For decades, concerned scientists and activist NGOs have been warning the international community about the severe threats posed by persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These chemicals, sometimes referred to as the "dirty dozen," are widely used as pesticides and in industrial applications. Rachel Carson's book "Silent Spring" published in 1962 raised awareness about the harm caused to the environment from indiscriminate use of pesticides, singularly DDT. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), widely used industrial chemicals particularly in transformers and condensers, were discovered in natural samples in the environment for the first time in 1966. Since then, evidence has mounted that POPs travel long distances and are found in remote areas far from their original source of application. Once introduced into the environment, POPs are persistent as their name suggests, retain their toxicity and degrade after decades. Of particular concern is the subtle long-term toxicity of such compounds, especially their effects on the endocrine systems of wildlife and human beings.

The Stockholm Convention

Recognizing the dangers of POPs, countries began limiting their production, use and release, first individually, then on a regional basis, and finally through global agreements. These efforts culminated in the Stockholm Convention of 22 May 2001, a global, legally binding agreement to reduce and eliminate releases of a number of POPs numbering 12 initially, including pesticides (e.g. DDT and mirex) and industrial chemicals (e.g. PCBs) as well as unintentionally produced POPs (e.g. dioxins and furans). The GEF is the interim financial mechanism of the Convention. The Convention was signed originally by 150 countries, entered into force in May 2004, and now counts 120 parties as signatories to the Convention (as of March 2006). The first Conference of the Parties took place in May 2006 in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

Snapshot of GEF's Role

GEF's involvement in tackling the threats posed by POPs dates back to 1995, with the introduction of the International Waters Operational Strategy and its contaminant-based component. In this framework, in the late 1990s, GEF began to develop a portfolio of strategically-designed projects including regional assessments and pilot demonstrations that addressed a number of pressing POPs-related issues. These initial activities allowed the GEF to respond promptly to requests for support from the negotiators of the Stockholm Convention for implementing the Convention. This in turn led to the adoption of the Guidelines by the GEF Council for POPs-enabling activities in May 2001, the same month that the Convention was adopted.