Selin Examines New Pathways for Chemicals Governance Beyond Planetary Boundaries in New Chapter
Prof. Henrik Selin of Pardee School has published a new chapter titled Alternatives to planetary boundaries can enhance science-policy linkages for chemicals governance, in the upcoming March 2026 issue of Earth System Governance. In the chapter, co-authored with Noelle Eckley Selin, the two critically assess the planetary boundary framework and question its usefulness for addressing the complex environmental and human health risks posed by chemical pollution.
The chapter argues that while planetary boundaries have helped elevate global environmental concerns, applying this framework to chemicals creates conceptual, practical, and political problems. They highlight inconsistencies in how chemical risks are defined, tensions with established principles of risk and precaution, and the framework’s limited ability to protect vulnerable populations. Most importantly, Selin contends that identifying a single planetary-scale boundary does little to support the science-policy processes that underpin effective global chemicals governance.
Instead, the authors point to more productive alternatives. They emphasize strengthening existing science-policy interfaces and working through established national, regional, and global frameworks—such as international chemicals treaties and the Global Framework for Chemicals. By engaging policy-makers directly, supporting inclusive and bottom-up approaches, and developing targeted indicators tied to health and environmental burdens, the piece argues that researchers can more meaningfully contribute to precautionary, legitimate, and equitable chemicals governance worldwide.
The full chapter is open-access and can be read here.
Henrik Selin is a Professor of International Relations at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies. He is a prolific author and researcher with an extensive body of work focused on environmental politics and policy. Prof. Selin is currently the editor for the journal Global Environmental Politics. To learn more about his achievements in academia, visit his faculty profile.