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Third Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury (INC3)

31 Oct - 4 Nov 2011 | UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Headquarters, Nairobi, Kenya

Highlights for Monday, 31 October 2011

Mercury INC3 convened for its first day on Monday, 31 October 2011 at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

During the opening plenary, delegates were welcomed by Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director, and Paul Olando, speaking on behalf of Minister John Michuki, Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, Kenya. Emphasizing the importance of the mercury negotiations process in the run-up to Rio +20, Steiner noted that INC3 marks the halfway point of the process to prepare a legally binding instrument on mercury, and said the meeting should aim to produce a formal draft text by the end of the week. Olando highlighted the importance of establishing a legally binding agreement to minimize mercury emissions.
 
In a round of opening statements, delegates thanked the Secretariat for its work to prepare a comprehensive draft text representing the views expressed at INC2 and intersessionally, and expressed support for using the text as a basis for negotiations. Delegates also welcomed Tim Kasten, the new head of UNEP Chemicals.
 
In the afternoon, delegates to INC3 began substantive consideration of the text, expressing their views on the possible content of the preamble and introduction. They exchanged views on artisanal and small-scale gold mining, and agreed to establish a contact group, which was scheduled to meet on Monday evening. Delegates also briefly discussed mercury supply sources and international trade in mercury.
 
Also scheduled for Monday evening was a reception hosted by the Kenyan Government.
UN offices in Nairobi
The dais during the opening session
Daily highlights
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Jill Hannah, EU

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Per Bakken, Special Advisor, UNEP Chemicals, with Rudy Van Dyke, Chief of Conference Services, UNON.
 
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R-L: Amina Mohamed, Deputy Executive Director, UNEP; Bakary Kante, Director, Division of Environmental Law and Conventions, UNEP; and Jiri Hlavacek, Division of Regional Cooperation, UNEP
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The delegation from Iraq
 
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Related Links
UNEP resources
*Meeting website
*Meeting annotated agenda
*Scenario note
*New draft text for a comprehensive and suitable approach to a global legally binding instrument on mercury
*Country submissions
*Meeting documents
*Technical briefings

IISD RS resources
IISD RS summary and analysis of the Second Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury (INC2), 24-28 January 2011, Chiba, Japan (English: HTML - PDF) (French: HTML - PDF) (Spanish: HTML - PDF)
IISD RS summary and analysis of the First Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury (INC1), 7-11 June 2010, Stockholm, Sweden (English: HTML - PDF) (French: HTML - PDF) (Spanish: HTML - PDF)
IISD RS brefing note of the Ad-hoc Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) to Prepare for the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Mercury, 19-23 October 2009, Bangkok, Thailand (HTML - PDF)
*IISD RS coverage of the Twenty-fifth Session of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council/ Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC-25/GMEF), 16-20 February 2009, UNEP Headquarters, Nairobi, Kenya
*IISD RS coverage of the Second Meeting of the Ad Hoc OEWG to Review and Assess Measures to Address the Global Issue of Mercury, 6-10 October 2008, UNEP Headquarters, Nairobi, Kenya
*IISD RS coverage of the First Meeting of the Ad Hoc OEWG to Review and Assess Measures to Address the Global Issue of Mercury, 12-16 November 2007, Bangkok, Thailand
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