Minamata Convention on Mercury

Minamata Convention:
  • The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury and its compounds.
  • It was agreed at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee in Geneva, Switzerland 2013.
  • Controlling the anthropogenic releases of mercury throughout its lifecycle is one of the key obligations under the Convention.
  • The Convention also addresses interim storage of mercury and its disposal once it becomes waste, sites contaminated by mercury as well as health issues.
  • The Convention covers all aspects of the life cycle of mercury, controlling and reducing mercury across a range of products, processes and industries. This includes controls on:
    • mercury mining
    • the manufacture and trade of mercury and products containing mercury
    • disposal of mercury waste
    • emissions of mercury from industrial facilities.
  • Countries that have ratified the Convention are bound by international law to put these controls in place.
  • India has ratified the Convention.
Bali Declaration:
  • Fourth Conference of Parties (COP4) to the Minamata Convention on Mercury was held in Bali, Indonesia in March 2022.
  • Objectives of Declaration:
    • Develop practical tools and notification and information-sharing systems for monitoring and managing trade in mercury.
    • Exchange experiences and practices relating to combating illegal trade in mercury, including reducing the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
    • Share examples of national legislation and data and information related to such trade.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top