Globally, the illegal trade of mercury is estimated to have reached more than US$200 million per year and is expected to continue to increase, she noted in a statement issued on Wednesday.
"This illegal industry is a challenge within our struggle to free the world from mercury," Bakar said during the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP-4).
Citing a report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2020, she said that much of the mercury utilized in small-scale gold mining is traded illegally, and some of it is easily obtainable through e-commerce.
Illegal mercury trade can potentially weaken the collective effort by stakeholders in implementing the convention, Bakar added.
Mercury exposure poses serious health hazards to humans, especially women and children.
Illegal mercury trade can also pollute the entire ecosystem, starting from biodiversity to climate change. It also disrupts official data on the global mercury trade.
Illegal mercury trade is also cross-border in nature, the minister opined.
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There is no country that can effectively handle this problem without direct support from neighboring countries and the international community.
"There should be a cooperation and collaboration to handle this issue. The international community is expecting to see how the Minamata Convention can stop illegal mercury trade," she highlighted.
As one of the countries affected by the illegal mercury trade, Indonesia has deemed it necessary to promptly handle this problem.
This would necessitate strengthening global awareness and commitment through cooperation in fighting illegal mercury trade, such as through prevention, monitoring, and law enforcement.
The Indonesian government is intending to mainstream the issue of illegal mercury trade through the Bali Declaration during the fourth COP-4 meeting, which is being held in Bali from March 21–25.
The Bali Declaration was officially unveiled and adopted on Tuesday.
Head of Indonesia Delegation, Muhsin Syihab, said that, as reflected by the declaration, cooperation will be guided by the convention in the future.
The aim of the cooperation is to stop the spread of mercury in large quantities to prevent health risks to humans and the environment.
The declaration has received support from several parties because many countries are affected by the negative impact of the illegal mercury trade.
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Translator: Subagyo, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Suharto
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