This blog post is based on the presentation and remarks by Kei Ohno Woodall, Senior Programme Management Officer, BRS Secretariat/UNEP, delivered at the GGKP webinar Making Data Work: Applying GMP and POPs Inventories for Evidence-Based Policy in NIPs, held on 30 January 2026.
The Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions supports three global environmental agreements that address hazardous chemicals and wastes across their life cycles. The Basel Convention focuses on the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes, the Rotterdam Convention promotes prior informed consent in international trade of certain hazardous chemicals, and the Stockholm Convention targets persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
Within this framework, the Stockholm Convention Secretariat plays a central role in supporting Parties to eliminate or restrict POPs, reduce unintentional releases, manage stockpiles and wastes and monitor progress over time. Global Monitoring Plan (GMP) provides the scientific evidence base for the Convention’s effectiveness evaluation and informs the development and updating of National Implementation Plans (NIPs).
Understanding POPs
POPs are a group of organic compounds that possess four defining characteristics: persistence, bioaccumulation, adverse effects and potential for long-range environmental transport. As their name suggests, they persist in the environment.
They bioaccumulate, meaning their concentration gradually builds up in the tissues of living organisms over time because these substances are absorbed faster than they are broken down or eliminated. This can lead to biomagnification, where concentrations increase at each step of the food chain as predators consume many organisms that have already accumulated the substance. As a result, humans consuming contaminated food may experience adverse health effects.
Another critical feature of POPs is their ability to travel long distances from their original source of contamination. This long-range environmental transport makes POPs a global issue, requiring international cooperation. GMP data are particularly important for monitoring these long-range transport patterns and assessing global trends.
When the Stockholm Convention entered into force, it initially targeted 12 POPs, known as the “Dirty Dozen.” Today, the Convention lists 37 chemicals in Annex A (elimination), Annex B (restriction) and Annex C (unintentional production). Through the Article 8 process and the work of the POPs Review Committee (POPRC), new chemicals continue to be added.
Many of the newer listings are industrial POPs, such as decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE), hexabromodiphenyl ether (hexaBDE), heptabromodiphenyl ether (heptaBDE), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), short- and medium‑chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs/MCCPs) and long‑chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (long‑chain PFCAs). These chemicals are often more complex to analyze due to limited scientific understanding and fewer globally available data. The Convention is therefore dynamic: Parties must regularly revise and update their NIPs and monitoring systems to address newly listed chemicals.
Currently, polybrominated dioxins and furans (PBDD/Fs) and mixed polybrominated/chlorinated dioxins and furans (PBCDD/Fs) are under review for potential listing in Annex C as unintentionally produced POPs. Once listed, full Convention obligations would apply.
Core obligations and national planning
The Convention’s key provisions require Parties to eliminate or restrict intentional production and use (Article 3), reduce unintentional releases (Article 5), and ensure environmentally sound management of stockpiles and wastes (Article 6). Specific exemptions may be registered for limited periods.
For unintentionally produced POPs such as dioxins and furans (PCDDs/PCDFs), Parties must develop national action plans under Article 5. To support this, a toolkit for the identification and quantification of releases of dioxins, furans and other unintentional POPs was developed.
All these elements must be integrated into NIPs under Article 7. Implementation and reporting are closely linked: countries plan first, then implement measures and subsequently report under Article 15. Inventory information contained in NIPs should be tracked and reflected in national reports.
The GMP and effectiveness evaluation
The Convention provides for a periodic effectiveness evaluation every six years under Article 16. The evaluation draws on three key sources of information: national reports (Article 15), GMP reports and compliance information.
To implement the GMP, the Convention has established Regional Organization Groups (ROGs) and a Global Coordination Group (GCG). Regional groups prepare regional monitoring reports, which are consolidated into a global monitoring report. These feed directly into the effectiveness evaluation process through the Effectiveness Evaluation Committee.
Currently, the fourth cycle is underway. Regional monitoring reports are being prepared for the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-13) in 2027, followed by the draft global report in 2028, contributing to the effectiveness evaluation at COP-14 in 2029.
Monitoring activities are currently being advanced through the new UNEP-GEF Global Chemicals Monitoring Programme (GCMP) for 2026-2030, with a GEF grant of $23.5. The programme supports POPs and mercury monitoring across five regions and strengthens laboratory and institutional capacity.
Air, human tissues and water
The GMP focuses on key environmental components. Air monitoring is central because it captures background levels globally and enables trend assessments. Passive and active air sampling sites operate worldwide.
Data from the African region (2008-2020) show decreasing trends in polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), PCDDs/PCDFs, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), DDT, endosulfan and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) concentrations, encouraging evidence that control measures are working.
Human tissue monitoring, including human milk and serum, is also a core aspect. Temporal trends in Japan (1998-2015) show declining dioxin concentrations in human milk. Broader global data from 2000-2019 similarly indicate decreasing PCDDs/PCDFs and PCBs concentrations.
For per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals such as PFOA, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), PFHxS and long‑chain PFCAs, monitoring is primarily conducted in water because these substances are hydrophilic. While trends are not yet clear due to the limited data, future reports may allow for trend analysis. PFAS are used in open applications – such as firefighting foams (AFFF), pesticide formulations and other uses – leading to environmental impacts.
From monitoring to policy action
The GMP reports, the GMP Data Warehouse hosted by RECETOX and the GMP dashboard make monitoring results publicly accessible. These tools enable countries to access integrated datasets, compare trends and identify priority chemicals.
Integrated GMP data support national priority setting by helping countries identify key POPs, exposure pathways and trends relevant to their context. Time-trend data allow countries to evaluate the effectiveness of control measures and assess progress under their NIPs.
In summary, the GMP provides the scientific backbone of the Stockholm Convention. It translates global data into actionable national insights – enabling parties to measure progress, refine policies and ultimately reduce risks to human health and the environment.
Kei Ohno Woodall highlighted, “GMP data supports national prioritization, allows countries to grasp trends, and contributes to the effectiveness evaluation of the Convention”
To learn more about the Global NIP Update project, visit Global NIP Update | Green Policy Platform.
For a deeper dive into the GGKP webinar Making Data Work: Applying GMP and POPs Inventories for Evidence-Based Policy in NIPs, you can access the full recordings and materials here.
This article was curated by Mark Schulman, Content Editor, GGKP, and reviewed by Soomin Bae, Project Support Consultant, GGKP.
