The Global POPs Treaty at Ten - Center for International Environmental Law

A briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) outlining key issues and goals for the Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP5) to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, held in Geneva from April 25-29, 2011.

• CIEL is advocating for the total elimination of endosulfan, a pesticide linked to more than 150 diseases and abnormalities that is still used in 27 countries, despite 80 countries having already banned or phased it out. India, a significant producer and user, has strongly opposed these restrictions, and the chemical persists in the soil, plants, and animals of India's Kasaragod district ten years after its last application there.
• At COP5, parties are reviewing the elimination of nine POPs added during COP4 in 2009, specifically targeting chemicals like brominated flame retardants that have many exemptions. There is also ongoing contention regarding the continued need and reporting for the use of DDT and lindane, for which more effective public health alternatives now exist.
• Several systemic issues are hindering the effectiveness of the Stockholm Convention, including the lack of a voting mechanism (requiring consensus for decisions), unresolved methods for addressing countries that fail to meet treaty obligations, and poor coordination with other global agreements on hazardous wastes and dangerous chemicals trade.
• There is a significant funding gap between the financial needs of developing countries to fulfill their treaty obligations and the funds available through the Convention's financial mechanism, despite an agreement that developed countries would cover full incremental costs.
• The United States continues to participate in the Stockholm Convention only as an observer; although it signed the treaty in 2001, ratification has been delayed by the need for changes to federal industrial chemical and pesticide laws, though a new U.S. Senate proposal may address this.

APA

Kistler, A. (2011). The Global POPs Treaty at Ten - Center for International Environmental Law. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/cop5-preview/

Chicago

Kistler, Amanda. The Global POPs Treaty at Ten - Center for International Environmental Law. Center for International Environmental Law, 2011. https://www.ciel.org/cop5-preview/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kistler |first1=Amanda |title=The Global POPs Treaty at Ten - Center for International Environmental Law |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=22 April 2011 |url=https://www.ciel.org/cop5-preview/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kistler2011global, author = {Kistler, Amanda}, title = {{The Global POPs Treaty at Ten - Center for International Environmental Law}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2011}, month = apr, url = {https://www.ciel.org/cop5-preview/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }