Huge Environmental Victory!
World governments support breakthrough agreement on mercury
20.02.2009 |Press Release European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
[Nairobi, Kenya 20 February 2009] – Defying expectations, world environmental
ministers agreed today to begin negotiating a treaty to control global mercury pollution. The decision represents the consensus of the more than 140 countries gathered here for the 25th UNEP Governing Council meeting.
“This consensus is a huge breakthrough,” said Elena Lymberidi – Settimo of the
European Environmental Bureau and the Zero Mercury Working Group. “The treaty will
ensure that the EU and other countries of the world make a serious commitment to
reduce global mercury emissions, supply and demand.”
The treaty will include actions to reduce mercury supply, its use in products and
processes, and atmospheric mercury emissions, which will ultimately reduce human
exposure to mercury globally. The preparations for negotiations on the global treaty will
start later this year, with discussions beginning in earnest in 2010 with a view to
wrapping up by 2013.
‘Developing a treaty is a critical first step towards solving the global mercury crisis’, said Michael Bender of the Zero Mercury Working Group.
The agreement was made possible by a dramatic shift in the U.S. position by the Obama administration, which now supports the creation of a legally binding agreement.
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For further information contact:
Elena Lymberidi-Settimo, Project Coordinator, Zero Mercury Campaign,
European Environmental Bureau: elena.lymberidi@eeb.org;
Tel: +32 2289 1301; Mobile in Nairobi: +254 716 803265, Mobile (Belgium) +32 496 532 818
Vanessa Bulkacz, EEB Press & Publications Officer: press@eeb.org; Tel: +32 2289 1309
Michael Bender, mercurypolicy@aol.com, +1 802 223 9000
References:
For the complete press release see attached or go to
http://www.eeb.org/press/2009/090220UNEP_NGO_PR_Mercury_Decision-final.pdf
For the final draft agreement text go to
http://www.eeb.org/activities/chemicals/Chemicals_management_including_mercury-COWdraft190209.pdf
