The Mercury Club

Following the approach used during negotiations of the Stockholm Convention and during implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, a “Mercury Club” has been established to recognize support for the negotiating process for the legally binding instrument on mercury.

The aim is to present awards during each of the five sessions of the intergovernmental negotiating committee to prepare a global legally binding instrument on mercury and the diplomatic conference, which will be held from 2010 to 2013. 

Three different types of awards, namely, gold, silver and bronze, will be presented according to the level of contributions received in the time period between the 25^th session of the UNEP Governing Council, where the decision to convene negotiations was taken, and the diplomatic conference where the mercury instrument will be adopted. 

Potential awardees include Governments, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and individuals.  Contributions could be made in cash or in-kind, a typical example of the latter being the hosting of a meeting directly related to the negotiating process. 

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As of the third session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee, which took place in Nairobi from 31 October to 4 November 2011, certificates have been awarded as follows:

BRONZE certificate to:

• The Government of Belgium for its financial contribution to support the negotiating process;
• The Government of Burkina Faso for its hosting of a regional consultation meeting for the African region in September 2011;
• The Government of Canada for its financial contributions to support the negotiating process;
• The Government of Chile for its hosting of a consultation in October 2010;
• The Government of China for its hosting of a regional consultation meeting for the Asia and Pacific region in November 2009;
• The Government of the Czech Republic for its financial contributions to support the negotiating process and its hosting of a regional consultation meeting for the Central and Eastern European region in October 2011;
• The Government of Denmark for its financial contribution to support the negotiating process;
• The Government of Egypt for its hosting of a sub-regional consultation meeting for the Arab sub-region in April 2010;
• The Government of Finland for its financial contributions to support the negotiating process;
• The Government of France for its financial contributions to support the negotiating process and its contribution of a Junior Professional officer to UNEP for two years as part of  the secretariat for the negotiations;
• The Government of Gabon for its contribution to ensure interpretation for the African regional meetings during the second session of the negotiating committee in Chiba, Japan, in January 2011;
• The Government of Germany for its financial contributions to support the negotiating process;
• The Government of Jamaica for its hosting of a regional consultation meeting for the Latin America and Caribbean region in March 2010;
• The Government of Kenya for its hospitality and contribution to ensure interpretation for the African regional meetings during the third session of the negotiating committee in Nairobi in November 2011;
• The Government of Poland for its hosting of a regional consultation meeting for the Central and Eastern Europe region in December 2009;
• The Government of Spain for its financial contributions to support the negotiating process.

SILVER certificate to:

• The Government of Sweden for its financial contributions to support the negotiating process and its hosting of a meeting of the Bureau in Gimo in October 2011.

 Mercury Club awardees at the first negotiating session in Stockholm, June 2010.