COLLABORATION BETWEEN NORWAY AND THE WBG – 2 nd WORKSHOP/DIALOGUE GEF’s Role in Reducing and Eliminating Persistent Organic Pollutants 14 May 2004

The Stockholm Convention  Protect human health and the environment from POPs  Covers 12 POPs originally  Elimination of production and use of intentionally produced POPs  Exemptions possible for pesticides  DDT: “Acceptable purpose”: vector control  PCBs: eliminate in use 2025, sound management 2028  By-products : goal of continuing minimization and ultimate elimination of releases; promote BAT/BEP  Entry into force May

 GEF is the interim financial mechanism for the Stockholm Convention In October 2002, the GEF Assembly added POPs to the GEF mandate GEF has committed $250 million for POPs activities over the next four years Stockholm Convention and GEF

GEF’s Priorities for POPs  Foundational capacity building (including NIPs)  Policy/regulatory reforms and investments based on priorities that emerge from the NIPs  Demonstration of innovative technologies and practices (e.g. Termite control, hospital waste management)

GEF’s Initial Assistance: POPs Enabling Activities GEF will initially help countries strengthen their capacity to prepare National Implementation Plans (NIPs). This activity is known in the GEF as “enabling activities.” The NIP will help countries identify and prioritize capacity building, policy and regulatory reforms, and investments needed to address POPs issues. (required under Art. 7 of Convention) More than 114 countries are receiving GEF funding for the preparation of their NIP

African Stockpile Program  Goals: Full clean-up of stockpiles of obsolete pesticides over the next 12 years; introduction or strengthening of prevention programs  Lead Agencies: WB, FAO, and WWF, in cooperation with a multi-stakeholder partnership of IGOs, Basel and Stockholm Convention Secretariats, and NGOs  GEF funding (first phase): US$25.3 million  Total project cost (first phase): US$60 million  Total program anticipated cost: US$250 million (over years)

Non-Combustion Technologies for POPs Destruction  Goal: Demonstrate and replicate environmentally-friendly non-combustion technologies to destroy difficult-to-treat PCB wastes.  Lead agencies: UNDP and UNIDO, in collaboration with the Environmental Health Fund (NGO)  GEF funding: US$10.6 million GEF grant (for first phase in Slovakia)  Total project cost: $20.7 million (for first phase in Slovakia)

Alternatives to DDT for Malaria Vector Control  Goal: Support a regional plan in Mexico and Central America; demonstrate and promote the replication of alternative strategies to the use of DDT for vector control  Lead Agencies: UNEP and Pan American Health Organization (WHO)  GEF funding: US$6.6 million  Total project cost: US$13.9 million

GEF Partner Agencies United Nations Development Program United Nations Environment Programme World Bank And also Food and Agriculture Organization UN Industrial Development Organization