New "Focus Areas" web section enhances access to key mercury issues

Now live at https://minamataconvention.org/en/topics, this new space brings together 12 key areas of work that present a comprehensive picture of the agreement’s efforts to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury. The topics range from mercury supply sources and trade, mercury-added products, emissions, contaminated sites, to mercury and biodiversity, as well as engagement with indigenous peoples and local communities. Each one integrates relevant news, events, documents, insights, intersessional work, and resources.

"The website is the main source of public information and knowledge about the Convention", said Anna García, Communications and Knowledge Management Officer at the Minamata Convention Secretariat. "And this new section reflects a shift towards a more semantic, data-driven and user-centered approach, offering multiple entry points to explore our content. It helps users navigate complex issues and connect with relevant information in a smarter, more structured way".

Each topic is organized into four interactive tabs:

1. Overview: Includes featured content curated by the Secretariat and automatically generated COP documents.
2. Insights: Provides more in-depth content, including data trends, key challenges, and expert contacts.
3. Resources: A filterable list of all related materials, displayed in reverse chronological order.
4. Intersessional work: Dynamically compiled paragraphs summarizing work from each intersessional period.

As a result of months of work, nearly 800 pieces of content have been reviewed and classified. It also marks a milestone in the rollout of the implementation of the digital strategy, which was welcomed by COP-5 in November 2023.

Users are invited to explore the “focus areas” and make them part of their regular toolkit for staying informed on mercury-related issues.