L-R:
Per Baaken, UNEP; John Roberts (UK); and John Whitelaw, UNEP
SECOND
MERCURY OEWG CONVENES IN NAIROBI
The second meeting
of the ad-hoc Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) to Review and Assess
Measures to Address the Global Issue of Mercury is convening from 6-10 October
2008, in Nairobi, Kenya. During the OEWG, delegates will review and assess
options for enhanced voluntary measures and new or existing international legal
instruments to address mercury and consider the report on activities under the
UNEP Mercury Programme. Delegates are also expected to consider the broad
elements needed to address mercury globally. Once the elements are agreed,
delegates will then consider the balance and/or combination of legally-based
and voluntary or partnership components of a package to deliver these elements,
and in what overarching framework those legally-based and voluntary components
could best be organized. As of 7 October, delegates were considering elements
to be included in a mercury framework including measures to reduce supply,
demand and trade of mercury. The outcomes will be considered by UNEP’s
Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF) at its 25th
session, which will convene in February 2009. The OEWG’s mandate, as set out in
Governing Council Decision 24/3, requires it to develop options for addressing
mercury and a final report reflecting all views expressed, presenting options
and any consensus recommendations. Should consensus recommendations not be
reached, delegates will put forward to the GC/GMEF a small range of clearly
identified alternative options, explaining their implications.
Comments