Persistent Organic Pollutants

National Profile Development under the Stockholm Convention

Overview

A National Profile is a comprehensive assessment of the national infrastructure, relating to the legal, institutional, administrative and technical aspects of chemicals management, along with an understanding of the nature and extent of chemicals availability and use in the country. This is an important prerequisite for building national capacity in a systematic way.

Through its National Profile Support Programme, UNITAR's Chemicals and Waste Management Programme provides guidance, training, and technical support in this area. Support in this area is also available as part of Stockholm Convention National Implementation Plan development.

How National Profiles relate to the Stockholm Convention and POPs

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has recommended that countries that are developing a National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) consider developing or updating a comprehensive National Profile as an early activity. In the context of a National Implementation Plan, developing or updating a National Profile would include an additional POPs-specific focus.

To-date, UNITAR has assisted some 30 countries with National Profile development as a first step in the development of their National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention.

UNITAR works with UNEP, UNDP, and UNIDO in delivery of services to countries, and has jointly developed guidance and training materials with UNEP.

Guidance

Companion Guidance entitled "Developing/Updating a National Profile as Part of a Stockholm Convention National Implementation Plan" has been developed by UNITAR/UNEP/IOMC, and is currently in use in over 25 countries. Download

Policy Recommendations

In May 2001, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) was selected as the interim financial mechanism for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. At the May 2001 meeting of the GEF Council, countries approved a set of initial guidelines for "enabling activities" for the Stockholm Convention. These guidelines recommend the "preparation of a National Profile (or core sections thereof as they related more specifically to POPs)" and call for a "National Profile (or core sections thereof)" as a key output of the process to prepare a Stockholm Convention National Implementation Plan (NIP). Moreover, the document suggests, "Countries which have not prepared a National Profile are encouraged to do so (using UNITAR/IOMC guidance). Focus should be on those sections of National Profile which are of particular relevance to POPs".

Assistance

For more information on how to access UNITAR assistance as part of your GEF-supported National Implementation Plan, please contact your GEF Implementing Agency and/or UNITAR. For further details, also see the Country Application Opportunities page.