The COP-4 to the Minamata Convention is an international pact aimed at protecting humans and the environment from the impact of mercury and is named after Minamata City, Japan, which experienced a severe incidence of mercury poisoning.
At a virtual press conference observed from here on Tuesday, the ministry's official, Rosa Vivien Ratnawati, also highlighted Indonesia's achievements in reducing and eradicating the use of mercury.
Indonesia has ratified the Minamata Convention and also has in place the Mercury Reduction and Eradication National Action Plan (RAN PPM) stipulated within President Regulation No. 21 of 2019, she pointed out.
According to Ratnawati, concurrently the COP-4 president, the use of mercury within the nation has been reduced by 374.4 kg in the lamp and battery industry.
Meanwhile, the use of mercury in the energy sector, specifically in coal-fired power plants, has been reduced by 710 kg, she pointed out.
In the health sector, mercury usage has been reduced by around 4,700 kg and in small-scale gold mining, its use has been lowered by 12.4 tons, she remarked.
Indonesia will also make a declaration to combat the illegal trade of mercury during COP-4, specifically during the live face-to-face meeting in March 2022, Ratnawati noted.
In addition, the Indonesian government will assert its role within environmental diplomacy to eradicate the use of mercury by acting as a host for COP-4.
COP-4 Minamata is held in two stages, with the first meeting conducted virtually on November 1-5, 2021, while the second stage is planned to be held on March 21-25, 2022.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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