Minamata Convention on Mercury

The Minamata Convention (also: mercury convention, English Minamata Convention on Mercury ) is an international treaty of 2013, with the emissions of the heavy metal mercury should be curbed because it " a toxic chemical with significant effects in the brain and nervous system " is. The way to binding international law of the Convention by ratification of at least 50 states will take several years; the status can be read on the website of the Convention.

Prehistory

The United Nations (UNEP ) environmental program initiated in February 2009 drawing up the Convention. The negotiations started officially in June 2010. Contents of the Convention were justified and supported by extensive studies on mercury emissions and health effects. On 19 January 2013 in Geneva agreed around 900 delegates from 140 countries at the fifth international negotiations on a compromise and so could the essential parts of the agreement - except for detailed regulations - decide.

The signing of the Minamata Convention took place at the conference in the southern Japanese Kumamoto on 10 and 11 October, 2013 by 92 States. The first signatories also included Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The Swiss Environment Minister suggested after the conference to a similar convention for cadmium.

Unlike usual, the Convention is not named after the site of the last round of negotiations. It is a reminder of the Minamata disease in the Japanese port city of Minamata occurred in the 1950s: The Japanese chemical company Chisso had led mercury-containing water into the sea, thus causing massive mercury poisoning in 17,000 people, where about 3,000 people died.

Ratification

For the legally binding accession to the Convention (ratifying) the consent of Parliament is usually necessary. The Minamata Convention shall enter into force 90 days after ratification by the 50th signatory state.

The United States were not represented because of the government shutdown in the signatory conference. So they could sign as 93 state until 6 November 2013. On the same day the undersigned Kerri -Ann Jones, Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, deposited its instrument of acceptance. The United States is the first country that has ratified.

Content

The Agreement includes specific provisions for mercury-containing products that are to be banned from 2020 or traded only with restrictions, for example: " ... fever thermometers, batteries, electrical switches and relays, fluorescent tubes, but also soaps and cosmetics ." For the most important global mercury emission sources, especially the gold mining and coal power plants, to create plans that emissions are monitored and reduced the signatory States.

Since February 2014 established a technical working group guidelines on " best available techniques and best environmental practices" (best available techniques ) for four in Annex D of the Convention mentioned industries: Kohle-Kraftwerke/-Dampfkessel, cement, non-ferrous smelters and incinerators. The guidelines are intended to help States to establish appropriate environmental protection technologies and emission limit values ​​for plants. The international working group consists of representatives of 23 Member States ( Africa: 8, Asia / Pacific: 8, Latin America / Caribbean: 5, Zentral-/Ost-Europa: 5, West-Europa/USA/Kanada/Australien: 7). Western Europe is represented by the Swedish Environmental Agency ( " Naturvårdsverket " ) and the German Federal Environment Agency. In addition, eight participants from industry and environmental organizations are involved that have observer status. The working group is to invite other States and organizations of the United Nations, industry and civil society to take part in the preparation of the guidelines.

Controversial points and criticism

Because of their generous transition periods and derogations, the Convention is regarded merely as a " partial victory " on the way to mercury reduction.

The draft convention also saw the banning of mercury as a preservative in inoculants before ( thimerosal ). According to a press report warned, " World Health Organization, pediatricians and the Gavi Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization " warning that without this preservative "Millions of kids running in the Third World in danger of dying from infectious diseases," while in the industrialized countries thimerosal hardly play a role. After the conference, reported the press: " Furthermore, mercury in vaccines " and "The use of mercury in dental fillings is to be reduced, but remains allowed. "

Another controversial issue is the financing; provisionally participated with one million dollars in Switzerland, Norway and Japan. The Switzerland said a total of 7.5 million Swiss francs (about 8.4 million U.S. dollars) to implement the Convention.

During the signatory conference in Kumamoto was criticized that " the agreement is received either on the compensation of victims, nor to the question of who should be taken to clean up mercury- contaminated areas in the duty."