A global agreement known as the Minamata Convention on Mercury was made to protect the environment and human health against anthropogenic releases and emissions of mercury and its compounds. The Minamata Convention was adopted in 2013 in Kumamoto, Japan. The convention has the name of the Japanese town of Minamata. Given that mercury poisoning had a severe impact on the city, this naming is significant symbolically. This article will explain to you Minamata Convention which will be helpful in preparing the Environment Syllabus for the UPSC Civil Service exam.

Mercury Pollution

• Mercury is a heavy metal that is present naturally in the air, soil, and water.
• Mercury is one of the top ten chemicals that the World Health Organization (WHO) lists as being of significant public health concern.
• Exposure to mercury can be poisonous and have negative effects on one's health even in minute doses.
• Mercury has an impact on the immune, neurological, and digestive systems. Additionally, it harms the kidneys, lungs, eyes, skin, and other organs.
• The brain damage suffered by victims cannot be repaired, and they may experience memory loss or language difficulty.
• Since even small levels of elemental mercury can have negative consequences on health, there is no established safe exposure level for people.
• The most susceptible groups to the negative effects of mercury include children, newborns, and fetuses.
• Because mercury is easily transmitted around the planet by the environment, its harmful effects can be felt even in remote areas.

Minamata Convention - History

• Since the 1950s, people have been aware of mercury's negative consequences, in part because of the infamous Minamata Disease, which was originally identified in the Japanese city of Minamata.
• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) started a study in 2001 to evaluate many factors, including the effects of mercury and its constituents on human health.
• The UNEP Governing Council evaluated this assessment in 2003 and determined that there was sufficient justification for states to take decisive action in this area.
• Governments launched a mercury initiative in 2005 and 2007 with the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership to lessen mercury's harmful impacts on human health and the environment.
• An intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) was created in 2009 after the UNEP agreed to make a legally enforceable agreement on mercury.
• The INC met five times between 2010 and 2013. The Fifth Session ended with the adoption of the Convention.
• At a Conference of Plenipotentiaries (Diplomatic Conference) in Kumamoto, Japan, it was made available for signing for a year.
• In 2017, Geneva hosted the inaugural gathering of the COP to the Convention.
• After the 50th nation ratified the Convention, it came into effect in August of that year.

What is Minamata Convention?

• This international agreement is projected to augment mercury pollution reduction over the following few decades from the targeted activities responsible for the significant mercury emission to the immediate environment.
• It also regulates the movement of mercury across international borders.
• It excludes naturally occurring mercury emissions.
• The Minamata Convention went into effect in August of 2017. The first Meeting of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP1) was held in September 2017 at the International Conference Centre in Geneva.
• Since its entry into force on August 16, 2017, Parties have been cooperating to control mercury supply and trade, reduce mercury use, emission, and release, raise public awareness, and build the institutional capacity required to make mercury history.
• Currently, there are 137 parties to Minamata Convention.
• The Minamata Convention includes a ban on new mercury mines, the phase-out of existing ones, the phase-out and phase-down of mercury use in a variety of products and processes, emission control measures for air, land, and water, and regulation of the informal sector of artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
• The Convention also addresses interim mercury storage and disposal once it has become waste, mercury-contaminated sites, and health concerns.

Minamata Convention - Functions

• The Minamata Convention aims at protecting the environment and public health from anthropogenic releases and emissions of mercury and mercury-related compounds.
• It includes measures that address the whole life cycle of mercury, including controls and reductions across a variety of goods, processes, and industries where mercury is used, discharged or emitted, in order to accomplish this purpose.
• The convention also covers mercury's direct mining, export and import, safe storage, and once-off disposal as trash.
• The convention's implementation will also lead to the identification of people at risk, an improvement in medical care, and greater training of healthcare personnel in recognizing and treating mercury-related problems.

Minamata Convention - Areas Covered

The areas that are covered under the convention include:

• Sources of mercury supply and trade
• The manufacturing processes in which mercury or mercury-based products are used
• Products with added mercury
• Air emissions.
• Small-scale and artisanal gold mining
• Water and land releases
• Mercury waste
• Other than mercury waste, environmentally sound interim storage for mercury
• Health concerns
• Contamination Sites

Minamata Convention - Features

• Elimination of existing mercury mines and prohibition of new ones.
• Mercury use is being eliminated or reduced in a number of products and procedures.
• Controls on discharges to land and water as well as air emissions.
• The control of small-scale and artisanal gold mining's grey market.
• The Convention also tackles the temporary storage of mercury, its eventual disposal as trash, mercury-contaminated places, and health concerns.
• International law requires that these measures be implemented by nations that have ratified the Convention, and India has done so.
• Together with the Specific International Programme, the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF) makes up one of the two parts of the Minamata Convention on Mercury's financing system.
• The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the governing body of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. The COP advances the implementation of the Convention through the decisions made at its meetings, which must be reviewed and evaluated on a regular basis.
• The Minamata Convention on Mercury, as a Multilateral Environmental Agreement is in accordance with the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, which recognises States' respective circumstances and capabilities, as well as the need for global action.

Minamata Convention - Timeline

Minamata Convention and India

• The Minamata Convention was ratified by India in 2018.
• The approval allows flexibility for the ongoing use of mercury-based products and procedures containing mercury compounds up to 2025 as well as depositing the instrument of ratification, allowing India to become a Party to the Convention.
• With the goal of preventing anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds, the Minamata Convention on Mercury will be implemented within the framework of sustainable development.
• The Convention protects against the detrimental effects of mercury while still defending the room for development in developing nations.
• As a result, the interests of the underprivileged and vulnerable groups would be safeguarded.
• The Minamata Convention on Mercury will further encourage businesses to switch to products and manufacturing methods that don't include mercury.
• This will encourage innovation and stimulate research and development.

What is Minamata Disease?

• Minamata disease is a neurological condition brought on by severe mercury poisoning.
• In the technical sense of the word, Minamata disease is not truly a disease; rather, it is a neurological syndrome brought on by environmental and industrial pollution.
• This indicates that the central nervous system is impacted by pollutant poisoning.
• Methylmercury is the specific pollutant that causes this condition.
• Ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, generalized muscle weakness, loss of peripheral vision, and damage to hearing and speech are some of the signs and symptoms.
• In severe cases, coma, death, paralysis, and insanity all occur within a few weeks of the commencement of symptoms.
• Cerebral palsy may result from a congenital type of illness that can also harm fetuses in the womb.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Minamata Disease

Conclusion

Minamata Convention is one of the world’s youngest multilateral environmental agreements and holds massive potential. Everyone on the planet is exposed to mercury; only concerted united action through this convention and all of its allies can stop this toxic heavy metal from endangering human and environmental health.

FAQs

Question. What is the Minamata Convention on Mercury?

Question. Why is it named after Minamata?

Question. When did the Minamata Convention come into force?

Question. What are the key provisions of the Minamata Convention?

Question. Which countries are parties to the Minamata Convention?

MCQs

1. The Minamata Convention on Mercury was adopted in which year?

A) 2005

B) 2010

C) 2013

D) 2017

2. What is one of the main goals of the Minamata Convention?

A) To regulate the use of coal

B) To reduce mercury emissions

C) To protect forests

D) To promote nuclear energy

3. Which of the following is NOT covered under the Minamata Convention?

A) Mercury mining

B) Mercury waste disposal

C) Promotion of mercury-based products

D) Mercury emissions from industries

4. Where was the Minamata Convention signed?

A) Geneva

B) Paris

C) Kumamoto, Japan

D) New York

5. What does the Minamata Convention regulate in relation to mercury?

A) Only mercury waste

B) Mercury mining, trade, emissions, and waste

C) Only emissions from factories

D) Only the use of mercury in cosmetics

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1. Discuss the significance of the Minamata Convention on Mercury in global environmental governance.

Answer: The Minamata Convention on Mercury plays a pivotal role in addressing the global threat of mercury pollution, which has harmful effects on human health and ecosystems. As one of the most toxic substances, mercury poses risks to the nervous, immune, and digestive systems, especially in vulnerable populations. The convention provides a legally binding framework to control mercury emissions, restrict its use, and prevent its contamination of water, land, and air. Through international cooperation, the treaty promotes sustainable practices in industry and trade, contributing to global environmental governance by reducing mercury pollution at the source.

Q2. Analyze the challenges in implementing the Minamata Convention on Mercury and its global impact.

Answer: While the Minamata Convention provides a global framework for mercury control, its implementation faces several challenges. These include the need for financial resources to support developing countries, the lack of infrastructure to handle mercury waste in some regions, and the resistance from industries that rely on mercury. Despite these challenges, the convention’s impact on global environmental health is significant. It sets a precedent for future international treaties and strengthens global environmental cooperation. The treaty’s success will depend on the commitment of parties to enforce its provisions and build institutional capacity to tackle mercury pollution.

Q3. How does the Minamata Convention address the problem of artisanal and small-scale gold mining?

Answer: Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is one of the largest sources of mercury pollution globally. The Minamata Convention addresses this issue by advocating for the use of safer, mercury-free methods in gold mining, while also regulating the informal sector. It provides technical and financial support to transition ASGM workers to safer alternatives and emphasizes the reduction of mercury use in this sector. The convention also includes provisions to control mercury trade and prevent its supply to illegal mining activities, thus aiming to mitigate one of the primary causes of mercury pollution.

Previous Year Questions on the Minamata Convention

1. UPSC CSE 2023

Question: "How does the Minamata Convention contribute to the global effort to reduce mercury pollution and its adverse effects?"

Answer: The Minamata Convention provides a legally binding framework for reducing mercury emissions and controlling its trade. By targeting mercury sources such as mining, industrial emissions, and mercury-containing products, it seeks to reduce environmental contamination and human exposure to mercury, thus preventing its toxic effects on health and ecosystems.

2. UPSC CSE 2022

Question: "Evaluate the challenges in the implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury and its potential solutions."

Answer: Key challenges in implementing the Minamata Convention include inadequate funding for developing countries, the persistence of mercury use in industries like small-scale gold mining, and the need for strong enforcement mechanisms. Solutions include providing technical assistance, promoting alternative technologies, and strengthening international cooperation to ensure compliance.