Governments yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland agreed to a landmark legally-binding global treaty to prevent emissions and releases of mercury, a notorious heavy metal that has significant health and environmental effects.
The agreement, which will require countries to draw up strategies to reduce the amount of mercury used by small-scale miners within three years, was hailed last evening by Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud as consistent with what had been advocated by the Latin America and Caribbean regional sub-grouping.