Mercury - Time to Act

Global mercury events timeline

Numerous actions on mercury taken by industries, governments and individuals

EUmercuryexportban ineffect

EU mercury strategy launched

Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) commence its work, INC-1 Stockholm

World’s largest mercury mine in Spain (Almaden) stopped primary mercury production

Mass intoxication and poisoning by mercury and mercury-containing products in several countries

Support to various demonstration and capacity-building projects on mercury by the GEF

National regulatory frameworks on mercury

1960

1950

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

Diplomatic conference in Japan, signing of a Global MercuryTreaty INC-5 Geneva Entry into force (?)

Earth Summit, Rio-de-Janeiro. Establishment of the Global Environment Facility

Minamata Disease officially acknowledged

Arcticemission inventory andUNEP'sGlobalAtmospheric MercuryAssessmentpublished

North American Regional Action Plan (NARAP) on Mercury

UNEP's Global Mercury Assessment Report published

U.S.MercuryExportBanAct (effectivefromJanuary1,2013)

UNEPGoverningCouncil'sdecisionto elaboratea legallybinding instrument toreducerisksposedbymercury

INC-4 Punta del Este

INC-2Chibaand INC-3Nairobi

Source: Adapted from presentation by Fernando Lugris at UNEP Chemicals debriefing 26 July 2012 and 4 December 2012, Geneva. "Outcomes of the 4th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to prepare a global legally binding instrument on mercury". Designed by Zoï Environment Network / GRID-Arendal, December 2012.

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MERCURY – TIME TO ACT