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Minamata Convention on Mercury

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The Minamata Convention on Mercury

  • The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a legally binding global treaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the harmful impacts of anthropogenic mercury emissions and releases.
  • It addresses the full lifecycle of mercury—from mining and use to disposal—and targets emissions from industrial processes, products containing mercury, and artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). 
  • Major highlights of the Minamata Convention include a ban on new mercury mines, the phase-out of existing ones, the phase-out and phase-down of mercury use in a number of products and processes, control measures on emissions to air and on releases to land and water, and the regulation of the informal sector of artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
  • The Convention also addresses interim storage of mercury and its disposal once it becomes waste, sites contaminated by mercury as well as health issues.
  • India is a party to the Minamata Convention on Mercury and ratified the convention in 2018.

History & Entry into Force

  • The Convention was adopted on 10 October 2013 in Kumamoto, Japan, symbolically named after the city that endured severe mercury poisoning from industrial pollution. 
  • It entered into force on 16 August 2017, following the required ratification by at least 50 Parties.

What are the objectives and the main obligations of the Minamata Convention?

  • The Minamata Convention aims to safeguard human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and its compounds.
  •  To achieve this, it includes comprehensive provisions covering the entire mercury life cycle—ranging from controlling and reducing its use in products, processes, and industries, to addressing emissions and releases. 
  • The treaty also regulates the direct mining of mercury, its import and export, safe storage, and environmentally sound disposal as waste. 
  • Additionally, it emphasizes identifying at-risk populations, enhancing medical care, and improving the training of healthcare professionals to detect and treat mercury-related health effects, thereby strengthening its implementation.

Key Provisions

  • Regulation of Mercury-Added Products (Article 4): Requires phase-outs for certain products containing mercury (e.g., thermometers, batteries, fluorescent lamps), with certain exemptions allowed upon request. 
  • Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) (Article 7): Parties engaged in ASGM must develop and implement national action plans aimed at reducing and, where feasible, eliminating mercury use and emissions. 
  • Emissions and Releases:
    • Article 8: Controls and, where feasible, reduces mercury emissions to air from point sources such as coal-fired power plants. 
    • Article 9: Targets mercury releases into land and water, requiring countries to identify key point-source categories and manage them effectively.

Financial Mechanism

Under Article 13, the Minamata Convention on Mercury establishes a dedicated financial mechanism to assist developing country Parties and Parties with economies in transition in fulfilling their obligations under the treaty. This mechanism consists of two key components:

  • The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund, which provides financial resources for projects and activities aimed at reducing and eliminating mercury use, emissions, and releases.

  • The Specific International Programme (SIP), which supports capacity-building and offers technical assistance to strengthen national capabilities for effective implementation of the Convention.

Secretariat

  • The Secretariats of the Basel and Stockholm conventions are administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and are located in Geneva, Switzerland. The Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention is jointly served by UNEP and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and in Rome, Italy.
  • In 2012, the Secretariats of the Basel and Stockholm conventions, as well as the UNEP-part of the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat, moved from three separate secretariats with a programmatic structure to a single Secretariat.

Significance of the Minamata Convention

  • The Minamata Convention provides the first legally binding global framework to comprehensively address mercury pollution.
  • It safeguards human health by reducing exposure to mercury, a highly toxic heavy metal with severe neurological and environmental impacts.
  • The Convention promotes sustainable production and consumption by phasing out or restricting mercury use in products and industrial processes.
  • It ensures environmentally sound management of mercury waste, preventing contamination of air, water, and soil.
  • By regulating trade, mining, storage, and disposal, the treaty addresses mercury throughout its entire life cycle.
  • It strengthens global cooperation, enabling knowledge sharing, capacity-building, and coordinated action against mercury pollution.
  • The financial mechanism under Article 13 ensures that developing countries and economies in transition have access to resources for effective implementation.

The Minamata Convention represents a landmark achievement in global environmental governance, uniting nations to tackle one of the world’s most dangerous pollutants. By addressing mercury from its source to its disposal, and supporting countries through financial and technical assistance, the treaty paves the way for a healthier environment, safer communities, and long-term protection of ecosystems from mercury contamination.

FAQs

Q1. What is the Minamata Convention on Mercury?

It is a global, legally binding treaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from harmful mercury emissions, addressing the full lifecycle of mercury. 

Q2. When was it adopted and enforced?

Adopted on 10 October 2013 in Kumamoto, Japan, and entered into force on 16 August 2017 after sufficient ratifications. 

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