Amy Adams11 OCTOBER,
2013 - Environment Minister Amy Adams has
welcomed New Zealand’s signing of the Minamata
Convention on Mercury, an international
treaty to protect human health and the environment
from anthropogenic emissions of mercury
and mercury compounds.
“The Minamata Convention
is an important milestone in the control
of mercury in the environment,” Ms Adams
says.
“The international community
has worked together to produce a binding
agreement that will help reduce the risk
for future generations from increased mercury
emissions from industrial processes and
trade.”
Mercury is a highly
toxic substance, which has serious effects
on human health and on the environment.
It can cause permanent damage to the nervous
system and can also accumulate in the food
chain. Consuming food with mercury in it
is a major source of exposure to mercury
for people and some animals.
The Convention was signed
at a special meeting in Japan last night.
It was developed under the umbrella of the
United Nations Environment Programme and
has been four years in negotiation.
It addresses the direct
mining of mercury, export and import of
the metal, mercury emissions from certain
industrial activities, artisanal gold mining
that uses mercury, significant releases
to land and water, safe storage, contaminated
sites and waste mercury. Natural emissions
from sources such as geothermal activities
are not part of the Convention.
More information on
the Minamata Convention on Mercury can be
found at: http://www.mfe.govt.nz/laws/meas/negotiations-on-mercury-agreement.html
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Minister welcomes Natural
Environment Recovery Programme
Amy Adams4 OCTOBER,
2013 - Environment Minister and Associate
Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
Amy Adams has today congratulated Environment
Canterbury commissioners for adopting a
programme that will help ensure the recovery
of Canterbury’s natural environment.
Ms Adams has recently
been given responsibility in relation to
the Natural Environment Recovery Programme
by Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister
Gerry Brownlee.
“The measures in this
programme will help ensure the recovery
and enhancement of Canterbury’s natural
environment such as the land, waterways,
native flora and fauna.
“The Natural Environment
Recovery Programme looks at different options
to address issues that have emerged because
of the Canterbury earthquakes.
“Environment Canterbury
has worked widely with the community to
develop the programme, which focuses on
17 projects ranging from reducing flood
risk, stormwater management, wetland restoration,
weed and pest control, to managing earthquake
waste and contaminated sites.”
Ms Adams says while
the Natural Environment Recovery Programme
is not a regulatory document, it brings
together existing statutory plans and connects
with other recovery programmes. It also
has a role in monitoring and measuring progress
in the recovery of the natural environment.
“I would like to thank
Environment Canterbury, its partner organisations,
and the groups and individuals who have
thought long and hard about what is really
important to our community. We can look
forward to new opportunities for Canterbury’s
natural environment to flourish.”
