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H2020Doctoral network2020–2024

GMOS-Train · Global Mercury Observation and Training Network in Support to the Minamata Convention

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2020-01-01 → 2024-12-31
EU contribution
€3,921,678
Participants
11
Scheme
MSCA-ITN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Global Mercury Observation and Training Network in Support to the Minamata Convention

The GMOS-Train Project, conducted from January 2020 to December 2024, addressed the pressing global issue of mercury (Hg) pollution, which is recognized as a major threat to environmental and human health. Mercury’s toxic properties, combined with its ability to bioaccumulate and biomagnify in food webs, have led to widespread contamination in ecosystems, particularly affecting aquatic environments. The project aligned closely with the objectives of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. GMOS-Train sought to fill critical gaps in scientific knowledge regarding mercury dynamics, develop innovative monitoring tools, and train a new generation of researchers to tackle these challenges.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

With the signing of the UNEP Minamata Convention in 2013, governments have globally accepted that Hg is global relevance and toxic; scientific needs will therefore shift towards best implementation practices of the Convention. With most Hg emissions emanating from the energy-industrial sector this means that governments have to balance economic and environmental interests. How does one asses that balance? Biogeochemical Hg cycling is complex: superimposed on the strongly perturbed inorganic Hg cycle is the natural process of biomethylation that generates the bioaccumulating monomethyl-Hg form that we are all exposed to when we consume fish. Today, comprehensive multimedia models of the biogeochemical Hg cycle are being developed and capture this complexity to try and evaluate the effectiveness of environmental policy scenarios. For the models to work however, they must include realistic descriptions of fundamental Hg transformations and fluxes across Earth’s surface environments. Despite decades of Hg science, we still lack answers to some of the most basic questions on those fundamental Hg transformations and fluxes. The objectives of the GMOS-TRAIN network are (1) to provide urgently needed training in mercury science within the context of the UNEP Minamata convention, and (2) to bridge key knowledge gaps on biogeochemical mercury cycling that currently hamper the optimization of national environmental policy regarding mercury emissions. The process of training a pool of 15 Early Stage Researchers represents an excellent capacity building needed for the implementation of the Minamata Convention. Being trained in highly relevant research topic will enhance researchers career prospective and employability. Moreover, complimentary training in dissemination using Open science principles, communication, exploitation and outreach will enforce the transfer of science results to effective policy making.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • INSTITUT JOZEF STEFAN · LjubljanaCoordinatorSlovenia
  • CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS · ParisFrance
  • CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE · RomaItaly
  • HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM HEREON GMBH · GeesthachtGermany
  • INSTITUT FRANCAIS DE RECHERCHE POUR L'EXPLOITATION DE LA MER · PlouzaneFrance
  • IOS, INSTITUT ZA OKOLJEVARSTVO IN SENZORJE, PROIZVODNJA, TRGOVINA IN STORITVE DOO · MariborSlovenia
  • PS ANALYTICAL LIMITED · ORPINGTONUnited Kingdom
  • STOCKHOLMS UNIVERSITET · StockholmSweden
  • UNIVERSITE D'AIX MARSEILLE · MarseilleFrance
  • UNIVERSITE DE PAU ET DES PAYS DE L'ADOUR · PauFrance
  • UNIVERSITE GRENOBLE ALPES · GrenobleFrance

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union