The fifth meeting of the Conference of the Partiesto the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP-5) will take place in Geneva from October 30 to November 3, 2023. More than 800 participants will attend, including representatives of governments, non-governmental organisations, international institutions and relevant United Nations agencies. The Minamata Convention aims to reduce global mercury pollution and protect human health. A number of important decisions will be discussed at the conference, including those related to the effectiveness of indicators for assessing this pollution, amendments to Annexes A and B (on products and manufacturing processes using mercury) and the establishment of threshold concentrations for mercury waste. The objectives of the Minamata Convention could be better achieved by stopping the global trade in mercury, banning artisanal gold and mercury mining, and developing adequate health services for exposed populations, particularly in mining areas
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse