Is Stockholm Convention a Predatory weapon?

Is Stockholm Convention a Predatory weapon?

The Convention may become a predatory weapon in the hands of vested interests if sharp questions are not asked now. World exports in chemicals are much larger than the export in agricultural products.

World Exports in Chemicals & Agri Products in 2007 ($bn)

Year Chemicals Agri Products 2005 1103.98 849.01 2006 1247.72 943.68 2007 1483.15 1127.67 Source: WTO

European Union (EU-27) has a major share of as much as 55% in world’s export of chemicals as shown in the table below.

Share of European Union in World’s Export of chemicals (2007) World’s chemical exports $ 1483 billion (100%) Share of European Union (EU-27) $ 813 billion( 55%) Share of rest of the world(170 countries) $ 670 billion (45%) Source: WTO(2007)

EU-27 – the nursery for POP listing proposals

The European Union plays a dominant and hegemonic role in POP listing of chemicals. Among the recent chemicals added to the Convention’s POPs list, all nominations with the exception of one came from the EU.

Newly added POPs S.No. Chemical Name Nominated by 1 Pentabromodiphenyl ether EU 2 Chlordecone EU 3 Hexabromobiphenyl EU 4 Lindane (and alpha & beta HCH) Mexico 5 PFOs EU 6 Octabromodiphenyl ether EU 7 Pentachlorobenezene EU

The European Union chemical industry benefits most from eliminating the production and use of these newly added POPs. Each generic chemical eliminated can cause a benefit on market growth of a proprietary chemical from the EU- the largest exporter of chemicals in the world.

Source

Posted By: Louis Albert Cruz- 1/26/2012 12:40:23