Page 33 - Bulletin 1

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THE MINAMATA CONVENTION

WAS ADOPTED AT THE GENERAL

The “Minamata Agreement on Mercury”, which obliges the parties to take the necessary measures to reduce and, if
possible, completely eliminate mercury emissions, was accepted in the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand Na-
tional Assembly on 02/15/2022 and published in the Official Gazette dated 02/23/2022 and numbered 31760 and
entered into force.
The “Minamata Convention on Mercury”, which includes some control and reduction measures for products, pro-
cesses and industries that use, release or emit mercury, and their mercury-containing waste, was accepted at the
General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Since the entry into force of the contract, which obliges
the parties to take the necessary measures to reduce and, if possible, completely eliminate mercury emissions, the
contract brings the following obligations:
• Within 5 years at the latest; Preparing mercury emission inventories, obligatory best available techniques and
practices, establishing and operating all necessary infrastructure, and taking measures to reduce emissions
within this framework,
• Within 3 years at the latest; determination of point source categories for mercury pollution,
• Within 4 years at the latest; preparation of the national plan for controlling emissions,
• Within 5 years at the latest; establishes the emission inventory.

About THE MINAMATA CONVENTION

The Minamata Convention, adopted on January 19, 2013, was opened for signature in Kumamoto,
Japan on October 10, 2013, and then at the United Nations New York Headquarters until October
9, 2014.

The Convention was signed by 128 countries, accepted by 12 countries, signed by Turkey on September 24, 2014, du-
ring the “High Level Event” hosted by Japan, Switzerland, the USA and Uruguay, within the scope of the opening of the
69th General Assembly of the United Nations, and was presented to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on Octo-
ber 2, 2019. The legislative proposal regarding the approval of the Minamata Convention was accepted at the General
Assembly of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 15/02/2022 and entered into force after being published in the
Official Gazette dated 23/2/2022 and numbered 31760.
The second part of the 4th Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention (COP-4.2) will be held in Indonesia/
Bali from 21-25 March 2022.

It has been announced that the Minamata Convention is a special contract on mercury pollution, the objectives and
measures to be taken regarding this issue are revealed and concrete results are expected at the conference to be held
in Bali, and sessions on protecting people and the planet from mercury pollution will be held.
It is emphasized that the main measures in the fight against mercury pollution are to reduce the use of mercury in in-
dustries and to prevent the formation of mercury waste, and discussions on strengthening financial mechanisms and
promoting national reporting on this issue will be brought to the agenda at the conference.
At the conference of the parties, it is expected that the declaration regarding the Minamata Convention, which will be
referred to as the “Bali Declaration” by the member states, will be accepted and announced.
The relevant units of our Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change will attend the meeting of the par-
ties mentioned, and Turkey’s views on the joint declaration will be expressed on the international platform.
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