Mercury and its compounds

Lead agency: United Nations Environment Programme

Working Group 37: Mercury and Its Compounds

The Working Group have established Two Working Group Task Teams to be able to meet the creteria in the ToR..

Under the direction of GESAMP in general and the Chairperson of the Working Group in particular, the first Task Team will:

undertake a scientific review of mercury and its compounds, advise GESAMP on relevant issues and problems relating to management of mercury and its compounds in the marine environment;
identify areas of existing or potential concern relating to mercury pollution and determine appropriate actions that the Task Team might undertake (with and without funding requirements);
respond to requests for advice from GESAMP or other appropriate intergovernmental bodies;
undertake studies, with corresponding reporting, as requested by GESAMP or as deemed appropriate by the Task Team itself;
provide an annual report to GESAMP on its activities and views in relation to its mandate; and
liaise with other groups (such as MATFRP and AMAP) as deemed necessary.

The second Task Team has been tasked to Assist in Filling some of the Identified Data and Information Gaps of the Reviews of Scientific Information on Lead and Cadmium, the Objectives are:

for the Chairperson of Working Group 37 to become a member of an already existing UNEP working group on lead and cadmium;
to produce two short reports on lead and cadmium that will help UNEP to fill data and information gaps identified in the Reviews of scientific information on lead and cadmium; and
to participate in the process of finalization of the Reviews with a view to informing discussions on the need for global action in relation to lead and cadmium.