Global mercury negotiations commence.

• Author: Block, Ben
• Position: EYE ON EARTH - Brief article

At a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) meeting in February, more than 140 countries agreed to reduce global mercury pollution through a multilateral treaty. "Today we are united on the need for a legally binding instrument and immediate action towards a transition to a low-mercury world," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. "The time for action on this pollution is now."

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Mercury, a neurotoxin, is released into the environment from chemical production facilities as well as from coal-fired power plants, gold mines, and household products such as thermometers and light bulbs. Mercury pollution circulates around the globe and accumulates in human bodies and the tissues of commercially important fish species, such as swordfish and tuna.

The previous U.S. administration opposed a legally binding mercury treaty, but President Barack Obama's team has...