Minamata Convention: Initial Assessment in Turkey Project
Aim of the Project and Expected Results
Turkey became a signatory of the Minamata Convention on 24 September 2014.
The overall objective of this Minamata Convention Initial Assessment (MIA) is to assist Turkey in completing pre-ratification activities under the Minamata Convention in order to enable policy and strategic decision-making and to prioritize areas for future interventions. The MIA activities will complement the efforts of the country to significantly reduce the exposure of mercury to human health and the environment. It is expected that patterns of mercury consumption and release will be assessed to facilitate the design of targeted interventions, which in turn provide local and global benefits through reduced emissions to the environment.
Through institutional capacity development and enhancement at the national level, potential contamination risks from the use of mercury-added products will also be minimized. Lessons learned and experience gained from national inventory development, as well as the national capacity building can be used as a model approach to be replicated in other countries to effectively address similar issues.
The following four outputs are expected from the project:
Output 1: Institutional gaps identified and national coordination on mercury established
Output 2: Review of existing mercury related regulations and identification of needed policy reforms to prepare for implementation of the Minamata Convention completed Output 3: National mercury profile established based on the initial inventory and key sectors identified, and where possible eliminate, mercury use, release, and emissions.
Output 4: Dissemination of information among relevant stakeholder groups (academia, public and private sectors, and civil society) conducted.
