More than 1,000 participants from governments, intergovernmental organisations, UN bodies, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, and youth are gathered for the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP-6), taking place from November 3 to 7, 2025, at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG).
COP-6 is considering measures to curb the illegal trade of mercury and strengthen control of its supply and compounds; review progress on artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), which remains the largest source of global mercury emissions, and assess the enforcement of the ban on mercury-added skin-lightening products.
Parties are also discussing a proposal to phase out dental amalgam, evaluate feasible mercury-free alternatives in vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) production, and examine updates to the Convention’s financial mechanism, including guidance to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Specific International Programme (SIP).
As part of the global environmental agenda, delegates are exploring ways to strengthen cooperation with the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution, the Global Framework on Chemicals, and other multilateral environmental agreements to advance shared goals on chemicals, waste, and health.
Cross-cutting issues are likewise featuring, including aligning mercury reduction efforts with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, advancing the engagement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, launching the Minamata Convention’s Women’s Caucus, and reviewing the Secretariat’s digital transformation work to enhance transparency and access to information.
At the opening ceremony, Elizabeth Mrema, Deputy Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, emphasised that the Minamata Convention stands as a powerful example of science-based and cooperative action to tackle the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.
“The Minamata Convention offers a model which is rigorous, science-based, and anchored in global solidarity,” she said.
Reflecting on the Convention’s progress, she added that although it is one of the youngest multilateral environmental agreements, it has already demonstrated remarkable maturity and impact.
Representing the host country, Katrin Schneeberger, State Secretary and Director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, welcomed delegates to Geneva and reaffirmed Switzerland’s commitment to advancing global cooperation on chemicals and waste management. he emphasised the life-cycle approach of the Convention as a model for addressing pollution across all stages and sectors.
“The structure of the Convention is a model for global environmental governance, one that can, and should, serve as a blueprint for addressing other pollution challenges,” she said.
Monika Stankiewicz, Executive Secretary of the Minamata Convention, highlighted the progress achieved since the last COP and the need to sustain momentum to fully implement the Convention’s commitments.
“Since we last met in this very hall two years ago, Parties have continued turning words into action. Thanks to your leadership, mercury-added products are becoming a thing of the past, mercury is no longer used in most industrial processes as safer alternatives become increasingly available, and awareness is growing across societies,” she said.
Stankiewicz underscored that despite this progress, major challenges remain, including the illegal trade in mercury, rising emissions from artisanal and small-scale gold mining, and the ongoing use of mercury in cosmetics.
“The heart of our Convention lies with those most vulnerable to mercury exposure and disproportionately impacted: Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, and children,” she added. “I remain deeply optimistic that the Minamata Convention will continue to make a positive and lasting impact on people’s lives everywhere and serve as a model of multilateral cooperation.”
Presiding over the meeting, Osvaldo Álvarez Pérez, COP-6 President, underlined that mercury remains a dangerous toxin and that the Minamata Convention represents a shared promise to protect human health and the environment. COP-6 President stressed that despite progress made, significant challenges persist, particularly the rapid growth of artisanal and small-scale gold mining and the ongoing trade in mercury-added products, which threaten to undermine collective efforts, together with unintentional releases.
He encouraged delegates to connect the dots, review financial systems, and ensure that progress is guided by measurable indicators and reliable data.
“Let us build on our collective achievements and face the challenges ahead with optimism, determination, and respect for one another’s perspectives,” he said. “Through thoughtful and constructive debate, we can take decisions that truly protect both people and the planet.”
Special events
Ahead of the opening, the public event “From Science to Action: Protecting the Amazon from Mercury Pollution”, organised in collaboration with the Geneva Environment Network, brought together National Geographic Explorer Fernando Trujillo and Aileen Mioko Smith (co-author of MinamataMinamata with photographer W. Eugene Smith), for a dialogue linking the legacy of Minamata disease to today’s challenges in the Amazon caused by mercury pollution. The event also featured the screening of the documentary Amazon, the New Minamata? which portrays the devastating impacts of mercury on Indigenous communities of Brazil’s Tapajós River.
Throughout the week, delegates will also take part in special sessions such as “Driving Effective and Inclusive Implementation of the Minamata Convention”, “The planetGOLD Programme”, the launch of the Women’s Caucus, and knowledge labs on key technical and policy topics.
The “Minamata Photographer’s Eye” exhibition at CICG, together with the Humanae photo exhibit by Angelica Dass along Geneva’s lakeshore, reflects the Convention’s ongoing engagement with art and awareness. The broader exhibition area, open throughout the week, offers a vibrant space for partner institutions to showcase their activities, projects, and technologies that support the Convention’s implementation and help advance its goal to make mercury history.