Analysis of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

This work analyzes the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) prepared under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme Chemical Division. The treaty was adopted at the Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Stockholm on 24 May 2001, and was open for signature at United Nations Headquarters in New York until 22 May 2002. It is the first international legal instrument to focus attention on the dangers of persistent organic pollutants - chemicals that are commonly used as pesticides in agriculture and to control insects causing diseases like malaria. At the same time, these chemical substances are carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic, posing grave risks to human and animal health and the environment. The treaty is a comprehensive global attempt to reduce the risks to human health and the environment from the release of these persistent organic pollutants, currently known as "the dirty dozen." This analysis: BL Chronicles the Stockholm Convention negotiations, discusses the Stockholm treaty's intricacies and analyzes its thirty articles BL Explains the fundamentals of POPs, their chemical properties, toxicology and common and/or historical uses BL Discusses the history of POPs contamination, how the modern era of synthetic pesticide production began and its effect on today's world BL Concentrates on the science and chemistry of the twelve chemicals addressed in the Stockholm Convention and examines the politics evolving around them BL Provides explicit examples of the harmful effects that these chemicals have on human and animal populations and environment BL Looks at the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in negotiating the treaty BL Includes full text of the Stockholm Convention with annexes.