Brazil Supports UNEP Voluntary Mercury Partnerships

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000050 SIPDIS SIPDIS OES/ENV FOR HFINMAN STATE PASS TO EPA/CHMACON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC EMIN ETRD PREL SENV KSCA BR SUBJECT: Brazil Supports UNEP Voluntary Mercury Partnerships REF: (A) 06 STATE 202028, (B) BRASILIA 12, (C) 06 BRASILIA 1042 1.(SBU) On January 9, 2007, SCI Officer delivered demarche (reftel A) to Otavio Trindade of the Ministry of External Relations' Division for Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development (tel: 55 61 3411-9295; otavio@mre.gov.br). Trindade said that the GOB supports UNEP voluntary mercury partnerships and opposes any binding resolutions with regard to UNEP mercury pollution reduction programs. Trindade added that the GOB does not intend to advance any new proposals in this regard at the February UNEP GC meeting in Nairobi. Note: This reaffirms the GOB position communicated to the USG at the recent Common Agenda for the Environment Meeting in December. End note. 2.(SBU) With regard to GOB support for the establishment of non-binding targets/reductions in mercury pollution, a global phase-out of mercury mining, and/or a global prohibition of mercury exports, Trindade requested more time to consult internally before communicating an official GOB position. Note: Given the GOB's opposition to binding measures for mercury pollution reduction, the GOB may support non-binding targets, but it is not clear whether it would support the latter two potential measures. Trindade did say, however, that these latter two appear to be contradictory to the GOB's general stance on non-binding mercury pollution reduction measures. End Note. Post will follow-up with the GOB and report back via septel. 3.(SBU) Brazil does have at least one domestic program underway aimed at reducing mercury poisoning from artisinal mining in the Tapajos Basin in the Amazon. The program was initiated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA is currently working with Post and the Ministry of Environment (MMA) to formalize this cooperation through, for example, a non-binding instrument such as an exchange of letters of cooperation (reftel B). Moreover, Brazil is a participant in the OESI funded Mercury Regional Program for members of the ACTO (Amazon Country Treaty Organization),which aims to establish closer collaboration on mercury contamination in Latin America, specifically in the Amazon (reftel C). SOBEL