IPEN

For Immediate Release:

Kumamoto, Japan — The signing of the world’s first international mercury treaty by delegates from more than 100 countries should spur three key actions to reduce total mercury pollution, the International NGO IPEN said.

“The mercury treaty is a victory because it represents a global consensus that mercury pollution presents a serious threat to human health and the environment. Now we need to get to work,” said Joe DiGangi, IPEN’s Senior Science and Technical Adviser. “Some treaty provisions are legally-binding obligations and others require governments to “endeavor” to take action. This means that each government has a moral, if not a legal commitment to fully implement all treaty provisions.”

At the conclusion of the International Minamata Symposium hosted by IPEN and Citizens Against Chemicals Pollution (CACP), IPEN presented its recently adopted Minamata Declaration on Toxic Metals to Minamata Disease Victims Group leader Shinobu Sakamoto and the larger Minamata community.