Conference of the Parties (COP)

Meetings

Meeting participants

A total of 735 participants attended the meeting, representing: 

  • 127 Parties
  • 7 Non Parties
  • 27 UN Bodies, UN Specialized Agencies, and other Intergovernmental Organizations
  • 49 Non-Governmental Organizations
List of participants

COP.5

Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention
Geneva, Switzerland
from 25 to 29 April 2011

Stockholm at 10:  Chemical Challenges, Sustainable Solutions

The Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention was held from 25 to 29 April 2011 at the Geneva International Conference Centre (CICG) in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Under the theme, "Stockholm at 10: Chemical Challenges, Sustainable Solutions", the conference marked the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention in May 2001. 

Highlights

Endosulfan included under the Convention

Representatives from 127 Governments met in Geneva at the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

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 in one year, endosulfan will become the 22nd POP to be listed under the Convention. 

The decision was among more than 30 measures taken by Parties to the Stockholm Convention to boost global action against POPs. 

Other major decisions taken at the meeting concern further steps in the synergies process to enhance cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, the continued need for DDT for disease vector control and the endorsement of seven new Stockholm Convention regional centres. 

Over 700 participants took part in the conference, which was held from 25 to 29 April 2011. Under the theme, "Stockholm at 10: Chemical Challenges, Sustainable Solutions", the conference marked the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention in May 2001.

Many of the decisions taken included invitations to Parties and others to provide information. To consult those requests and download the forms for submitting information, please visit the "Follow up to COP.5" page.

Meeting Documents

See also:

Briefing on 5 April 2011 to the Permanent Missions in Geneva - Preparations for the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention
Briefing on 5 April 2011 to the Permanent Missions in Geneva - Outcomes of the joint meeting of the bureaus of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions held on 26 March 2011 in Geneva

Paperless COP

The fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention will be paperless:

  • Printed documents will not be available at the meeting. 
  • All pre-session documents will be made available on the Convention website. 
  • In-session documents (such as conference room papers) will be available electronically via a wireless intranet, e-mail or memory stick only. 

A paperless meeting has the benefit of considerably reducing the costs and the carbon footprint of the meeting. The cost savings may be used to support the participation of delegates. A paperless meeting will also make it easier for delegates to locate particular documents and will allow for faster preparation and distribution of conference room papers. 

Requirements for a paperless meeting

Each delegate is requested to follow the requirements described below: 

  1. Each delegate is required to have a laptop containing basic applications, including Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat Reader and updated antivirus software. 
  2. Laptops must be free of viruses and pre-checked for viruses prior to arrival at the meeting. Virus-free laptops are crucial to the success of the paperless meeting. 
  3. Laptops should be configured for a standard wireless (wi-fi) connection and to connect to the wi-fi by default. If in doubt, please check with your local information technology expert. 
  4. Please bring a memory stick with you in case you need to transfer data. Ensure that it is virus-free.
  5. Please bring an appropriate adaptor to enable you to connect your laptop to Swiss power sockets (see image below).
  6. Please include a current e-mail address when completing the meeting registration form. Your e-mail box must have enough space available to accept e-mails containing meeting documents.

Electricity

Voltage: 230 volts
Frequency: 50 Hz
Plug/socket: C (CEE 7/16) , J

 C (CEE 7/16)- photo Wikimedia Commons plug J - photo Wikimedia Commons

Information note

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Information note on paperless COP


COP5 Agenda

  Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish
Provisional agenda

COP5 Report

  Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish
Report of the meeting

Photo Gallery

COP5 Photo Gallery
Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Stockholm Convention
Geneva, Switzerland
25 - 29 April 2011

Press Releases

In the news

禁用剧毒农药为何成难题

2011年5月9日： 4月29日，在联合国《关于持久性有机污染物的斯德哥尔摩公约》第五次缔约方大会上，包括中国在内的127个国家终于一致同意将剧毒农药——硫丹，列入到该公约的禁用物质之中。 More:  北青网 (Chinese)

Prohibición del pesticida endosulfán para 2012

06/05/2011 - La reunión de las Partes del Convenio de Estocolmo sobre Contaminantes Orgánicos Persistentes celebrada la pasada semana en Ginebra acordaron incluir al endosulfán a la lista de de Naciones Unidas de Contaminantes Orgánicos Persistentes (COP). More:  infoAgro.com (Spanish)

Endosulfan Banned Worldwide

May 5, 2011 - Countries have agreed to a global phaseout of endosulfan, an environmentally persistent pesticide that can cause neurological and reproductive problems in people and wildlife.  More:  Chemical & Engineering News

Pesticide Endosulfan to Be Banned Worldwide

Geneva, Switzerland, May 5, 2011 (ENS) - Representatives from 127 governments have agreed to add endosulfan to the United Nations' list of persistent organic pollutants to be eliminated worldwide.  More:  Environmental News Service

Le pesticide Endosulfan ajouté à la liste des POP de l’ONU

05/05/2011 - L’Endosulfan, un produit dangereux notamment utilisé comme pesticide dans l’agriculture devra être éliminé du marché mondial. More:  www.actualites-news-environnement.com (French)

Debate Over Export of Toxic Flame Retardant Chemicals Erupts at UN Meeting

GENEVA, May 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 53 countries of the African group, led by Kenya, pushed developed countries to ensure that wastes containing toxic flame retardants are not exported to Africa. More: PN Newswire

Eliminating endosulfan

May 4, 2011 - The decision of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants to include the pesticide endosulfan in the list of chemicals scheduled for elimination at the global level is a positive step. More: The Hindu