MINAMATA CONVENTION ON MERCURY: RATIFICATION CONSIDERATIONS

Transcription

1 MINAMATA CONVENTION ON MERCURY: RATIFICATION CONSIDERATIONS 13 th ANNUAL AIR QUALITY GOVERNANCE LEKGOTLA OCTOBER 2018 KIMBERLY Obed Baloyi Chief Director: Chemicals Management

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4 PURPOSE To provide an update on the work undertaken and processes for the Ratification of the Minamata Convention 4

5 PRESENTATION OUTLINE Mercury Key Facts Mercury - Sources Mercury - Impacts Background to Minamata Convention Overview of the Convention Text SA Status Ratification process Status of MC 5

6 MERCURY - Key Facts A naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and soil. Exposure to mercury even small amounts may cause serious health problems A threat to the development of the child in utero and early in life. May have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, and on lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes. People are mainly exposed to methylmercury, an organic compound, when they eat fish and shellfish that contain the compound. Mercury is considered by WHO as one of the top ten chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern. 6

7 MERCURY - Sources Data for 2010 from the 2013 UNEP Global Mercury Assessment 7

8 MERCURY - Sources 8

9 MERCURY - Sources Global distribution of anthropogenic mercury emissions to air in 2010 Source: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Global Mercury Assessment,

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11 Direct Uses Devices Thermometers, Sphygmomanometers Dental Amalgam Laboratory Chemicals Lighting Switches and Relays Thermostats e.g. in stoves, washing machines, fridges Tilt switches in vehicles, level switches Batteries Indirect Uses Fossil Fuels Boilers, incinerators, etc Electricity used (coal-fired power stations) 11

12 MERCURY - Impacts 12

13 MERCURY - Impacts 13

14 PRESENTATION OUTLINE 14

15 BACKGROUND TO THE MINAMATA CONVENTION 15

16 BACKGROUND TO THE MINAMATA CONVENTION Minamata disease was first discovered in Minamata city in Kumamoto, Japan, in It was caused by the release of methylmercury in the industrial wastewater from the Chisso Corporation's chemical factory, which continued from 1932 to Minamata disease is methylmercury (MeHg) poisoning that occurred in humans who ingested fish and shellfish contaminated by MeHg discharged in waste water from a chemical plant (Chisso Co. Ltd.). Goal of the Convention: to protect the human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. 16

17 OVERVIEW TO THE CONVENTION TEXT Articles can be divided into four main categories : Operational articles - describe the obligations on Parties which will reduce anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds to the environment Support to Parties - financial resources, capacity building, technical assistance and technology transfer, implementation and compliance committee Information and awareness raising, including actions which will reduce impacts of mercury Administrative matters 17

18 OVERVIEW TO THE CONVENTION TEXT Controls on all lifecycle stages of mercury covered by different articles of the Convention Controls on supply and on international trade in mercury (Article 3) Phase-out and phase-down for mercury use in products and processes (Articles 4, 5 and 6) Controls on artisanal and small scale gold mining (Article 7) Control measures on air emissions and releases to water (Articles 8 and 9) Storage, waste and contaminated sites (Article 10, 11 and 12) 18

19 OVERVIEW TO THE CONVENTION TEXT Support to Parties The Convention has obligations on support to be provided to parties, including : Financial mechanism (Article 13) The Global Environment Facility Trust Fund A specific international Programme to support capacity-building and technical assistance. Capacity building, technical assistance and technology transfer (Article 14) Implementation and Compliance Committee (Article 15) 19

20 OVERVIEW TO THE CONVENTION TEXT Information and awareness raising Health aspects (Article 16) Information exchange (Article 17) Public information, awareness and education (Article 18) Research, development and monitoring (Article 19) Implementation plans (Article 20) Reporting required by all Parties (Article 21) Effectiveness evaluation (Article 22) 20

21 OVERVIEW TO THE CONVENTION TEXT Administrative Articles Establish Conference of the Parties (Article 23) Establish Secretariat, hosted by UNEP (Article 24) Standard administrative articles (Articles 25 to 35): Settlement of disputes Amendments to the Convention Adoption and amendment of annexes Right to vote, signature, ratification etc., entry into force, reservations, withdrawal, depositary, authentic texts 21

22 SA STATUS UNEP Toolkit Level1- model based; in 2012 High emitting sectors: coal combustion, cement production, oil and gas production, waste incineration, dental amalgam, primary metal production UNEP Toolkit Level2: evaluates mercury sources, concentrations, uses & releases; institutional arrangements, legislation, and coordination mechanism; Has cost-benefit analysis to assess socio-economic implications Mainstream mercury into national environmental agenda. Cost benefit analysis Funding from GEF & DEA UNEP-Implementing Agency; Africa Institute- Executing Agency 22

23 RATIFICATION PROCESS DEA requested legal opinion from DOJ, thereafter from DIRCO. DOJ & DIRCO legal opinions: Convention does not conflict with domestic law; Convention is in line with South Africa s international obligations. The report presented to Cabinet and recommended tabling in Parliament, for ratifying the Minamata Convention. The National Assembly has approved ratification. NCOP process to be initiated 23

24 STATUS OF THE CONVENTION STATUS OF SIGNATURE, AND RATIFICATION, ACCEPTANCE, APPROVAL OR ACCESSION Number of Signatories: 128 Number of Parties: 98 (as at September 2018) Convention entered into force on 16 August st Conference of the Parties September nd COP November

25 Obed Baloyi Chief Director: Chemicals Management