The Minamata Initial Assessments assisted countries in creating a national mercury profile, which led to the development of a national mercury inventory. This inventory approximates the magnitude and distribution of anthropogenic releases of mercury to air, water, and land through various sectors within the country. Mercury inventories provide valuable baseline data by which countries will be able to measure progress towards reducing mercury emissions and releases.

UNEP is working with BRI to develop a database of mercury inventory toolkits and to create a mercury dashboard to capture the latest information on the sources of mercury contamination in countries. This information is generated via Minamata Initial Assessments (MIAs) as part of each country’s commitment to participating in the Minamata Convention.

The dashboard aggregates national mercury inventories developed using UNEP’s Toolkit for the Identification and Quantification of Mercury Releases. These comprehensive inventories are core activities for developing countries and countries with economies in transition to understand and identify the sources of mercury emissions and releases within their borders.

Effectiveness Evaluation

In order to assess the effectiveness of the global conventions, and the countries that participate in these conventions, a necessary next step is to develop better ways to integrate information on biodiversity, threats to biodiversity, and efforts to reduce these threats.

Open-ended Science Group (OESG) for Effectiveness Evaluation

In response toward the long-term need for evaluating the Convention’s effectiveness in reducing global environmental mercury loads, the Minamata Convention is working with Parties and other stakeholders through an Open-ended Science Group (OESG) forum. These efforts help to pave the way for improved information sharing and knowledge flow

In accordance with Article 22, the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention has initiated the OESG to support an evaluation of the Convention’s effectiveness in meeting its objectives.

Comprised of up to one representative from each Party as well as technical experts, this group will contribute, analyze, and synthesize data, both published and unpublished, pertaining to mercury emissions and releases and monitoring in air, wildlife, people, and other matrices.

BRI is developing protocols to standardize and harmonize data originating from various sources so the information can be presented in a clear and accessible format.