Update on the Minamata Convention on Mercury - Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury - GENeva Environment Network

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Update on the Minamata Convention on Mercury - Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury - GENeva Environment Network
Update on the Minamata Convention on
Mercury

GEN Chemicals and Waste Briefing

Geneva, 26 February 2019
Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury
Update on the Minamata Convention on Mercury - Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury - GENeva Environment Network
Objective of the Minamata Convention (article 1)

« (…) to protect the human health and the environment
from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury
and mercury compounds. »

   Provisions cover the entire life cycle of mercury,
    including supply, trade, mercury-added products,
    industrial processes using mercury, ASGM, emissions to
    air, releases to land and water, interim storage, waste
    and contaminated sites.
Update on the Minamata Convention on Mercury - Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury - GENeva Environment Network
Minamata Timeline so far
Adoption of text and opening for signature: 10-11 October 2013

Entry into Force: 16 August 2017

First Conference of the Parties (Geneva) 24 to 29 September 2017
President: Switzerland

Second Conference of the Parties (Geneva) 19 to 23 September 2018
President: Switzerland

Third Conference of the Parties (Geneva) 25 to 29 November 2019
President: Zambia
Update on the Minamata Convention on Mercury - Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury - GENeva Environment Network
Status Update
Update on the Minamata Convention on Mercury - Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury - GENeva Environment Network
Current status of Ratification
As of 26 February 2019, 102 Parties have ratified the Minamata Convention.
Saint Lucia, Guinea-Bissau, Tonga, Vanuatu, Sao Tome and Principe, Portugal and
Chile deposited their instruments most recently.

  Africa – 26 Parties
  Asia and the Pacific – 22 Parties
  Central and Eastern Europe – 12 Parties
  Latin America and the Caribbean – 22 Parties
  Western Europe and others Group – 19+1 Parties
Article 17.4 – National focal points

 Each  Party shall designate a national focal point for the exchange
 of information under the Convention, including with regard to the
 consent of importing Parties under Article 3
National
focal points
on the
Minamata
Convention
website
Key Bodies of the Minamata Convention
Minamata COP-3 Bureau
COP2 elected the Bureau as follows:
President:        David Kapindula (Zambia)
Vice-Presidents: Alison Dickson (Canada)
                  María del Mar Solano Trejos (Costa Rica)
                  Karel Bláha (Czechia)*
                  Serge Molly Allo’o Allo’o (Gabon)
                  Mariscia Charles (Guyana)
                  Adel Jahankhah (Islamic Republic of Iran)
                  Mohammed Khashashneh (Jordan)
                  Svetlana Bolocan (Republic of Moldova)
                  Nina Cromnier (Sweden)
Implementation and Compliance Committee

The Implementation and Compliance Committee (ICC) is established to promote
implementation of and review compliance with all the provisions of the Minamata
Convention (article 15). The mechanism shall be facilitative in nature and pay particular
attention to the respective national capabilities and circumstances of Parties.

 COP2 approved the Rules of Procedure that the ICC had initially prepared at its first
  meeting (Geneva, May 2018)

 Second meeting of the ICC: 3-4 June 2019, Geneva (tbc)
Members of the Implementation and Compliance
Committee

Africa         Madagascar          Sierra Leone       Swaziland

Asia-Pacific   China               Iran               Sri Lanka

CEE            Bulgaria replaced by Moldova           Romania
               Latvia
LAC            Brazil              Peru (1st year)    Mexico (1st year)
                                   Ecuador (2 year)
                                               nd     Argentina (2 year)
                                                                   nd

WEOG           Netherlands         Switzerland        USA
Specific International Programme
The Specific International Programme (SIP) to support Capacity-Building and Technical
Assistance is a key part of the Financial Mechanism of the Minamata Convention.

2018 First Round of Applications:
• Call for Applications to its First Round from 5 June 2018 to 31 August 2018.
• 19 Applications were received by the deadline.
• The Governing Board selected 5 projects: Argentina, Armenia, Benin, Iran, Lesotho.

2019 Second Round of Applications:
• Third Meeting of the Governing Board convened in Geneva (14-15 February 2019) and
  agreed on guidelines to launch the Second Round
• Second Round opens in early March.
• CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: Friday, 7 June 2019
Members of the Governing Board of the Specific
International Programme
 Africa         Ghana         Chad

 Asia-Pacific   Thailand      Sri Lanka

 CEE            Estonia       Armenia

 LAC            Argentina     Brazil

 WEOG           Netherlands   Norway
Update on Intersessional Work
TECHNICAL ISSUES
Releases
MC-2/3 on Releases

COP-2 set up an intersessional process to identify relevant point source categories of releases
on mercury and mercury compounds to land and water, including the establishment of a group
of technical experts on guidance in relation to mercury releases.

Next Steps
1. Experts have been nominated by 15 January 2019.
2. Group has been established to work electronically.
3. Comments were invited until 15 February 2019.
4. Group will submit a report to COP-3.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
Mercury Waste
MC-2/2 on Mercury Waste

COP-2 set up an intersessional process of a group of technical experts on waste thresholds.

Next Steps
1. Experts have been nominated by 15 January 2019.
2. Group has been established to work electronically and in person.
3. Comments were invited until 15 February 2019.
4. Meeting of the Expert Group: 27-29 May 2019 (Osaka)
5. Group will submit a report to COP-3.

* Back to back with a workshop on synergies in waste.
TECHNICAL ISSUES

Contaminated Sites
MC-2/8 on Contaminated Sites

COP-2 invited parties and others to submit additional comments and information, including
case studies, on the draft guidance presented at COP-2.

Next Steps
1. Comments were invited until 15 February 2019.
2. On the basis of submissions the Secretariat will revise the draft guidance for consideration
   by COP-3.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
Capacity building, technical assistance and technology transfer
MC-2/11 on Capacity building, technical assistance and technology transfer

COP-2 requested the Secretariat to collection information from the existing regional, sub-
regional and national arrangements on their capacity building and technical assistance to
support parties in implementing their obligations under the Minamata Convention, and to report
thereon at COP-3.

Next Steps
1. Comments were invited until 31 May 2019.
2. On the basis of submissions the Secretariat will present a report to COP-3.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
Effectiveness Evaluation
MC-2/10 on Effectiveness Evaluation

COP-2 decided on the need to amend the mandate and membership of the ad-hoc working
group and the roadmap of deliverables for COP-3 for the ad hoc working group to continue its
work.

Next Steps
1. Experts have been nominated/re-nominated by 15 January 2019.
2. Group has been established to work electronically and in person.
3. Comments were invited until 15 February 2019.
4. Meeting of the Ad hoc Expert Group: 8-12 April 2019 (Geneva)
5. Group will submit a report to COP-3.
TECHNICAL ISSUES

Emission of Mercury from the Open Burning of Waste

COP-2 requested the Secretariat to continue to collect and make available information relevant
to emissions of mercury resulting from the open burning of waste.

Next Steps
1. Comments were invited until 31 May 2019.
2. The Secretariat will report on the issue at COP-3.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
Harmonized System Codes
MC-2/9 on Harmonized System Codes

COP-2 requested the Secretariat in collaboration with the Global Mercury Partnership and in
consultation with relevant organisations, to suggest approaches for customs codes to identify
and distinguish non-mercury-added and mercury-added products listed in annex A to the
Convention, including approaches for their possible harmonization.

Next Steps
1. Secretariat and the Global Mercury Partnership are working electronically on the first draft of
   the report matter.
2. Secretariat and the Global Mercury Partnership have set up a roadmap of work which
   includes the circulation of the draft report for comments in may, so that the report can be
   completed for presentation at COP-3.
POLICY ISSUES
Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury
MC-2/1 on Secretariat
MC-2/7 on Cooperation between the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention and the
Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

COP-2 requested the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme to
continue to deliver the secretariat functions in Geneva.

COP-2 also requested the Executive Director to submit an operative proposal, prepared with
the Executive Secretary of the Minamata Convention, and with the support of the Executive
Secretary of the BRS conventions, on a stable framework for sharing services for
consideration by the Minamata Conference of the Parties at its third Meeting (November 2019).
POLICY ISSUES
Article 13, paragraph 11
Review of the Financial Mechanism of the Minamata Convention

COP-2 requested the Secretariat to compile information to be provided by the Global
Environment Facility, the Specific International Programme, Parties and other relevant sources
as identified in paragraph 11 of Article 13.

Next Steps
1. Contributions were invited by 31 May 2019.
2. The Secretariat will make a compilation of the submissions for consideration by COP-3.
Contributions Update
Status of Contributions for 2018
COP-1 called for the establishment of three Minamata Convention Trust Funds
  1. General Trust Fund                           2018: USD 3,916,524
  2. Special Trust Fund                           2018: USD 3,192,250
  3. Specific Trust Fund                          2018: USD 1,284,837

       USD 3,916,524             USD 3,192,250                 USD 1,284,837
     approved for 2018           agreed for 2018               Received to be
                                                               programmed in
      USD 3,110,825               USD 1,303,467                  First Round
        received                    received                        (2018)
                                                                                As of 22 February 2019
Status of Contributions for 2019
 1. General Trust Fund                   2019: USD 3,843,074
 2. Special Trust Fund                   2019: USD 4,014,890
 3. Specific Trust Fund                  2019: USD 2,178,617

     USD 3,843,074           USD 4,014,890             USD 2,178,617
   approved for 2019       agreed for 2019            Received to be
                                                      programmed in
     USD 256,287            USD 721,429
                                                      Second Round
       received           pledged/received
                                                          (2019)
                                                                       As of 22 February 2019
Status of Contributions for 2018 and 2019

 Contributors to the Special Trust Fund for 2018 and 2019
 Austria, the European Union, Finland, France, Japan, Norway, the Philippines, Sweden
 and Switzerland

 Contributors to the Specific Trust Fund for 2018
 Austria, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and
 the United States

 Contributors to the Specific Trust Fund for 2019
 Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, the United States
Reporting under the Minamata Convention
Article 21: Reporting
   Requirement for all Parties to report to the COP through the Secretariat on
    measures taken to implement the provisions of the Convention, on their
    effectiveness and on possible challenges in meeting the objectives of the
    Convention
   Reports also to include information called for under specific provisions:
    Articles 3, 5, 7, 8 and 9
   Timing and format were adopted at COP-1: Short reports due every 2
    years, and long reports due every 4 years.
   Short reports required in relation to primary mining of mercury, identified
    stocks and sources generating stocks, trade consent, facilities for final
    disposal.
Reporting - format

   Parties requested to use adopted format, in any of the 6 UN languages, and
    encouraged to provide electronic version of their reports

   Electronic version of parties’ previous reports to be made available by the
    Secretariat for subsequent updates

   Secretariat to provide information to the COP, including on reporting rate

   Coming months: Secretariat to set up online reporting tool to allow first biennial
    reporting cycle by 31 December 2019
WEB       www.mercuryconvention.org

E-MAIL    MEA-MinamataSecretariat@un.org

TWITTER   @minamataMEA
          #MakeMercuryHistory
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