The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
UNEP Press Conference: Minamata Convention - 06 November 2023
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22:27
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MP4
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1.4 GB
Minamata Convention COP-5 takes crucial steps in its mission of eliminating mercury pollution
Among the decisions made at COP-5, Parties defined new dates to phase out mercury-added products including cosmetics, strengthened ties with Indigenous Peoples, advanced the first effectiveness evaluation of the Convention, and reached an agreement on a threshold for mercury waste.
Speakers: - Monika Stankiewicz, Executive Secretary, Minamata Convention - Marianne Bailey, Senior Policy and Coordination Officer, Minamata Convention Moderated by : Anna García, Communications and Knowledge Management Officer, Minamata Convention Secretariat
Teleprompter
Good afternoon.
Thank you very much for being here to attend this Friends Conference organised by the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
We want to convey the most significant outcomes of the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties held in Geneva last week.
More than 800 participants attended the sessions.
900 follow the plenary online and 5000 users were reached through our daily coverage on the website, videos, newsletters and social media.
I am joined today by the Executive Secretary of the Minamata Convention, Monica Stankiewicz, the Senior Coordination Officer, Mariam Bailey, and the Senior Programme Management Officer, ASA Kutoda, who will provide some highlights about some of the 23 decisions that COP adopted last week.
I hand it over now to the Executive Secretary.
Over to you, Monica.
Good, good day everyone.
Warmly welcome to this press conference about the outcomes of the Conference of the Parties at its fifth meeting that was just finalised last week, and let me start presenting to you the main outcomes of that meeting.
One major outcome was related to use of mercury in products and processes.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury aims to phase out such uses in order to in order to reduce the need for mercury to be traded and used on the market, the the parties at the COP 5 decided to amend annexes to the Minamata Convention and more specifically Annex A, which is related to products in which to which mercury is intentionally added, so-called mercury added products.
9 new mercury added product categories have been included in the annex for phase out.
And to give you some examples of what would be the effect or what will be the effect of this new amendment.
For example, all fluorescent lamps will be phased out by 2027, which is not only a measure that reduce mercury pollution but also is energy saving measure.
Furthermore, the only known batteries that use mercury, so-called Baton Zinc silver oxide batteries and Baton Zinc air batteries, irrespective of the amount of mercury contain in those products will be phased out by 2025.
Furthermore, the existing provisions on phasing out mercury use in cosmetics, including skin lightening, soaps and creams, have been strengthened to not allow any amount of mercury to be added to such cosmetics starting from 2025.
And this particular cup decision to completely phase out the use of mercury in cosmetics reflects its firm belief that the use of mercury in cosmetics is unacceptable and cannot be allowed to continue.
There was also a decision related to dental amalgam, another use of mercury currently still in place.
The Convention already requires parties to take specific measures to face down the use of dental amalgam and this Conference of the Parties agreed on one additional measures for those parties who have not phased out dental amalgam yet and that is to prepare a national action plan and or a report and to inform on progress on a national level of measures they are taking to this to this effect And furthermore, the Conference of the Parties also amended Annex B to the Minamata Convention, which is related to industrial processes in which mercury is used.
There are still three major industrial processes that use mercury worldwide and they are all listed in Annex B.
Regarding the first process, the production of polyurethane, the parties agreed that mercury will no longer be allowed to use in this process starting from 2025.
Regarding the second process, which is sodium or potassium methylate or ethylate, the COP established that there are mercury free alternatives that are technically and economically feasible and as per provisions of our convention, that means that the use of mercury in this process will not be allowed in five years from now.
So that is November 2028.
And regarding the third process, vinyl chloride monomer production, which is the the product that is used to produce Poly vinyl chloride plastic.
The Conference of the Parties mandated the Secretariat to prepare a report on the technical and economic feasibility of mercury free catalysts used to produce VCM for consideration at the next conference of the parties in two years time.
So that there was a lot of decisions that will as I mentioned affect the use of mercury on the market and actually will reduce it in furious to come.
Another landmark decision was to agree on broaden engagement of indigenous peoples, but also of local communities in the work and programmes of the Minamata Convention.
This decision specifically addresses the effects of mercury pollutions on indigenous peoples and also, as I mentioned, local communities.
The parties at the Conference of the Parties noted with concern that indigenous peoples as well as local communities are particularly vulnerable to mercury exposure and are among among the first to face the serious health and environmental effects resulting from mercury pollution.
And to this effect, the Corp mandated the secretariat to compile the views on the needs and priorities of indigenous peoples as well as local communities with regard to effect of mercury on the health, livelihoods, culture and knowledge and this matter will be considered again at the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties.
There was also a similar approach regarding engaging Indigenous people with regards to mercury use in artisanal and small scale gold mining, which is currently the biggest source of mercury world live worldwide.
And, and there will be also work done to create or develop a guidance that will provide some information to parties how effectively engage Indigenous people, local communities and other stakeholders in relation to addressing mercury use in this informal sector of artisanal and small scale gold mining.
And the third issue I would like to mention is the, that the there was some work done to improve the reporting format for parties to to the convention to report on progress they are making to implement the convention, including the on effectiveness of the measures they're taking nationally.
This has been an important internal process within the convention to further improve this reporting format.
We are very proud to have a 95% reporting rate by parties and we would like to ensure that also future reporting is equally successful and also user friendly to our parties.
And in relation to that, there was also a decision by the Conference of the parties to establish the effectiveness evaluation group.
This is a group that will prepare a report to the Conference of the parties on effectiveness of the convention.
In other words, report that will look into how the convention is working and whether it's implementation bring us closer to the to the goal of the convention, which is to reduce and eliminate the emissions and releases of mercury from anthropogenic sources and to in relation to that.
To facilitate this work, the the COP adopted some indicators that will be used to produce such a report on effectiveness evaluation of the Convention.
With this, let me hand over to my colleague Marianna Bailey and ASA Kutoda for presenting some further results of the CUP.
Thank you.
Thank you, Monica.
My name is ASA Kutoda.
I'm in charge of technical scientific issues in the Minamata Convention Secretariat and I would like to present three agenda items.
Technical agenda items that are waste and emissions and releases about the mercury waste.
The the Article 11 of the Convention provides that COP shall establish A threshold to define mercury waste for for which Parties have an legal obligation to manage in an environmentally sound manner.
COP three in 2019 and defined two types of mercury waste, waste consisting of mercury and mercury compounds and waste containing mercury and mercury compounds, but it took six years to define the last one.
The waste contaminated is mercury and mercury compounds.
We are very glad to see that the COP 5 agreed to establish the threshold for waste contaminated this mercury at 15 milligramme per kilogramme total concentration.
And the decision also provides for alternative option whereby if parties already have threshold or definition of waste contaminated with mercury, they do not need to change that.
Now I move to the emissions releases and the objectives of the convention is to protect the human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions releases of mercury.
So the articles are addressing emissions releases which are articles 8 and 9 are one of the key provisions of the minimal convention.
Please to note is that these articles 8 and 9 controls emissions releases from point sources and emissions are defined as emissions to air and releases is defined defined as releases of mercury to land and water.
COP One in 2017 adopted guidance on the control emissions.
COP Four in 2022 adopted with the guidance on the developing inventory of mercury releases.
So the last guidance that were left for COP to establish was the guidance on the best available technique and best environmental practise to control mercury releases to land and water.
And COP 5 adopted that that guidance based on the work of a technical group of experts.
Therefore, all the technical guidance under the E minometric Convention was completed.
For emissions of mercury from point sources such as coal-fired power plants and and non ferrous production, the parties have obligation to control new sources, newly established plants within five years after the entry into force.
And for for the existing sources that the plants that existed before the entry into force of the Convention, parties have obligation to control emissions by 10 years after the entry into force.
COP requested the Secretariat to collect information on the use of the guidance on basic technology and the same practise on emissions so that COP 6 can take stock of the progress.
Now I hand over to Maria.
Thank you.
My name is Marianne Bailey.
I'm the Senior Coordination Officer with the Secretariat and I'd like to go over one additional technical decision that the Cop took, as well as several decisions that really provide the the implementation support for the parties to fully implement their obligations under the convention.
So first, on mercury supply, sources and trade.
This was considered as a stand alone agenda item for the first time at this conference of the parties.
And the COP called for increased cooperation to broaden awareness and a deeper understanding of the provisions on the supply and trade of mercury, including the provisions to eliminate primary mercury mining, to measure stocks and to implement prior informed consent for mercury trade.
The COP also called for facilitation of an exchange process for the exchange of any trade related information that the Parties could provide and that the Secretariat has received from Parties.
In addition, the COP agreed to the development of a study on the global supply, trade, production and use of mercury compounds.
Currently, the supply the the trade provisions cover elemental mercury, but the COP needs to look further.
As for the convention, taxed at whether the controls on mercury compound are also warranted for the trade provisions and moving on to the other types of decisions, Another milestone that happened at this Cop was the completion of the second review of the financial mechanism.
The Conventions financial mechanism consists of the Global Environment Facility and the Specific International Programme and the the Conference of the Parties agreed to transmit the the results of the second review as per its report prepared to both those entities.
Both the the Jeff and the Governing Board of the Specific International Programme with a view to ensuring that the the needs, the specific needs and the evolving needs of the parties continue to be met by the financial mechanism.
Another decision was on capacity building, technical assistance and technology transfer.
So the the COP adopted a decision underscoring the need for further strengthening of this area with a particular focus on developing the asking the Secretariat to develop a desk study and case study, case studies of alternative technologies that could further support the parties in implementing their obligations.
And in this regard also we talked the the COP talked quite a bit about capacity building and the observers and partners in this respect have been and continue to be critical to the success of the Convention in ensuring that all parties have access to the expertise and information they need to fully implement the convention.
We had a a great many observers and partners participating in the COP and actively participating in these discussions.
So this includes the Global Mercury Partnership as well as of course the Global Environment Facility.
So the the Global Environment Facility and the specific international programme being instrumental in providing capacity building to developing country parties and parties with economies in transition, but surrounded by all these other partners that play a very important role.
This also includes the World Health Organisation, the International Labour Organisation and others who were instrumental in in helping us have successful decisions at this COP.
In addition, we now have a comprehensive gender action plan that is supported by the parties.
This is in line with gender action plans that most multilateral environmental agreements have in place.
So we're very pleased about that.
And also for the first time, the Secretariat has a digital strategy to guide the Secretariat's future programming and and work in the field of knowledge management.
So the last set of decisions I want to speak to you about are on international cooperation and coordination, as well as biodiversity.
So the COP welcomed the Secretariat's engagement in meetings of the UN Climate Change Conferences and also welcomed the recent adoption of the Global Framework on Chemicals.
It requested the Secretariat to further collaborate with the relevant bodies in recognition to our collective commitment to addressing the chemical and waste related challenges on a broad political scale, including integration with the biodiversity and climate change agendas and and this also includes cooperation, but that is already very strong with the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Convention Secretariats and the there was an additional decision that strengthened that.
Collaboration and cooperation even further.
And then finally, more specifically on biodiversity, the the COP noted the major milestone for both the world and for the Minamata Convention, the recent adoption of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and encouraged Parties to take a number of steps to advance integrated action on mercury reduction in biodiversity.
This included an invitation to the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to consider additional indicators under its Target 7 to cover highly hazardous chemicals and mercury.
So this type of integrated action is being pursued very robustly and widely by all of our partners.
This includes the United Nations Environment Programme and the Global Environment Facility, and this type of integrated action will be discussed further at the upcoming UNIA meeting and we will be participating actively in that under the leadership of our colleagues in UNAP.
Thank you.
Thank you, Monica, Isaco and Marian.
Let me see if there are any questions from the journalist in the room or those connected online.
Not in the room, let me check.
Well, I see no hands nor in the room nor online.
So I hope that everything was clear.
Thank you then all for attending this press conference on the main outcomes of the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
This morning I sent the closing Minamata Convention COP 5 press release with links to some resources like the daily videos, newsletters and photos.
Please contact us if you wish to coordinate an interview or check any facts with our team.
I wish you then a wonderful week.
Thank you.