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INTERNATIONAL POPs ELIMINATION NETWORK

Olga Speranskaya, Eco-Accord Centre

Now, many non-governmental organisations, active in the sphere of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), have united internationally and become members of IPEN (International POPs Elimination Network). Membership in IPEN is open to any non-governmental organisation, which shares policy and strategies of IPEN, pertaining to development, and now to ratification of Stockholm Convention and implementation of its main provisions, associated with elimination of persistent organic pollutants.

Being IPEN members, non-governmental organisations continue to operate independently in their respective countries, according to their own action plans. Their operational strategies, approaches to relevant problems may substantially differ, depending on specifics of a particular region. Nevertheless, some common key features of all non-governmental organisations - IPEN - members, may be identified:

Public information

Almost all IPEN member-organisations are engaged in information dissemination and awareness raising activities on problems of persistent organic pollutants. Their activities in the sphere include inter alia training workshops, publication of informational materials with their subsequent dissemination among interested members of the public and decision-makers of governmental agencies, who deal with problems of persistent organic pollutants. In particular, Eco-Accord Centre also holds these workshops, with involvement of Russian experts, non-governmental organisations, media representatives, dealing with issues of POPs.

Monitoring and information dissemination

IPEN member-organisations pay special attention to monitoring of persistent organic pollutants. Expert assessments, collection, analysis and compilation of the information form a core component of IPEN activities. Processed and summarised information is broadly distributed then among all members of the Network.

Development of the actively operating network of organisations

IPEN objectives are not limited to simple growth of the number of member-organisations. The main objective of the Network is associated with development of the network of activists, who may, if necessary, operate jointly, pressing for major issues, associated with the elimination of POPs. As an example of such unanimous action we may remind the Resolution, signed by non-governmental organisations of Russia - participants of annual conference "Days of the Volga", which was held in October 1999 in Nizhny Novgorod. In the course of discussions on environmental impacts of persistent organic pollutants, the Conference participants expressed their intention to support IPEN activities. Besides that, the Resolution also stressed, that the general public should facilitate signature of the Convention on POPs by the Government of Russia and the international community.

Provision of opportunities to influence the situation

IPEN members are convinced, that it would be impossible to develop a Convention on POPs of some significance without active public involvement into decision-making on matters of persistent organic pollutants. The process of public participation plays a major role in development of any strategy, especially in the case of strategies, pertaining to protection of health and environment, including POPs-elimination strategies. As an example of active position of concerned citizens we may remind actions of non-governmental organisations of Russia in the course of the seminar "Persistent Organic Pollutants and Human Health" (Moscow, May 15 - 16, 2001). These actions resulted in the development of the Appeal of the seminar participants to the President and the Government of the Russian Federation, and the Action Plan of Russian NGOs for addressing the problems of POPs.

The Appeal emphasises, that even negligible concentrations of some POPs may cause significant adverse effects, provoking immune and reproductive disorders, cancer and birth defects. Representatives of Russian NGOs call for development of safe alternatives to POPs, that do not endanger human health and environment, and demand from decision-makers to prevent infiltration of "dirty technologies" to Russia, e.g. garbage incinerators, to guarantee decommissioning or reconstruction of facilities, that release POPs and other hazardous chemical compounds.

It is well known, that IPEN was established specifically for development of the text of Stockholm Convention. The Network members worked hard to introduce specific annexes to this international document. IPEN considers the following provisions as the most significant:

• elimination of POPs and sources of their releases as soon as possible (focusing on 12 priority POPs, that include such hazardous substances as DDT, PCBs, and dioxins);

• imposition of bans on production and environmental releases of substances from the POPs' list;

• imposition of bans on production, use and trade in POPs, which exists as products or by-products of production processes;

• collection of information on existing storage sites for POPs and elimination of these storage sites;

• development of programs for national capacity building in the sphere of elimination of POPs and their sources, development of safe alternative chemicals;

• incorporation of new compounds into the list of persistent organic pollutants to be eliminated, using a sound system of criteria and procedures, based on principles of protection of human health and the environment (immediately after the effective date of the Convention);

• operations of elimination of persistent organic pollutants should not produce adverse health and environmental impacts.

When Stockholm Convention had been opened for signature, IPEN member-organisations decided to continue their activities, aimed at facilitation of ratification of the Convention and implementation of its provisions. As a basic document, defining the action strategy of IPEN, the Network members developed Stockholm Declaration of International POPs Elimination Network. We propose to your attention Stockholm Declaration, which was agreed by IPEN member-organisations on May 22, 2001 (see below).

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