Deputy Minister Narend Singh opens 16th International Conference on Mercury as Global Pollutant, 21 Jul
The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Mr Narend Singh will officially open the 16th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant (ICMGP), on Sunday, 21 July 2024, at the Cape Town International Conference Centre.
The first ICMGP Conference was held in Sweden in 1990 with only 78 delegates. Since then, ICMGP has been an important gathering for sharing and assessing knowledge on mercury as a global environmental pollutant, as well as identifying solutions to reducing releases, emissions, and exposures to this pollutant.
Research presented at previous ICMGP’s was instrumental in countries becoming signatories to the Minamata Convention on Mercury aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the adverse effect of mercury pollution. In hosting the 16th ICMGP in 2024, South Africa becomes the first African country to host this unique conference that only focuses on one element.
Due to South Africa's primary reliance on coal for energy generation, there has been considerable international interest in the country’s mercury emissions. Research conducted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) during the negotiations of the Minamata Convention highlighted that South Africa is a major emitter of mercury on the African continent. As the focal point of the Minamata Convention in South Africa, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) leads and coordinates the country's efforts in managing mercury in an environmentally sound manner.
Members of the media are invited to the opening ceremony and the conference from 22 – 26 July 2024. The programme for the conference can be found on: www.mercurycapetown.com
Details of the Opening Ceremony are as follows:
Date: Sunday, 21 July 2024
Time: 17:00 – 19:00
Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town
To RSVP for the opening ceremony please contact, Merle Van Diemel on 083 301 9400 / mvandiemel@dffe.gov.za or Paul Sigutya on 072 921 4457 / psigutya@dffe.gov.za by 19 July 2024
For media enquiries:
Peter Mbelengwa
Cell: 082 611 8197
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