12 March 2010: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Stockholm Convention Secretariat has informed it will carry out a 12-month international study of the influence of climate change and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on human health and the environment. The study, which was announced during the fifth Environment and Health Ministerial Conference held in Parma, Italy, from 10-12 March 2010, will involve over 10 organizations in five countries and will review the latest science to inform the assessment of current and new POPs.
The outcomes of the study are expected to result in policy recommendations on how to mitigate the impacts of POPs under a changing climate. According to the Stockholm Convention Secretariat, data suggest that higher temperatures can make wildlife more sensitive to exposure to certain pollutants. [UNEP Press Release]