On October 15, 2026, the final seminar of the 2nd Phase of Sino-Norwegian Project on Hazardous Chemicals (SINOCHEM II Project) was held at the FECO/MEE (hereinafter referred to as the Center). The meeting was held in a hybrid format of onsite and offline. Ms. Guri Sandborg, Climate and Environment Counsellor of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in China, representatives of the Norwegian Environment Agency and the NIVA, and Chief Economist of the Center Wang Xin attended the meeting and delivered opening speeches.
This meeting comprehensively summarized the implementation results of SINOCHEM II Project, reviewed the cooperation process between China and Norway in the fields of POPs, mercury, PFAS and other chemicals over the past 20 years, exchanged the latest policies and progress on emerging pollutant control domestically and abroad, and discussed the future development direction of bilateral cooperation. At the meeting, the report "20-year Review of Sino Norwegian Chemical Cooperation Projects" was released.
The SINOCHEM II project revolved around the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on POPs and the Minamata Convention on Mercury, building a complete work chain of "scientific research--capacity building--standard formulation/revision--policy transformation--international implementation", supporting the development of series monitoring method standards on PFAS, promoting the commercialization of monitoring technology, completing key industry risk assessments and substitute research, and effectively supporting the inclusion of PFOA and PFHxS in China's first batch of key controlled emerging pollutant lists. With the assistance of project achievements, China has eliminated 29 types of POPs, significantly reduced the emission intensity of dioxins in key industries, reduced the production and environmental emissions of hundreds of thousands of tons of POPs, and provided useful technical support for the implementation of the Ecological Environment Code and the construction of the "15th Five Year Plan" emerging pollutant collaborative governance system.
In the report section, the Chinese side introduced the deployment of POPs and emerging pollutant control under the framework of the Ecological Environment Code and the 15th Five Year Plan, as well as China's implementation of the Stockholm Convention; Norway shared the latest trends in European PFAS control and new flame retardant regulations and policies. The attending representatives also conducted policy dialogues and exchanges on the hot topics of the POPRC22 meeting, and explored new entry points for future scientific research and policy cooperation.
China-Norway cooperation on chemicals has played an important role in enabling both sides to develop science-based chemicals management policies and implement relevant action plans. Its significance goes far beyond the number of co-authored papers or training and exchange activities. All participants spoke highly of the outcomes and achievements delivered through the long-standing pragmatic China-Norway cooperation. Both sides stated that they will build on this fruitful cooperation to further foster a resilient, long-term and mutually beneficial international scientific research partnership. By strengthening continuous cooperation between government authorities, research institutions and policy experts of the two countries, the partnership will provide more robust and effective scientific and policy support for advancing global chemicals governance, addressing global environmental challenges, and formulating and implementing relevant international governance rules, so as to contribute to building a clean and beautiful world.
Representatives from the China Solid Waste and Chemicals Management Technology Center of the MEE, the National Research Center for Environmental Analysis and Measurement, China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Tsinghua University, and the China Chemical Environmental Protection Association attended the seminar onsite. Representatives from the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment and Norwegian project partners participated online. Relevant staffs from the Divisions of Stockholm Convention Implementation and Minamata Convention Implementation attended this meeting.