Minamata COP1 High Level Segment: UK Statement
This statement was delivered by Minister Therese Coffey at the first Minimata Conference of the Parties on the control of mercury on 29 September 2017 in Geneva.
The Minimata COP 1 took place at the CICG Centre near the Palais des Nations in Geneva
I would like to congratulate all who have participated in this historic first Conference of the Parties.
This Convention and this Conference has been a powerful demonstration of how nations working together to tackle a global pollution problem can make progress.
The United Kingdom is fully committed to being part of international efforts to limit mercury emissions and releases to protect human health and the environment. We were active during the Convention negotiations, fully supporting its objectives and I look forward to the UK’s formal ratification of the Convention early in 2018, the the necessary UK legislation will be in place.
To further support the Convention, I am pleased to announce a first contribution from the United Kingdom to the Specific International Programme of 150,000 US dollars. This is in addition to our continued financial support through the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The UK would like to thank all the parties, non-parties, intergovernmental organizations, industry and civil society organizations who have been involved in contributing to the Convention discussions and in making this first Conference a success.