Global mercury treaty deal talks to start next year, conclude by 2013

A negotiating group set up at the UNEP Governing Council meeting in Nairobi to discuss a proposal for a legally binding treaty to curb mercury emissions has succeeded in reaching a deal. There were celebrations when the 'contact group on chemicals' won round remaining opponents, such as India, helped enormously by a US u-turn on acceptance for a legally binding treaty earlier this week (CW 17 February 2009).

No official statements have yet been made but the Earth Negotiations Bulletin reports that delegates agreed to start talks in 2010 to conclude in 2013. The treaty is due to consider anthropogenic sources of mercury and negotiators agreed only to include a "faint hint" of the possibility of including further substances in future, such as lead and cadmium, by saying that the mandate of the treaty intergovernmental negotiating committee may be supplemented by further decisions of the UNEP Governing Council.

• Earth Negotiations Bulletin summary

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