Shem Final

8/12/2019 Shem Final

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Multilateral Environmental

Agreements


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MEAs are international legal instrumentsthat

Have a goal of sustainable development.

Take measures to remedy, mitigate or deal with

global or regional environmental concerns.

MEA


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ATMOSPHERESEAS

CHEMICALS & HAZARDOUS

WASTELAND

MAIN CLUSTERSScope of MEAs: 5 topics

ACME- Session 3 - Multilateral Environmental Agreements- 6 / 17

BIODIVERSITY


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Kyoto Protocol

A MEA with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Developed countries are assigned limits on emissions relative

to 1990 levels. Targets vary by nation. First commitment

period is 2008-2012.

The Protocol has Flexibility Mechanisms for meeting

targets: emissions trading and Clean Development

Mechanisms (CDM).

The Protocol sets goals for individual countries in order to

achieve a combined international emissions reduction of at

least 5% below 1990 levels.


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Essential Points of Understanding

The United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is aninternational treaty drafted to deal with climate change. The KyotoProtocol is a legally binding addition to the UNFCCC.

Signatories to the Protocol (84 countries) agree to the ideas and goals.Countries who have ratified are bound by its requirements.

Signatories are categorized into three groups based on their responsibilities:

- Annex I: Industrialized countries that have agreed to reduceemissions.

- Annex II: Developed countries who have to pay for the costs of

the emissions reducing technologies of Developing countries.

- Non-annex: Developing countries who are not restricted by the

Protocol. Although the Protocol is binding, there are no penalties if Annex I countries

do not comply.

China and India, non-annex countries not bound by the Protocol, are someof the worlds top emitters.


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Total CO2 Emissions in 2001

ISCIENCES LLC

The Top Ten Carbon Emitters of 2001


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The Stages of the Kyoto Protocol

More attention

being paid to the

environment.

Several

multilateral

environmental

agreements are

implemented,beginning with the

Ramsar

Convention.

The Protocol

enters into force,

but problems

occur as

countries reveal

they cannot meet

requirements.

Discussions beginon a post-2012

framework despite

some opposition.

Meetings

concerning the

future of the

Protocol and

alternatives will take

place. Also,

rising temperature

threats that scientistshave

already predicted

may occur.

1970s-1980s 1990s-2005 2005-2008 2008-2050

The UNFCCC is

drafted. There is

an increase in

environmental

initiatives and the

Kyoto Protocol is

formulated. The

Protocol entersinto force in 2005.


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Basel Convention

Basel Convention on the Control of TransboundaryMovements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.

Adopted in 1989 in response to concerns about developed

country companies dumping hazardous wastes in developingcountries.

Entered into force on 5 May 1992.

To date it has 172 Parties.


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Objective of Basel Convention

Reduce transboundary movement of hazardous wastes to a

minimum consistent with their environmentally sound

management.

Dispose off hazardous wastes as close as possible to their

source of generation.

Minimize generation of hazardous wastes in terms of quantity

and degree of hazard.


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Key provisions :

Transboundary movement only among parties.

Export is prohibited if:

The state of import has an import ban, OR

The state of import has not given its consent to the import.


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Framework for lifecycle management

Basel Convention

It can assist in managing disposal of unwanted stockpiles .

The technical working group is developing guidelines on

management of POPs wastes.


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Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete

the Ozone Layer

Designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of

numerous substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion.

It is believed that if the international agreement is adhered to, the ozone

layer is expected to recover by 2050.

Kofi Annan quoted as saying that "perhaps the single most successfulinternational agreement to date has been the Montreal Protocol.

The treaty was opened for signature on September 16, 1987, and entered

into force on January 1, 1989, followed by a first meeting in Helsinki, May

1989.

It has undergone seven revisions, in 1990 (London), 1991 (Nairobi), 1992(Copenhagen), 1993 (Bangkok), 1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), and 1999

(Beijing).

The year 2012 marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Montreal

Protocol.


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Why is it important to protect the ozone layer?

The ozone layer filters out excessive ultra-violet radiation

from the sun and protects all life on earth from adverse effects.

For people, overexposure to UV rays can lead to skin cancer,

cataracts, and weakened immune systems. Increased UV can also lead to reduced crop yield and

disruptions in the marine food chain and therefore, saving the

ozone layer means saving lives, health and environment.

UV also damages materials such as paints on vehicles andplastics.


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Effects

The atmospheric concentrations

of the most important

chlorofluorocarbons and related

chlorinated hydrocarbons haveeither leveled off or decreased.

Rate of increase of Halon

Concentrations have slowed

down and their abundances are

expected to begin to decline by

about 2020.


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Stockholm Convention

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants :

Adopted in 2001 in response to an urgent need for global

action on POPs (chemicals that are persistent,bioaccumulate in fatty tissues and biomagnify through the

food chain)

Entered into force on 17 May 2004.

To date it has 170 Parties.


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Objective of the Stockholm Convention:

To protect human health and the environment from theharmful impacts of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

How?

Eliminate production and use of intentionally produced POPs.

Minimize and eliminate releases of unintentionally producedPOPs.

Clean-up old stockpiles and equipment containing POPs.

Support the transition to safer alternatives. Target additional POPs for action.


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Key provisions :

Elimination of production/use of Annex A chemicals.

Restriction of production/use Annex B chemicals.

Reduction/elimination of release of Annex C chemicals.

Identification/management of obsolete stocks, wastes with

POPs.

Selection of new POPs.


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Scope and coverage

Basel covers hazardous wastes that are explosive, flammable,poisonous, infectious, corrosive, toxic or ecotoxic.

Stockholm covers 14 pesticides, and 7 industrial chemicalsand by-products.

Common link:

Most POPs are covered by both the Conventions.

Many pesticides are subject to the two conventions.


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Convention on Biological Diversity

HISTORY:

CBD is an international agreement adopted at the EarthSummit, in Rio de Janeiro, in 1992.

The CBD was negotiated under the guidance of the United

Nations.

Signed by more than 150 government leaders at the Rio

Earth Summit.


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OBJECTIVES:

To conserve biological diversity.

To use its components in a sustainable way.

To share fairly and equitably the benefits arising from the

use of genetic resources.

ACHIEVEMENTS:

The Convention is now one of the most widely ratified

international treaties on environmental issues, with 188

member countries.

to generate an enormous amount of interest in biodiversity,

both in developed and developing countries.


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Some of the many issues dealt with under the

convention include: Measures and incentives for the conservation and sustainable

use of biological diversity.

Regulated access to genetic resources and traditional

knowledge, including Prior Informed Consent of the partyproviding resources.

Sharing, in a fair and equitable way, the results of research and

development and the benefits arising from the commercial and

other utilization of genetic resources with the Contracting Party

providing such resources (governments and/or local

communities that provided the traditional knowledge or

biodiversity resources utilized).


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Access to and transfer of technology, including biotechnology, tothe governments and/or local communities that provided

traditional knowledge and/or biodiversity resources.

Technical and scientific cooperation.

Impact assessment.

Education and public awareness.

Provision of financial resources. National reporting on efforts to implement treaty commitments.


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THANK YOUTaru Agarwal (401)

Bahula Bajpai (403)

Jyoti Banthia (404)

Tanmay Bhagat (405)

Apurva Bhatnagar (406)

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