The Maldives cabinet has decided on seeking parliamentary consideration to adopt and ratify The Minamata Convention on Mercury issued by the United Nations (UN).
At the press conference held by the President’s Office on Monday afternoon, December 11, the Under Secretary of Public Policy Mohamed Firzul highlighted President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s decision on seeking parliamentary opinion to join the treaty following cabinet’s deliberation on a paper on the subject proposed by the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy during Sunday’s cabinet meeting.
President’s Office further highlighted that as part of the treaty’s implementation, equipment containing mercury would either be phased out or purged, and replaced with safer models.
Additionally, safety standards for the environment and public health will be promoted as part of joining the treaty, along with adherence to the disposal guidelines.
The treaty will reportedly receive financial support under its implementation and will be an instrumental step in reducing the harmful effects of mercury, and the harm it causes to the environment and people’s health.
Several electronical appliances, gadgets, and batteries contain mercury while some cosmetics products and jewelry also contains trace amounts of mercury.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury was adopted in 2013 by the global community under the auspices of UNEP.
The treaty aims to protect the environment and human health from anthropogenic emissions and releases of toxic heavy metals. It regulates the entire life cycle of mercury – its supply, trade, use, emissions, release, storage, and management of its waste and contaminated sites.
Right now 147 countries have ratified the treaty, and since 2017, the Maldives has made attempts to ratify the convention.