1. 1 Mercury Partnerships May 2007 Presentation to the Asian Mercury Products Workshop

2. 2 Presentation Outline i. UNEP Governing Council Decision 24/3 related to mercury ii. Current Status of UNEP Mercury Partnership Programme iii. Next Steps on Mercury Partnerships Products Partnership

3. 3 UNEP GC Decision 24 related to mercury Acknowledges widespread concern over the serious effects of mercury on human health and the environment and the urgent need for international action. Identifies a number of strategies to undertake actions on mercury. Partnerships are identified as an important voluntary approach to reducing mercury.

4. 4 GC 24 Decision on Partnerships Requests the Executive Director, working in consultation with Governments and other stakeholders, to strengthen the UNEP Mercury Partnerships by: a)Developing an overarching framework for the UNEP Mercury Partnership: Organizing a meeting of partners and other stakeholders Development of business plans, identify partnership goals Development of operational guidelines b)Expand number and scope of partnerships to include new, growing sectors: vinyl chloride monomer production, non-ferrous metals mining, cement production, waste combustion; c)Enhancing the artisanal and small scale gold mining partnership; d)Endeavour to secure adequate funds for the Global Mercury Partnership efforts.

5. 5 Partnership Potential… a well-developed voluntary framework: 1. Provide a framework for collaborative actions, working towards a common goal. 2. Can be an effective and useful mechanism in achieving immediate mercury reductions and in meeting overall programme objectives: Sets targets/timelines, improves linkages, creates a venue for immediate actions. Flexible character, opportunity for ambitious targets. Can facilitate negotiations & ratifications of any potential future instrument. 3. Drives creative solutions/encourages innovation.

6. 6 1. artisanal/small-scale gold mining; 2. coal combustion; 3. chlor-alkali sector; 4. reduction in products batteries, dental amalgams, measuring and control (largely medical sector), electric and electronic switches, flourescent lamps, cosmetics; and 5. air transport and fate research. Mercury partnership activities have been initiated in a number of key areas.

7. 7 Ongoing and planned activities for Mercury in Products Health care sector; Waste management guidelines with Basel Convention; Awareness raising;  This workshop is an initiative under the mercury in products partnership area. Mercury in Schools (The Philippines and USA) Linkages within Division of Trade, Industry and Economics Sustainable Consumption & Production Branch as well as UNIDO Cleaner Production Centres.

8. 8 UNEP needs in the Overarching mercury partnerships: 1. Country input to call for information letter by 15 June 2007: Seek comments on existing partnership program and on current goals and initiatives. Small, informal exploratory meeting - Geneva, June 2007. Seek comments on proposed forthcoming process. 2. Partner participation in overarching partnership meeting in March 2008: goal to formalize the overarching partnership framework and business plan.

9. 9 For more information: http://www.chem.unep.ch/mercury/ Contact: Brenda Koekkoek Mercury Programme, UNEP Chemicals 11-13, chemin des Anémones CH-1219 Châtelaine Geneva, Switzerland Tel: + 41 22 917 88 67 bkoekkoek@chemicals.unep.ch