Biodiversity from a chemicals perspective: tools for reducing negative impacts of chemicals on the environment
24 - 26 June 2026
Funded by
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
The precipitous loss of biological diversity is related to many factors including climate change, habitat loss, and pollution, as well as the interactions between factors. To better understand and mitigate contributing factors, recent government and academic resources have focused on linkages between biodiversity loss, climate and land use, however, the effects of chemical pollution on biodiversity loss are not well understood. In a recent review of more than 44,000 research articles assessing global drivers of biodiversity loss, only about 5% of the publications considered chemical pollution (Mazor et al., 2018 [1] ). In addition, the rate of change in the production of synthetic chemicals outpaced other agents of global change (Bernhardt, Rosi and Gessner, 2017[2] ). While chemical pollution may be a relatively smaller contributor to biodiversity loss compared to climate and land use, chemicals are a direct driver and mitigation of chemical pollution could have a substantial impact on reducing biodiversity loss.
Governments require toxicity testing for chemicals used in industry and agriculture prior to registration, and to evaluate the risks of chemicals already in commerce in some jurisdictions. Traditionally, the environmental safety of a chemical is assessed from the results of Guideline Tests (e.g. OECD, US EPA) conducted on a handful of model species, and results are extrapolated to all species (Bean et al., 2023 [3] ). To account for differences in physiology, genetics, life history, and ecological niche, safety assessment factors1 are used to increase protection of wildlife and account for uncertainty in the available data. Expanding requirements for animal testing to better protect biodiversity is neither feasible nor ethical, however, available information can be leveraged to improve understanding of chemical effects on the environment quickly and inexpensively. Guideline methods originally developed in the second half of the 20th century reflect the state of science at that time and do not take full advantage of the 21st century revolution in biotechnology and bioinformatics. Vast amounts of biological information (e.g. the National Center for Biotechnology Information database) can be leveraged to evaluate the effects of chemicals on a diverse number of species that may be exposed to chemicals in their environment.
For example, models based on genetic and biochemical data can be used to improve the understanding of evolutionary conservation (or conversely, diversity) of biological pathways. These data can then be used to better predict chemical effects on a broad array of species and identify where traditional Guideline methods may miss effects on certain taxa, along with methods for bridging those gaps. With agreement on approaches for standardising and interpreting information, these innovative tools and methods can expand the biological domain considered in chemical risk assessments, inform the design of safer chemicals, and identify the susceptibility of the specific organisms.
The focus of this workshop will be intentionally quite narrow: consideration of biodiversity from a chemicals perspective and the tools available for helping to reduce potential biodiversity loss due to chemical pollution. By narrowing the focus of the workshop, the intention is to come away with a review of innovative tools available to improve the assessment of the effects of chemicals and clear recommendations for next steps. Invited speakers include experts on policy frameworks, sustainable agriculture and fisheries, and invasive species management, as well as experts from the research community. Several presentations will discuss how artificial intelligence can be used to identify and summarise information on the ecological safety of chemicals. In addition, the workshop will be convened during the same week as the annual meeting of the OECD Working Party on Hazard Assessment (WPHA) and delegates will be invited to attend the workshop. Invitation for remote participation will be extended to delegates of the Working Party on Pesticides. The hope is that having direct input from policy makers and risk assessors will result in relevant and actionable next steps.
The workshop will be structured with the objective of developing recommendations and guidance for countries for evaluating chemical hazards and risk for species that are not directly tested in laboratory experiments. We also aim to have recommendations for countries that are establishing or strengthening chemicals frameworks where biodiversity may be most threatened. At the end of the workshop, we aim to have recommendations from the research and policy experts on next steps and tools that are immediately ready for use by authorities that regulate chemical and the environment. For example, workshop outputs could include a preliminary a toolbox of approaches and guidance for evaluating chemical effects on a diverse set of wildlife species (without increasing animal testing). Currently, there are no projects directly related to the effects of chemical pollution on biodiversity underway in the OECD Programme on Chemical Safety, however, recommendations focused on innovative tools and methods to improve risk assessment of chemicals and reduce harmful effects of chemicals on biological diversity could be elaborated as future projects.
References:
[1] Mazor, T. et al. (2018), “Global mismatch of policy and research on drivers of biodiversity loss”, Nature Ecology & Evolution, Vol. 2/7, pp. 1071-1074, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559018-0563-x
[2] Bernhardt, E., E. Rosi and M. Gessner (2017), “Synthetic chemicals as agents of global change”, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Vol. 15/2, pp. 84-90, https://doi.org/10.1002/ fee.1450 .
[3] Bean, T. et al. (2023), “Toxicological effects assessment for wildlife in the 21st century: Review of current methods and recommendations for a path forward”, Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Vol. 20/3, pp. 699-724, https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4795
11:00
09:00 - 09:10 Item 1. Welcome
• Bob Diderich (Environment, Health and Safety Division, Environment Directorate, OECD) + Chairs (Health and Environmental Sciences Institute Global/EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology)
09:10 - 09:30 Item 2. The Co-operative Research Programme of the OECD – Sustainable Agricultural and Food Systems
• Lieve Herman (OECD Cooperative Research Programme: Sustainable Agriculture)
09:30 - 09:40 Item 3. Introduction to objectives and scope of the workshop
• Patience Browne (Environment, Health and Safety Division, Environment Directorate, OECD)
09:40 - 10:00 Item 4. The OECD Environmental Outlook on the Triple Planetary Crisis: Key Findings
• Shardul Agrawala (Environment and Economy Integration Division, Environment Directorate, OECD)
10:00 - 10:30 Item 5. Regulatory Assessment of Chemical Hazards and Risks: Current Practices and Emerging Approaches
• Rebecca Dalton (Environment Climate Change Canada)
10:30 - 11:00 BREAK
Session 2
POLICIES AND METRICS: LINKING CHEMICALS TO BIODIVERSITY
24 JUNE, 11:00 – 15:00
11:00 - 11:20 Item 6. A systematic evaluation of toxicity across distantly related species
• Joseph Shaw (University of Indiana)
11:20 - 11:40 Item 7. NAMs, Data and Approaches the Crop Protection Industry use to Protect Biodiversity
• Peter Campbell (Syngenta)
11:40 - 12:00 Item 8. Rethinking biodiversity: taking a critical look at what we are measuring and why
• Aaron Stoler (Exponent)
12:00 - 13:00 LUNCH BREAK
13:00 - 13:20 Item 9. Protection of biodiversity as ultimate goal of environmental safety assessment
• Stephanie Bopp (European Commission: Joint Research Centre)
13:20 - 13:40 Item 10. Synergies in Action: Strengthening Cooperation Across Pollution and Biodiversity MEAs and Processes
• Malgorzata Alicja Stylo (United Nations Environmental Programme)
13:40 - 14:00 Item 11. Chemical pollution impacts on biodiversity: Mechanisms and indicators to guide mitigation strategies
• Ksenia Groh (EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology)
14:00 - 15:00 TASK 1: Metrics
15:00 - 15:30 BREAK
Session 3
STRATEGIES AND CHALLENGES IN SPECIFIC COUNTRIES
24 JUNE, 15:30 – 18:00
15:30 - 15:50 Item 12. Advancing Nature-Positive Approach through Chemicals Management: Japan’s New Action Plan
• Koki Takaki (Japanese Ministry of Environment)
15:50 - 16:10
Item 13. Highly Hazardous Pesticides: The Impact of their Use on the Fynbos Biome
• Debbie Muir (Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment, South Africa)
16:10 - 16:30 Item 14. Chemical Safety Management and Biodiversity Protection in Chile
• Karla Pozo Gallardo (Universidad San Sebastián, Chile).
16:30 - 16:50 Item 15. Technology and Traditional Approaches to Restoring Biodiversity in Aotearoa, New Zealand
• Charles Eason (Lincoln University, New Zealand)
16:50 - 18:00 TASK 2: Common elements, challenges, and through lines
18:00 END
Session 4
CONSIDERATIONS FOR PREDICTING CHEMICAL EFFECTS ACROSS SPECIES
25 JUNE, 09:00 – 10:30
09:00 - 09:20 Item 16. Toxicokinetics Across Species
• Michelle Embry (Health and Environmental Sciences Institute Global)
09:20 - 09:40 Item 17. Bioinformatics and Biodiversity: the SeqAPASS tool for extrapolating chemical effects across species
• Carlie LaLone (US Environmental Protection Agency)
09:40 - 10:00 Item 18. New Approach Methodology for capturing adverse outcomes
• Kristin Schirmer (EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology)
10:00 - 10:30 TASK 3: Strengths and limitation of cross-species extrapolation
10:30 - 11:00 BREAK
Session 5
OTHER TOOLS
25 JUNE, 11:00 – 13:00
11:00 - 11:20 Item 19. Environmental DNA detection of species for use in understanding the impact of chemical release in surface waters
• Kristy Deiner (Simplex DNA, CH)
11:20 - 11:40 Item 20. Predicting Species Sensitivity Distributions using Machine Learning in a Regulatory Setting
• Pim Wassenaar (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, NL)
11:40 - 12:00 Item 21. Open Access Tools for assessing the impact of chemicals on humans, animals and the environment
• Jean-Lou Dorne (European Food Safety Authority)
12:00 - 12:20 Item 22. Evolution-Informed Risk Assessment: consideration of conservation of targets
• John Colbourne (University of Birmingham, UK)
12:20 - 13:00 TASK 4: Audience input on other tools
13:00 - 14:00 LUNCH BREAK
Session 6
EXAMPLES, APPLICATIONS AND CASE STUDIES
25 JUNE, 14:00 – 18:00
14:00 - 14:20
14:20 - 14:40
14:40 - 15:00
Item 23. From Soil Clean-up Decisions to Biodiversity Outcomes: Lessons from a Contaminated Coastal Forest in the Republic of Korea
• Ho-Joong (Jay) Kim (Korea Environmental Corporation/OECD)
Item 24. The risk and consequences of exposure to soil-applied neonicotinoid insecticides for ground-nesting bees using Xenoglossa pruinosa as a model organism
• Susan Willis Chan (University of Guelph, Canada)
Item 25. Australia’s risk-based prioritisation of chemical risk assessments using the Evaluation Prioritisation Tool
• Anna Cruz (Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme)
15:00 - 15:30 Item 26. Biodiversity footprint of chemical products: state of knowledge on evaluation methods and case studies with cosmetics
• Jacques L’Haridon (L’Oréal, France)
15:30 - 16:00 BREAK
16:00 - 16:20
16:20 - 18:00
Item 27. Ecotoxicology is Essential for Planetary Health
• Bryan Brooks (Baylor University)
Item 28. Opportunities for application of approaches
• Plenary
18:00 END
26 JUNE, 09:00 – 16:30
09:00 - 10:30 Item 29. Small group discussions (5 people)
• Discussion Lead + Rapporteur
10:30 - 11:00 BREAK
11:00 - 12:30 Item 30. Switch group (5 people)
• Discussion Lead + Rapporteur
12:30 - 14:00 LUNCH BREAK
14:00 - 15:00 Item 31. Reports back from groups
• Discussion Lead + Rapporteur
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
15:00 - 16:30 Item 32. Recommendations for work at OECD
• Plenary
16:30 END
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