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Journal of Science Policy & Governance | Volume 18, Issue 02 | June 21, 2021

Policy Memo: Establishing global climate resilience to persistent organic pollutants through the private sector: a call to reform institutional standards of the International Finance Corporation

Lok Ming Tam (1,4), Wesley Chiang (2,4), Khang T. Huynh (3,4)
  1. University of Rochester, Department of Biology, Rochester, NY
  2. University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Rochester, NY
  3. University of Rochester, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester, NY
  4. University of Rochester Science Policy Initiative

Corresponding author: [email protected]
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https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG180210
Keywords: climate change adaptation; persistent organic pollutants; environmental fate and transport; environmental toxicology; World Bank
Executive Summary: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic synthetic chemicals prevalent in the environment that have been linked to serious health effects including various cancers, hypertension, and diabetes. Owing to their unique physicochemical properties, POP accumulation in the environment poses a serious risk to public health. Over the last few decades global climate change (GCC) has exacerbated increasing temperature and extreme weather events, which reduce the storage capacity of POPs in the environment and precipitate their global remobilization. If we remain unprepared to block GCC-associated release of POPs globally, our adaptation and resilience to climate change will be jeopardized. The Stockholm Convention, an international treaty that aims to reduce and eliminate POPs, is not fully enforceable due to a lack of environmental funds for governments of developing countries. One way to circumnavigate these financial hurdles is to create new markets for POP removal through the private sector. We recommend the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank, reform its institutional regulations to consistently guarantee funding for proactive measures against POPs. We additionally recommend investing in local POP removal infrastructure projects that encourage economic growth.

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Lok Ming Tam is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biology at the University of Rochester where he studies mechanisms of aging. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Environmental Toxicology from the University of California, Riverside. In addition to scientific research, Lok Ming is interested in science policy, advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as being part of innovative mechanisms to communicate science to general audiences.
 
Wesley Chiang is a doctoral student in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, USA. His thesis work focuses on developing quantum dot-based tools for investigating neurological disorders. Beyond his research, Wesley is interested in the representation of gender and sexual minorities in STEM.
 
Khang T. Huynh is a Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Rochester. He is currently developing and using techniques for two-photon adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy to study function and metabolism in the living retina at a cellular scale. Equally passionate about policy and communication, he is Vice President of the University of Rochester Science Policy Initiative and a former Science Communication Training Fellow with the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. Through these channels, he advocates for environmental, healthcare, and working class issues. He received a B.S from The University of Texas at Austin and a M.S. from the University of Rochester.
 
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful for the assistance of Dr. Holly Mayton and William Ota in navigating the topic of this manuscript.
 
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