Pesticide Action Network Calls for Global Ban on Toxic Pesticide Chlorpyrifos at BRS COPs in Geneva
New Delhi/Penang/London, April 23, 2025 — As the world’s leading policymakers and scientists gather in Geneva from April 28 to May 9 for the Conferences of the Parties (COP) to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COPs), Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India is set to advocate for urgent action against one of the most harmful pesticides still in use today: chlorpyrifos.
Speaking ahead of the crucial negotiations, A D Dileep Kumar, CEO, PAN India, emphasized the stakes for public health and the environment: “The world must no longer turn a blind eye to the scientific consensus on chlorpyrifos. Its link to neurotoxicity, irreversible brain damage in unborn children, reproductive toxicity and its ability to travel thousands of miles, contaminating even the most remote ecosystems, make a strong case for its global elimination. The time for decisive action is now.” At this year’s Stockholm Convention COP, chlorpyrifos is slated for listing under Annex A — a designation that triggers a global ban with exemptions, however, Pesticide Action Network is calling for a global ban without exemptions as viable alternatives are available.
Chlorpyrifos, a highly toxic organophosphate pesticide, has already been banned in over 40 countries. Mounting evidence shows its persistence in the environment and the severe developmental harm it poses to children. Despite this, the chemical continues to be used in India on a variety of crops, posing a serious threat to farmers, consumers, and future generations. PAN India will also highlight the need to list the pesticide under Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention, which ensures countries are informed of the hazards before trading or using such chemicals.
The BRS COPs will also debate, adding other notorious pesticides — including paraquat, acetochlor, and carbosulfan, iprodione, methyl bromide, fenthion among other chemicals — to the list of chemicals requiring prior informed consent under the Rotterdam Convention, a step toward greater transparency and responsibility in global pesticide trade.
“India can and must choose a different path — one that values human life over chemical dependency,” said C Jayakumar, Executive Director of Thanal and a veteran campaigner for elimination of dangerous pesticides at the BRS conventions. “We are proud to bring Indian perspectives to the global stage and stand with countries that are already moving toward non-chemical, sustainable pest management alternatives.”
“It is imperative that highly hazardous pesticides—such as chlorpyrifos and paraquat—be listed under the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions without delay. These toxic chemicals continue to endanger the health and lives of farmers, agricultural workers, Indigenous communities, women, children, and the environment,” said Sarojeni V. Rengam, Executive Director of PAN Asia Pacific (PANAP).
“To maintain faith in the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, we need to see the international community adopting the recommendations of the scientific bodies established to inform BRS Convention decision making. Countries need to stop blocking listings of pesticides like chlorpyrifos and paraquat, for political or commercial reasons, and start following the science and convention procedures,” said Jago Wadley , International Advocacy Manager , Pesticide Action Network UK.
“BRS Conventions have been quietly working, through an established decision-making backed by science and consultation. I believe these Conventions require more resources to scale up on the reviews of chemicals, define targets and establish a global monitoring framework that informs on a real time basis. National governments, including India, have to mimic these processes, at the national level, to strengthen international work,” said Dr Narasimha Reddy Donthi , a public policy analyst based in India.
PAN’s advocacy at the Geneva summit is backed by its Consolidated List of Banned Pesticides and the latest Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) List — comprehensive resources that illustrate the scale of global pesticide regulation and expose the urgent need for India to align with international best practices. The list documents 568 pesticide active ingredients banned by one or more nations, many of which are still in circulation in India.
During the Geneva meetings, PAN India will contribute to technical briefings that highlight non-chemical alternatives to chlorpyrifos — including proven solutions tailored for Indian crops and farming systems.
The Stockholm Convention, a landmark global treaty adopted in 2001, is designed to eliminate or restrict the production and use of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) — chemicals that linger in the environment, bioaccumulate in wildlife and humans, and cause long-term ecological and health damage. PAN has been part of this effort since its inception, actively participating in the convention’s expert review bodies.
This year’s negotiations are expected to mark a significant turning point in global efforts to reduce chemical harm, especially for communities in the Global South. PAN India urges Indian policymakers and parties to the BRS Conventions and industry stakeholders to embrace the momentum and phase out chlorpyrifos and other hazardous pesticides in favor of safer, sustainable alternatives.
Technical briefings for the 2025 BRS COPs include:
Why India Needs to Ban Chlorpyrifos Final_PAN India Mar25 https://pan-india.org/why-india-needs-to-ban-chlorpyrifos_pan-india-mar25/
Non-Chemical Alternatives to Chlorpyrifos_PAN India_March 2025 https://pan-india.org/non-chemical-alternatives-to-chlorpyrifos_pan-india_march-2025
PAN International BRS COPs 2025 Advisory, and associated technical briefings on chlorpyrifos and paraquat and other pesticides are available here: https://pan-international.org/brs-cop-2025/
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For media inquiries, interviews or more information, please contact:
Dileep Kumar
Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India
Email: dileep@pan-india.org
Phone: 8137006352
