Minamata convention

• The fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP5) took place in Geneva, Switzerland.
• It made significant progress by adopting 23 decisions to keep protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury.

MAJOR OUTCOMES

• It noted the importance of broadening the participation of Indigenous Peoples, as well as local communities and eliminate mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM).
• Parties decided to amend Annex A to the Convention with new phase-out dates for certain batteries, switches, relays and fluorescent lamps.
• It was decided to amend Annex B with a 2025 phase-out date for the production of polyurethane using mercury catalysts.
• Parties agreed on a 15 mg/kg total concentration of mercury as the threshold for wastes contaminated with mercury or mercury compounds.

ABOUT MINAMATA CONVENTION ON MERCURY

• The Minamata Convention on Mercury is the most recent global agreement on environment and health, adopted in 2013.
• It is named after the bay in Japan where, in the mid-20th century, mercury-tainted industrial wastewater poisoned thousands of people, leading to severe health damage that became known as the “Minamata disease”.
• Since it entered into force on 16 August 2017, 147 Parties have been working together to control the mercury supply and trade, reduce the use, emissions and releases of mercury, raise public awareness, and build the necessary institutional capacity.
  • India ratified it in 2018.
• Mercury may have toxic effects on nervous system, thyroid, kidneys, lungs, immune system, eyes, skin