In a bid to “shift from building institutions to translating scientific evidence and political ambition into concrete actions to reduce mercury emissions, strengthen implementation, and enhance cooperation across the global chemicals and waste agenda,” the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-6) to the Minamata Convention on Mercury sought to “accelerate the phase-out of mercury across products, processes, and mining while closing persistent gaps in supply and trade.”

This is according to the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) summary report of the meeting.

Characterized by a cooperative tone and a spirit of compromise, COP-6 adopted 21 decisions advancing the Convention’s objective of protecting human health and the environment from mercury pollution. Thanks to the leadership of COP-6 President Osvaldo Álvarez Pérez (Chile) and his emphasis on inclusive, small-group consultations, delegates were able to bridge differences on several contentious issues. “Against the backdrop of a broad crisis in multilateral governance and the difficult plastics negotiations in August, delegates were relieved to see the collegial spirit” that enabled consensus in a number of areas, the ENB analysis of the meeting highlights.

Achievements of COP-6 include:

• Decisions to phase out dental amalgam by 2034, complemented by new interim phase-down measures, and to tackle the continued presence of mercury-added cosmetics in trade and markets;
• New guidance on artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), emphasizing just transitions, open data, and transparency along gold supply chains;
• Updated guidance on supply sources and trade, including the development of harmonized customs codes and measures to address illegal trade;
• A decision on waste inviting parties to review the current mercury threshold; and
• Agreement on biodiversity cooperation, encouraging integration of mercury reduction actions into national biodiversity strategies and plans (NBSAPs).

Decisions on knowledge management and capacity building emphasized digital tools and cooperation with the Global Mercury Partnership. Cross-cutting decisions on international cooperation linked work under the Minamata Convention to the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC), the newly established Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

“Work on declaring mercury-free alternatives for vinyl chloride monomer production technically and economically feasible was deferred to COP-7 following late-stage divergence of views,” ENB reports.

COP-6 took place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 3-7 November 2025. [ENB Coverage of Minamata Convention COP-6]