Target 7: Pollution
Elements that should be part of the target
- Reduce pollution from all sources
All pollutants need to be addressed, even if the list is not exhaustive or if new pollutants are
identified.
- Levels that are not harmful to biodiversity and ecosystem functions and human health.
All pollutants should respond to overall environmental and health considerations, not only as
separate entities, but also in their combined effect, so that they have no harmful effect on the
ecosystem.
- Phasing out Highly Hazardous Pesticides
A relatively small number of HHPs cause disproportionate harm to the environment and human health, including severe environmental hazards, high acute and chronic toxicity. Phasing out the use of HHPs is necessary and consistent with developments in other international fora addressing chemicals and pesticides.
- Reducing nutrients lost to the environment
Excessive use of manure and other organic and synthetic fertilisers lead to pollution levels that destroy sensitive plants and animals. This affects water bodies as well as terrestrial ecosystems such as meadows and forests.
- Synthetic pesticides
Undeniable evidence exists that synthetic pesticides pose significant risks to the biodiversity
and ecosystem services affecting non-target species, ranging from beneficial soil microorganisms, insects, plants, fish, and birds to human with alarming number of deaths and
chronic diseases related to pesticide exposure.
- Light and noise pollution
Light pollution has a big impact on nocturnal life, and can increase the risk of extinction of numerous insects. Noise pollution affects marine life significantly, but can also interrupt the communication between terrestrial species, undermining e.g. their mate-finding and therefore
threatening the species
- Inclusion of measurable or quantifiable targets
The current text has quantified reducing nutrients lost to the environment [by at least half], and
pesticides [by at least two thirds]. It would be important to keep these quantifications, in addition to the fact that pollutants need to be kept at levels non-detrimental to biodiversity. In this way, progress can be measured in the amounts by which these pollutants are reduced. In
relation to plastic waste and the proposal to phase out Highly Hazardous Pesticides, the quantifiable target is elimination to zero.
Further reading on target
● TWN briefing paper on the pesticides component of target 7:
https://www.twn.my/title2/biotk/2021/btk210802.htm
● Villa-Galaviz, E, Smart, SM, Clare, EL, Ward, SE, Memmott, J. Differential effects
of fertilisers on pollination and parasitoid interaction networks. J Anim Ecol. 2021;
90: 404– 414. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13373
● Sud, M. (2020), "Managing the biodiversity impacts of fertiliser and pesticide use:
Overview and insights from trends and policies across selected OECD countries",
OECD Environment Working Papers, No. 155, OECD Publishing, Paris,
https://doi.org/10.1787/63942249-en.