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ID: 186007

Implementing the Minamata Convention on Mercury : Will China Deliver? / Heggelund, Gørild

Heggelund, Gørild	Journal Article
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China has undertaken a major shift in its position on mercury as an environmental problem over the last decade and a half. It ratified the Minamata Convention (MC) in 2016 and by doing so has committed to implement the treaty objectives. This article asks: How do we explain China's will and ability to implement its MC obligations? There is little systematic knowledge about the main factors underlying implementation of international mercury objectives in China, hence this article contributes new research on this important topic. We examine the implementation process, focusing on the coal sector and differentiate between indirect effects from other policies and direct efforts to implement obligations. We find that China has moved toward stricter regulation of mercury emissions and direct implementation of the Minamata Convention in the coal sector. However, our study shows that local implementation capacity needs improvement.

Key Words

China ; Policy Implementation ; Environmental Policies ; Mercury ; Minamata Convention

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ID: 150393

Meeting Minamata: cost-effective compliance options for atmospheric mercury control in Chinese coal-fired power plants / Ancora, Maria Pia; Zhang, Lei ; Wang, Shuxiao ; Schreifels, Jeremy J

Schreifels, Jeremy J	Journal Article
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A new international treaty, Minamata Convention, identifies mercury (Hg) as a global threat to human health and seeks to control its releases and emissions. Coal-fired power plants are a major source of mercury pollution worldwide and are expected to be the first key sector to be addressed in China under Minamata Convention. A best available technique (BAT) adoption model was developed in the form of a decision tree and cost-effectiveness for each technological option. Co-benefit control technologies and their enhancement with coal blending/switching and halogen injection (HI) can provide early measures to help China meet the Minamata Convention obligations. We project future energy and policy scenarios to simulate potential national mercury reduction goals for China and estimate costs of the control measures for each scenario. The “Minamata Medium” scenario, equivalent to the goal of the US Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule, requires the application of activated carbon injection (ACI) and HI on 30% and 20% of power plants, respectively. The corresponding total costs would be $2.5 billion, approximately one-fourth the costs in the US. An emission limit of 3 µg/m3 in 2030 was identified as a feasible policy option for China to comply with Minamata Convention.

Key Words

China ; Atmospheric Mercury ; Coal-Fired Power Plants ; Minamata Convention ; Best Available Techniques (BATs)

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ID: 173407

Minamata Convention and Mercury Policy in China: the role of science / Rosendal, G. Kristin

Rosendal, G. Kristin	Journal Article
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Key Words

Minamata Convention ; Mercury Policy in China ; Role of Science

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