Delegates at INC 2 completed a full first reading of the elements paper, and mandated the Secretariat to prepare a new draft text, taking into account discussions at INC 2, for further negotiation at INC 3.
30 January 2011: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Chemicals Branch convened the Second Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury (INC 2) from 24-28 January 2011, in Chiba, Japan.
During the session, participants agreed to negotiate the new treaty based on an elements paper prepared by the Secretariat (UNEP(DTIE)/Hg/INC.2/3) and to offer initial responses to the paper element-by-element. INC 2 achieved a full first reading of the elements paper, and mandated the Secretariat to prepare a new draft text, taking into account discussions at INC 2, for further negotiation at INC 3, scheduled to convene in October 2011. The Secretariat was also requested to prepare another three documents, including on: options for synergies with the Basel, Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions; capacity-building needs; and a report on technology transfer mechanisms. [IISD RS Coverage]