📋 Tender Overview
Towards A Systems-Based, Holistic Environmental Risk Assessment Of Chemicals (Syberac)
Combatting Chemical Threats Through Holistic Risk Assessmentbiodiversity Sustains Vital Ecosystem Services Crucial For Human Well-Being. However, Pollution, Notably From Chemical Substances, Poses A Significant Threat To Biodiversity Worldwide. Current Regulatory Approaches, Fragmented Across Various Directives And Strategies, Struggle To Address This Multifaceted Challenge Adequately. In This Context, The Eu-Funded Syberac Project Aims To Revolutionise This Approach By Advocating For A Unified, System-Based Environmental Risk Assessment (Era) Applicable Across All Chemical Domains. By Harmonising Protection Goals And Operationalising System-Based Era Structures, Syberac Aims To Safeguard Genetic And Functional Biodiversity. Through Targeted Stakeholder Engagement And Proof-Of-Concept Case Studies, The Project Strives To Disseminate Its Findings Widely, Fostering Collaboration Among Regulatory Bodies, Industries, And Conservationists.
Funded Under
Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture And Environment
Total Cost
€ 4 771 293,75
Eu Contribution
€ 4 746 138,75
Coordinated By
Wageningen University
Netherlands
Start Date
1 January 2024
End Date
31 December 2027
Objective
TOWARDS A SYSTEM BASED, HOLISTIC ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT OF CHEMICALS (SYBERAC)
Biodiversity is key to modern society, sustaining natural resources and providing essential ecosystem services. According to the UN Sustainable Development goals, the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity strategy and other European and national level Directives and strategic regulations, pollution is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss. The risks resulting from the use, release and effects of chemical on the environment is addressed in a plethora of EU-level Directives and regulatory strategies, each with specific (chemical) targets and protection aims. There is, however, concern that such a fragmented approach does alleviate the threats of chemicals to biodiversity and ecosystem services. To protect genetic and functional biodiversity from pollution impacts, a paradigm shift is needed. This transformation should move beyond the current fragmented Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) performed in specific regulatory silos, e.g. Plant Protection Products (PPPs)regulation for pesticides, REACH for industrial chemicals and Biocides framework for Biocidal chemicals, towards a harmonised and systems-based ERA applicable to all chemicals, species and land use functions. To make this advance, SYBERAC will provide ways forward to rationalise the current silo-based Protection Goals into high-level system-based Protection Goals and to operationalise their use within systems-based ERA robust and broadly applicable ERA structures. Six case studies, overarching different silos of current ERA will provide proof-of-concepts of the developed approaches. Based on targeted stakeholder enga
