News

Costa Rica is stepping up efforts to tackle mercury pollution in artisanal and small-scale gold mining through the launch of the US$ 41.5 million planetGOLD Costa Rica, a five-year initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the project is led nationally by the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), together with the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM).

On February 12 the Government of Paraguay officially launched the planetGOLD Paraguay project, a US$ 28 million initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility. The project aims to reduce mercury use while promoting responsible practices in artisanal and small-scale gold mining, with a focus on protecting human health and the environment.

The Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management (FARM) Programme has launched its new website, providing a central platform to support the transition towards more sustainable agrifood systems. 

The number of artisanal and small-scale gold miners in Côte d'Ivoire has steadily grown for the past two decades, with national reports estimating at least 500,000 people work in this sector. Although mercury use is common in these operations and many face barriers to operating formally, the planetGOLD project is working to help overcome these challenges and bring artisanal miners into the formal economy.

Phnom Penh, 20 January 2026: The Ministry of Environment of the Kingdom of Cambodia, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Cambodia and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), today officially launched the “Eliminating Hazardous Chemicals from Supply Chains Integrated Programme in Cambodia,” a Global Environment Facility (GEF)–funded initiative to phase out hazardous chemicals and accelerate the country’s shift toward circular, green supply chains.

The GEF-funded planetGOLD programme works in partnership with governments, the private sector, and artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) communities with the objective of eliminating mercury from the supply chain of gold produced by ASGM.

The programme recently completed a cross-programmatic assessment of its first phase (2018-2025), which comprised nine country-level projects. Get a glimpse of what was achieved in these countries and what lessons were learned that other initiatives aimed at advancing mercury-free, responsible ASGM can learn from.

A new Global Environment Facility program is supporting the expansion of work to monitor the distribution of long-lasting chemicals and mercury: toxic substances that present major risks to human and environmental health.

In Guinea more than 300,000 people depend on artisanal and small-scale gold mining for their livelihoods. But due to limited economic opportunities or a lack of awareness, many miners use mercury, a toxic metal, to extract the gold. Since the planetGOLD Guinea project launched in 2023, the team has conducted several awareness and capacity building training sessions in communities across the country, reaching more than 3,200 people.

 

Zimbabwe’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector plays a central role in the national economy, contributing over 65% of gold production and supporting an estimated 500,000 miners. However, the sector remains largely informal and heavily reliant on mercury for gold extraction—posing serious risks to human health, the environment, and long-term sustainability.

 

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is an important source of livelihood for more than 30,000 Zambians, yet the sector is largely informal and heavily reliant on mercury—a toxic substance with significant health and environmental risks. To address these challenges, the planetGOLD Zambia project is working to transform the sector by reducing mercury use, promoting formalization, and improving access to finance and cleaner technologies.

Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2 June 2025 — In an effort to strengthen global efforts on mercury monitoring and control, a weeklong series of technical trainings and coordination events is underway from 2–6 June 2025 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The initiative brings together customs and enforcement authorities, government representatives, health and environment experts, and international partners to support the effective implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

Beirut, 28 May 2025 – The Sultanate of Oman today marked the successful conclusion of a project supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), with the launch of its National Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) Report. The project, implemented by the Environment Authority with technical assistance from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), strengthens Oman’s capacity to safely manage hazardous chemicals and fulfill its international environmental obligations. 

ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA – After six years, the planetGOLD Mongolia project officially concludes, marking a significant milestone in eliminating mercury use in Mongolia’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector.

Geneva, 12 May 2025 – Over 50 representatives from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are gathering at the Palais des Nations in Geneva for the first in-person ISLANDS Forum to strengthen sound management of chemicals and waste in these uniquely vulnerable nations.

The first-ever formal loan program for artisanal miners in #BurkinaFaso 🇧🇫 launched earlier this year through a collaboration between the planetGOLD project and

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are our "Worst Friends Forever" (WFF). These organic chemicals persist in the environment for extended periods, spreading through air, water, and soil. They accumulate in living organisms and pose significant toxic risks to both humans and the environment.

To combat these dangers, scientists and governments have united under the Stockholm Convention. This collaboration aims to monitor these pollutants and safeguard human health and the environment from their harmful impact.

Women make up 30% of the global artisanal and small-scale gold mining workforce, and they have critical roles to play in the movement to #MakeMercuryHistory & to safeguard communities from unsafe mining practices. Projects in the planetGOLD programme promote the participation and advancement of women who choose to work in this mining sector in order to provide for themselves and their families.

Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe join forces in a new project to reduce the releases of Persistent Organic Pollutants from plastics. Chemicals with hazardous properties are added to plastic products and released throughout their lifecycle, negatively impacting human health and the environment, and hampering efforts towards a circular economy transition. The US$ 90-million initiative will supp

Cambodia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago have united to drive the transformation and eliminate the environmental impact of fashion and construction. Fashion and construction are among the top three sectors contributing to pollution, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, land degradation, water pollution and biodiversity loss.  $340 million initiative will transfor

In San Ramón, Bolivia - an area known for its biodiversity and tropical climate - the planetGOLD project is partnering with women miners to provide training in gastronomy, helping them to incorporate cooking businesses as an alternative source of income for themselves and their families. The course is grounded in the Manq'a approach of using locally sourced ingredients.

Monterrey, 20 November 2024.- Mexico's Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) is joining forces with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and other partners in a new project to eliminate the use of mercury in the chloralkali sector to protect human health and the environment while promoting sustainable industrial practices.

In the Philippines municipality of Paracale, over half of the population is involved in artisanal and small-scale gold mining, either as workers, financiers, processors, or gold panners. Many operations use the toxic chemical mercury to extract their gold and use outdated equipment--but this site is home to a brand new mercury-free processing system thanks to the planetGOLD Philippines project. This upgraded facility eliminates harmful emissions of mercury while also supporting livelihoods by enabling miners to recover more gold than before when they were using mercury.

The Kassanda District in Central Uganda is well known for artisanal mining. At the Kayonza-Kitumbi Mine Site, it is estimated that between 2,000-3,000 people have been engaged in small-scale gold mining here for decades, typically using toxic mercury to process the ore.

Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau and São Tomé and Príncipe have joined forces to reduce the burden of mercury and persistent organic pollutants

Mercury and persistent organic pollutants pose risks to human health and the environment

$48-million initiative will prevent the build-up and improve the management and disposal of hazardous waste

As an Assistant Task Manager within UNEP’s GEF Chemicals and Waste Unit, Yolanda Cachu is dedicated to ending the harm caused by toxic chemicals and waste.

In an interview, we sat down with her to discuss her work and how she came to work on Small-Island Developing States (SIDS).

What do you do in the Chemicals team?