The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury. The Convention addresses the lifecycle of mercury from its entry into the economy (via mining or international trade); to its uses in products; its releases and emissions from industrial processes; through to waste management and storage.
Australia ratified the Minamata Convention in December 2021, making Australian governments legally bound to the obligations contained within this important treaty.
In this presentation, Sarah Douglass from the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will provide an overview of Australia’s implementation of the Minamata Convention and opportunities for strategic engagement leading up to the next meeting of the international decision-making body (Minamata COP5).
Dr Olha Furman, as Australia’s regional representative on the Minamata Convention’s scientific body, the Open-Ended Scientific Group, will introduce critical data collection and interpretation standards that will underpin global reporting on mercury and inform future environmental and human health monitoring activities in Australia and across our region.