IPEN Dubai Declaration for a Toxics-Free Future

The IPEN Dubai Declaration outlines a comprehensive strategy to eliminate persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and other toxic chemicals by 2020. It calls for the adoption of the precautionary principle, the 'no data, no market' rule, and the 'polluter pays' principle. The declaration emphasizes protecting vulnerable populations, including children and indigenous communities, and advocates for a just transition for workers. It further urges the expansion of international agreements like the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions and the establishment of a dedicated chemical safety focal area within the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

• IPEN aims to achieve a 'Toxics-Free Future' by 2020, defined as a state where all chemicals are used in ways that eliminate significant adverse effects on human health and the environment, and where persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and equivalent chemicals no longer contaminate environments, communities, or human bodies.
• The declaration advocates for fundamental reforms to national chemical laws based on three core principles: the precautionary principle for decision-making when evidence is inconclusive, the 'no data, no market' requirement for comprehensive safety data, and the consideration of intergenerational equity.
• IPEN calls for the implementation of the 'polluter pays' principle, requiring chemical producers and users to cover the full costs of environmental and health harms, including the creation of government-administered funds for remediation when costs are otherwise unrecoverable.
• The document emphasizes a 'just transition' for workers, peasants, and indigenous communities, particularly in developing countries and economies in transition, when hazardous chemicals and dirty technologies are phased out.
• The declaration urges the expansion of the Stockholm Convention's list of POPs and the Rotterdam Convention's list of chemicals to include all substances presenting hazards in developing countries, specifically mentioning chrysotile asbestos.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2006). IPEN Dubai Declaration for a Toxics-Free Future. https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-joins-the-international-pops-elimination-network-in-adopting-the-ipen-dubai-declaration-for-a-toxics-free-future/

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. IPEN Dubai Declaration for a Toxics-Free Future. 2006. https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-joins-the-international-pops-elimination-network-in-adopting-the-ipen-dubai-declaration-for-a-toxics-free-future/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=IPEN Dubai Declaration for a Toxics-Free Future |date=1 March 2006 |url=https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-joins-the-international-pops-elimination-network-in-adopting-the-ipen-dubai-declaration-for-a-toxics-free-future/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2006ipen, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{IPEN Dubai Declaration for a Toxics-Free Future}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2006}, month = mar, url = {https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-joins-the-international-pops-elimination-network-in-adopting-the-ipen-dubai-declaration-for-a-toxics-free-future/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }