The UNEP Fate And Transport Partnership Area: an overview of seven years activity and future plans

The United Nations Environment Programme Mercury Air Transport and Fate Research Partnership Area (UNEP F&T) started its activity in 2005 and since then have provided a valuable contribution to the UNEP Mercury Programme and established a close cooperation with other international programs (i.e., GEO Task HE-09-02d / GEOSS) and conventions (UNECE-Task Force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution). The UNEP F&T aims to improve the global understanding of international mercury emission sources, fate and transport and to encourage collaborative research activities on different aspects of atmospheric mercury cycling at local, hemispheric and global scales. This paper provides an overview of major recent and future activities carried out by the Mercury Air Transport and Fate Research Partnership Area in the framework of the UNEP Mercury Programme and the ongoing negotiation process for developing a global legally binding instrument on mercury.