Roundtable of G7 Chief Scientific Advisors

On 15 October 2019, under the French G7 Presidency, the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation hosted scientific workshops and a roundtable discussion among Chief Scientific Advisors or their G7 equivalents on the issue of global biomonitoring of microplastics.

This roundtable, held under the patronage of Mrs Frédérique Vidal, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, was co-chaired by Mr Roger Genet, Director General of ANSES, the French Agency for Food, Environment and Occupational Health & Safety and Mr Pascal Lamy, President emeritus of the Jacques Delors Institute, chair of the mission board for the mission on "Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal and Inland Waters". This mission board is one of five high-ambition, high-profile initiatives under Horizon Europe that aims to find solutions to some of the major challenges faced by European citizens.

Roundtable participants included Professor Nicole Grobert, Member of the European Commission’s Group of Chief Scientific Advisors and Dr Mona Nemer, Canada’s Chief Science Advisor. The group discussed ways to deepen linkages among G7 members and follow-up since the publication of the Scientific Advice on Environmental and Health Risks of Microplastic Pollution.

It follows a similar discussion, held in Washington, DC, in February 2019, on the topic of scientific advice to government on microplastic pollution based on the current scientific evidence base.