MINSK, November 23, 2006 —“The National Implementation Plan for 2007-2010 and until 2028 to Meet Belarus Obligations under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants” (NIP) was presented at a final workshop of the Global Environmental Facility project TF 053865 «Enabling Activities Related to Implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the Republic of Belarus».

The workshop brought together local and international experts, representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Economy, Industry, Agriculture and Food, the Belarusian National Technical University, the Institute of Natural Resources Use and Ecology under the National Academy of Sciences, the World Bank, NGOs, media, and other stakeholders.

Opening the workshop, Mr. Craig Bell, World Bank Group Resident Representative in Belarus, congratulated the participants on successful completion of the project and stressed paramount importance of the ongoing efforts being made to prevent health and environmental impacts of POPs in Belarus.

Major activities under the National Implementation Plan include establishing a regulatory framework for nationwide and sectoral recording of POPs, ensuring environmentally sound disposal and stockpiling of the obsolete pesticides containing POPs and polychlorinated biphenyls, rehabilitating affected environment, preventing and reducing unintended releases of POPs, POPs monitoring, as well as education and information campaigns to raise public awareness about POPs.

Successful implementation of the National Plan will become a key mechanism to minimize harmful impacts of POPs on human health and the environment in the country.

Learn more about the GEF project TF 053865