By Angelica Carballo
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN (October 7,
2013) - As more than 140 countries are expected to convene near the small town
of Minamata, Japan, in the next few days to adopt a new legally binding treaty
on mercury, the Zero Mercury Working Group[i] welcomes
the new treaty. It also urges
governments pay homage to Minamata and the tragedy that befell this bucolic
village by undertaking concrete activities that begin reducing global mercury
pollution and ratifying the treaty quickly so that it legally enters into force. http://frontlinemindanaobalita.blogspot.com/2013/10/zero-mercury-working-group-welcomes-new.html?view=magazine
“Governments and all the
stakeholders involved need to build upon this momentum by continuing to undertake
mercury reduction activities in parallel, and ratifying the treaty as fast as
possible,” said Elena Lymberidi-Settimo, ZMWG International Coordinator. “We urge 50 countries to step up and ratify
by 2015 — “50 by 2015 – Make it Happen!”
“Delays in ratification not
only translates to more mercury pollution,” said Lymberidi-Settimo, but it
invariably raises the human and environmental costs of unabated mercury
pollution.
During the preparatory
meeting at the beginning of next week, governments must also decide on how to
move collectively forward during the interim period until the treaty is
ratified.
“The Preparatory Meeting will need to agree interim activities of
work to facilitate immediate mercury reduction and early ratification,” said Richard
Gutierrez of BAN Toxics, a member group of ZMWG. “Countries need to take action while the
treaty is in legal limbo. This must include providing the information and
guidance necessary for developing countries to begin addressing crucial areas
such as reducing mercury use in artisanal small-scale gold mining.”
The
NGO group also expressed their preference that the resolutions to be adopted
during this meeting include language whereby NGO participation throughout the
interim period is both facilitated and ensured.
“This
is particularly important where expert groups are created,” said Michael
Bender, Coordinator of the ZMWG. “NGO are
needed to ensure that the process is balanced, transparent, and our technical
experts can contribute their knowledge and experience.”
The ZMWG expects a large
number of countries to sign the treaty by the end of this week, opening the way
to quick ratification.
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