African Woman and Child Feature Service

Kenya is one of the countries that have agreed to finalise negotiations on halting global mercury pollution after 10 years of inertia on the matter, particularly by developed countries led by the United States.

The landmark decision, taken by over 140 countries, sets the stage for controlling a chemical known to spread neurotoxins that have serious effects on unborn babies and young children.

If concluded and signed, the treaty will ensure that the European Union and other countries that produce the chemical make a firm commitment to cut-down mercury emissions and supply.

The breakthrough was arrived at following a consensus after a week-long global deliberation on environmental issues at the 25^th UNEP environment ministers General Council that was held in Nairobi, Kenya.

The negotiations have been dragging on after the USA failed to make a commitment to finalise them. The Bush administration had stubbornly opposed any legally binding measures against the chemical.

But the new Obama administration has indicated that it is ready to conclude the talks and sign a legally binding document.

“We have gone beyond expectations,” Said UNEP’s Executive Director Mr. Achim Steiner at the end of the deliberations.

He noted that this is the first time in history that an instrument that will give pregnant women and children an opportunity to live without mental deformation is being set in motion.

Mr Achim hopes the negotiations will advance very fast so that the treaty is signed in the year 2013.

The coordinator of the Zero Mercury Working Group Mr. Michael Bender while hailing the move said the signing of a treaty is the critical first step towards solving the global mercury crisis.

“We are now optimistic that the global community is now well on its way towards establishing a treaty to control mercury pollution,” Said Bender, who heads an organization that spearheaded the negotiations for a treaty.

Countries in Europe have supported the idea of a treaty. “The European Union, like others, fully endorses the decision that long term international action is set in motion to reduce the risks of mercury,” said Oliver Dulic the Czech minister of environment whose government currently holds the EU Presidency.

Dulic told delegates that it was necessary to establish an international negotiation committee that will draft the rules.

“The EU is keen to avoid an unnecessary proliferation of instruments and therefore suggests that the agreement contain a mechanism that would allow it, in future, to cover additional substances once they have been recognised as being of global concern,” he noted.

The Coordinator of Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development Mr. Richard Kimbowa, who is also a member of the International Persistent Organic Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) observes that the treaty will safeguard the fish from pollution and the interests of small scale gold miners and their families.

“This is also a major milestone for fishermen and the east African governments that exports fish products to the EU and other parts of the world as it will do away with the barriers,” he adds.

The governments agreed that the risks to human health and the environment were so significant that accelerated action under a voluntary Global Mercury Partnership is needed while the treaty is being finalised.

Under the partnership plan, the ministers of environment agreed to carry out awareness raising campaigns on the risks posed by the chemical. The campaign will also focus on cutting down the use of mercury in artisanal mining where an estimated 10 million miners and their families are exposed.

Through the partnership, there are further plans to reduce mercury in products such as thermometers and paper making and plastics production processes.