- Information
- News Releases
- Back Issues
- May 2012
- The Asia-Pacific Meeting held before the Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury
Joint Press Release with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the EnvironmentThe Asia-Pacific Meeting held before the Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury
For discussion toward preparation of an instrument on mercury, the "Asia-Pacific Meeting before the Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury" will be held from Tuesday, May 15 to Thursday, May 17, 2012, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At this meeting, nations in the Asia-Pacific region will exchange their views on the draft text of the instrument on mercury and other issues, in advance of the "Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury" to be held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, starting Wednesday, June 27, 2012, at which the same draft text will be discussed.
Summary of the Meeting and Related Committee
1) Date and venue
- Date:
- Tuesday, May 15 - Thursday, May 17, 2012
- Venue:
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2) Major Agenda
Discussion of the draft text of the instrument on mercury and other issues
3) Meeting Documents
The agenda and meeting documents (including the draft text of the instrument on mercury) are downloadable from the following website:
http://www.unep.org/hazardoussubstances/Mercury/Negotiations/INC4/INC4MeetingDocuments/tabid/3490/Default.aspx
4) Attendees from Japan
Japan will send a government delegation consisting of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the Ministry of the Environment.
[Reference] Study toward preparation of a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury
1. Background
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) decided at the 25th session of its governing council held in February 2009 to prepare a legally binding instrument (treaty) on global mercury control and, for this purpose, to establish an intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC). It was agreed that the negotiations would be started in 2010 and completed by 2013.
The INC has held three sessions so far. At the second session held in Chiba, Japan, in January 2012, the INC accepted that the diplomatic conference planned for the latter half of 2013 for adoption and signature of the instrument would be held in Japan. At this Asia-Pacific meeting, nations in the Asia-Pacific region will exchange their views on the draft text of the instrument on mercury and other issues, in advance of the Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury which will be held in Punta del Este, Uruguay starting Wednesday, June 27, 2012.
2. Schedule
- June 7 to 11, 2010:
- First session (INC1), Stockholm, Sweden
- January 24 to 28, 2011:
- Second session (INC2), Chiba, Japan
- September 26 to 28, 2011:
- Asia-Pacific Meeting before the Third Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury, Kobe, Japan
- October 31 to November 4, 2011:
- Third session (INC3), Nairobi, Kenya
- May 15 to 17, 2012:
- Asia-Pacific Meeting before the Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- June 27 to July 2, 2012:
- Fourth session (INC4): Punta del Este, Uruguay
- February 2013:
- Fifth session (INC5), Geneva, Switzerland
- February 2013:
- Study results will be reported to the 27th session of the UNEP Governing Council
- Late 2013:
- Diplomatic conference (for adoption and signature of the instrument), Japan
Release Date
May 8, 2012
Division in Charge
Chemical Management Policy Division, Manufacturing Industries Bureau