National awareness-raising workshop on new POPs and the implementation of the Stockholm Convention

The workshop aimed at raising awareness on the amendments to the Convention that entered into force on 26 August 2010 and on the implications at the national level of the new obligations arising herewith.

Background

The fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Stockholm Convention held 4-8 May 2009, decided to amend the Convention by adding nine new chemicals to its Annexes A, B and C. In accordance with Article 22 of the Convention, the amendments entered into force on 26 August 2010. By decision SC-4/19, the COP decided to undertake a work programme to provide guidance to Parties on how best to restrict and eliminate these newly listed persistent organic pollutants and invited Parties to support work on the evaluation of alternatives and other work related to the restriction and elimination of these new POPs The Stockholm Convention held its fifth Conference of the Parties on 25-29 April. The Parties agreed to list endosulfan in Annex A to the Convention, with specific exemptions. When the amendment to the Annex A enters into force, endosulfan will become the 22nd POP to be listed under the Convention.

Outcomes

  • Increased awareness among participants about the ten POPs recently listed in Annexes A, B and C of the Convention and the obligations arising herewith
  • Increased understanding of the scope of the obligation to review and update national implementation plans under Article 7 of the Convention;
  •  Increased knowledge on the guidance and training tools available to assess the the presence  of newly listed POPs and to update the national implementation plan;
  • Sharing among stakeholders of preliminary information about the presence of new POPs in Armenia.

Target Audience

The workshop targeted national experts from Armenia who are contributing to the implementation of the Stockholm Convention including the Official Contact Point, government ministries and NGOs.

Timing and Venue

The regional workshop  was held from 26 to 27 May 2011 at the Best Western Congress Hotel, in Yerevan Armenia.

Meeting Documents

Workshop report (including list of participants)                                           

Introduction

Objectives and programme of work

Overview of Stockholm Convention and its recent amendments

New POPs 

Key considerations for assessing the presence of new POPs

NIPs

Introduction to the process of reviewing and updating NIPs 

Gallery