Mercury toxicity: Call for a legally binding global agreement

World leaders at IUCN’s Global Conservation Congress (GCC) 2012 should support a legally binding treaty on Mercury to protect health, environment and the ecosystem, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) Senior Advisor Dr Mahmood Khwaja  said on Tuesday.

A press release quoted him as saying that the SDPI has moved a motion for a global treaty to the upcoming congress to be held in Korea.

“The resolution calls for effective measures to reduce and eliminate mercury use and asks for a mandatory National Implementation Plan to ensure effective implementation of the treaty,” he said while sharing details of the proposed resolution.

Dr Khwaja said the motion asks for mandatory obligations to identify contaminated sites with effective and enforceable treaty compliance provisions. The draft resolution also requests Director General IUCN to work with the IUCN Commissions and membership networks for the promotion of enhanced awareness regarding adverse health effects of mercury exposure and protection, he added.

The IUCN’s GCC is world’s largest conservation event which aims to improve how we manage our natural environment for human, social and economic development. This year over 10,000 participants from all across the world are participating.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2012.