that we will deliver measurable results for human health and the environment.”
Will you – let’s say 25 years from now – 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. In many ways, the mercury 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 and many of the controls required are minor 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- ing market for more of them within 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.