degré de rigueur des politiques, leur portée sur l'ensemble du cycle de vie et leur couverture géographique. L'analyse s'appuie sur une modélisation détaillée pour montrer que le statu quo n'est pas viable, mais qu'un ensemble de mesures ambitieuses mises en œuvre à l'échelle mondiale et fondées sur une approche de l'ensemble du cycle de vie pourrait pratiquement mettre fin aux rejets de matières plastiques dans l'environnement d'ici à 2040. Cet objectif pourrait être atteint à des coûts globaux modestes, à condition que les obstacles techniques, économiques et de gouvernance puissent être surmontés. Une approche politique ciblant toutes les étapes du cycle de vie des plastiques est plus efficace et plus rentable que les approches axées uniquement sur l'amélioration de la gestion et du recyclage des déchets. Pour mettre fin à la pollution plastique, la mobilisation d'importantes ressources financières et une coopération internationale solide seront nécessaires pour remédier aux différences de coûts et de capacités entre les pays. Les conclusions de ce rapport peuvent informer les décideurs politiques et les négociateurs sur les implications environnementales et économiques des différentes visions d'un traité sur les plastiques, ainsi que sur les aspects liés à sa mise en œuvre.