The first-ever publication on the activities and implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the provides a snapshot of this uniquely challenging year, shining a light on the increased efforts to anticipate and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global mercury agenda.
The report focuses on a selection of the many activities designed to help fight the toxic effects of mercury, from capacity-building to science.
An important milestone was the deadline for mercury-added products, which involved key policy, advocacy and implementation support to help phase out the manufacturing, import and export of hazardous everyday products such as certain types of batteries, cosmetics, lamps, thermometers and pesticides.
2020 also marked the of the Convention’s entry into force, with a total of 127 Parties working to implement it. So far, over 90 national reports on the progress in implementation have been received, nearly an 80% rate.
Another achievement was the launch of Minamata Online, a webinar series on the Convention’s provisions with over 1,700 participants. A second season will be held early this year.
Monika Stankiewicz, Minamata Convention Executive Secretary, said the Convention is “a promise of a world where people and the environment are protected from the risks posed by mercury pollution”.
“It not only presents a vision but also a concrete plan for how to achieve it,” she said. “This brief report helps illustrate the progress that our Parties, stakeholders and the Secretariat have made together this past year to put the pieces of this vision before us and begin to make it happen.”
With lockdowns in place across many countries, digital transformation has proved to be crucial to enhance international cooperation and collaboration, making full use of digital spaces to accelerate progress on important issues ahead of the .
This event is scheduled from 1 to 5 November 2021 in Bali, Indonesia.
For more up-to-date information on our activities, please visit the .
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