Minamata Convention on Mercury COP1

Solving the world’s biggest environmental problems from a cubicle in Washington DC is hard to do. In the documentary film "Make Mercury History," produced by the GEF and Arrowhead Films, an unassuming team of chemical experts shed their urban suits and head out to see where mercury is entering the environment and how it’s affecting people. The half-hour film is shot on location in 5 countries where Anil Sookdeo and Evelyn Swain travel below ground where miners are using mercury and industrial sites where tons of mercury are emitted every day. The team meets people who are using mercury, but, more importantly, they find others who are pioneering methods to eliminate the use of mercury in their mining operations, their power plants and industrial operations.

"Making Mercury History" begins with a touching story of seaside memorial in Minamata Japan where 3000 people were killed in the 1950’s because of mercury poisoning. The film is a sequel to Planet DeTox where Sookdeo and Swain travel to toxic chemical sites to tell the story of the work the GEF is doing to eradicate Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) from the planet.

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the largest anthropogenic source of mercury globally. Under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, parties agreed to take steps to reduce, and where feasible eliminate, the use of mercury and mercury compounds from ASGM. To address this sector, the GEF recently approved a $45 million global program, Global Opportunities for Long Term Development of the ASGM Sector (GEF GOLD). The GEF GOLD Program covers eight countries in three of the largest ASGM regions, including Africa, Asia, and Latin America. 

The GEF GOLD program aims to reduce the use of mercury in the ASGM sector in the participating countries through facilitating access to finance to miners and mining communities for the introduction of low and non-mercury technologies and techniques. It also connects mines to refiners and guaranteed off-takers in order to develop sustainable ASGM supply chains.

Through the GEF GOLD program, Conservation International (CI) is helping the Government of Guyana tackle this complex sector. The project in Guyana will address environmental and social issues associated with ASGM, and also work with the private sector to create a market for the sustainably produced gold. Guyana was the focal point in the 1500s for the search of the fabled “El Dorado”, and El Dorado remains associated with the country, which produces several El Dorado branded products such as the globally recognized El Dorado Rum. This project will work to support this brand for responsibly produced gold.

During this side event, the President of Guyana, along with the CEOs of the GEF and CI, the private sector, and CSOs discussed how the public and private sectors can come together to make mercury history in the ASGM sector.

This side event launched the Local to Global Coalition on Chemicals, Waste, and Mercury Management, aimed to develop civil society organizations and local communities' capacity, awareness, and knowledge exchange on chemicals, waste, and mercury management, and discuss collaboration opportunities to promote effective implementation of the related conventions.