In its Decision 24/3 IV, the UNEP Governing Council established an ad hoc open-ended working group (OEWG) to review and assess options for enhanced voluntary measures and new or existing international legal instruments that could be used to address the global challenges posed by mercury. This Analysis provides information to the OEWG to assist it in that examination. After the Introduction, Part 1, the Analysis contains three substantive Parts.
Part 2 provides general information and considerations related to the feasibility and effectiveness of voluntary and legally binding approaches for dealing with global environmental and sustainable development challenges. This Part includes criteria that the OEWG may wish to apply in judging the feasibility and effectiveness of international options for mercury.
Part 3, the core part of the Analysis, identifies and discusses implementation options for enhanced voluntary measures and new or existing international legal instruments that could be pursued to advance long-term international action on mercury. Part 4 contains a series of tables listing strategic objectives and available response measures that may contribute to achieving each of the seven global mercury priorities defined by the Governing Council in Decision 24/3 IV.