Minamata Convention COP-4.2

Fourth Conference of the Parties (COP-4.2) to the Minamata Convention on Mercury
Bali, Indonesia
March 2022

The Minamata Convention on Mercury has been developed as the main international legal instrument to protect human health and the environment from mercury pollution with a range of controls on trade, emissions, and use of mercury.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fourth Conference of the Parties took place over two sessions, culminating in COP-4.2 in Bali, Indonesia.

IPEN Summary

What Happened at Minamata Convention COP-4.2

At COP-4.2, significant advances were made in decisions on dental amalgam and the addition of several mercury-containing product groups to the Convention’s regulated products.

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COP-4.2 Updates

At COP-4.2, IPEN tracked progress and discussions on many issues. Several developments included:

The COP took a step forward in the effort to accelerate the phase-out of mercury from its use in dental amalgam, with an ongoing need to set a firm phase-out timeline.
Another positive step was agreement to phase-out the use of mercury in several products by 2025, including compact fluorescent lamps.
Issues around affected communities and in particular Indigenous Peoples were raised, with clear signals of the need to prioritise the human rights issues that deeply affect Indigenous Peoples in ASGM regions.
IPEN supported a decision for further consideration of types of mercury-contaminated wastes and how to develop health-protective thresholds for defining such waste.
The host government of Indonesia introduced a Bali Declaration on Combatting Global Illegal Trade of Mercury, a non-binding political call aiming to enhance international cooperation, develop practical tools to monitor and share information, and exchange experiences and practices to combat the illegal trade of mercury.

In addition, IPEN called for further resources, capacity building, and guidance so countries could create national plans to monitor and address mercury mining, trade, and use.