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9
MERCURY – TIME TO ACT
IN 25 YEARS
Will you – let’s say 25 years fromnow – be able to look back
and say ‘mission accomplished’ on mercury?
– I am confident that through international legal action and
through partnering with stakeholders, we will be able to pro-
duce significant decreases in environmental levels of mercury.
Inmany ways, themercury instrument has a flying start as there
has been a long period of voluntary activities delivered through
the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global
Mercury Partnership, as well as actions taken domestically in a
number of countries to address mercury pollution. Mercury is
on the global radar andmany of the controls required areminor
adjustments to controls already implemented to address other
pollutants. Many mercury-containing products already have vi-
able alternatives, and we are likely to see a dramatically shrink-
ingmarket for more of themwithin the next 10 years. Of course,
there are changes which will only occur over time. I am proud
of the work and dedication of the international community and
am confident that in the future we will deliver measurable re-
sults for human health and the environment.
“I am confident
that we will deliver
measurable results for
human health and the
environment.”