Fifth meeting of Conference of Parties (COP 5) to Minamata Convention held in Geneva
The fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP-5) will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 30 October to 3 November 2023. During the second segment of COP-4, the Conference of the Parties elected Claudia Dumitru (Romania) as the President of COP-5.
Minamata Convention on Mercury, adopted in 2013, is first global legally binding treaty to protect human health and
environment from adverse effects of mercury.
- It came into force in 2017 and India ratified it in 2018.
- Mercury may have toxic effects on nervous system, thyroid, kidneys, lungs, immune system, eyes, skin etc.
Key decisions adopted at COP 5 Minamata Convention
- For the first time, COP pushed to reduce mercury supply sources and trade by strengthening capacities at national level and developing study on global supply, trade, production and use of mercury compounds.
- Implementation of projects and programmes undertaken under Convention with participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
- Limit of 15 mg/kg concentration of mercury is set as threshold for wastes contaminated with mercury or mercury compounds.
- Amend Annex A of Convention to list phaseout dates for certain types of batteries, switches and relays, fluorescent lamps, and cosmetics.
- Amend Annex B of Convention to mandate phaseout of mercury in polyurethane production by 2025
Annexes of minamata Convention
- Annex A Contains Mercury-added products. Eg. Batteries, Compact fluorescent lamps, Pesticides, biocides etc.
- Annex B Contains Manufacturing processes in which mercury or mercury compounds are used. Eg. Production of polyurethane using mercury catalysts.
- Annex C Contains Artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
- Annex D Contains List of point sources of emissions of mercury and mercury compounds to atmosphere.
- Annex E Contains arbitration and conciliation procedures.
The next meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention COP-6
The next meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention (COP-6) will convene in Geneva from 3 to 7 November 2025 under the Chilean presidency. Until then, all stakeholders stand ready to continue engaging during the intersessional period to keep making mercury history.
About the Minamata Convention
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.