The 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) addressed these concerns by defining six priority programme areas for action in order to ensure the environmentally sound management of chemicals.1 UNCED essentially catalysed the negotiation of numerous global and regional chemicals-related treaties and other instruments, facilitated by the UN Environment Programme. The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation introduced a far-reaching target: "by 2020, [that] chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment. This objective launched a series of preparatory meetings, facilitated and supported by the UN Environment Programme.