What are multilateral environmental agreements

Multilateral Environmental agreements

Presented by

Kiran shehzadi Fareeha sajjad Aima shehbaz Mehrunisa Hafiz Waqas Ramsha Asif

Scheme of presentation

• Brief Introduction of MEA’s • History of MEA’s• Milestones of MEA’s • Objectives of MEA’s• Main clusters- Scope of MEA’s• Implementation of MEA’s• MEA’s ratified by Pakistan • Conclusion

What are Multilateral Environmental Agreements? (MEAs)

• They have a goal of environmental protection (sustainable development);

• They take measures to remedy, mitigate or otherwise deal with global and/or regional environmental concerns;

• The best known MEA are those that deals with global problems,

• They are governed by international law;

• They are concluded in written form.

Objectives of MEAs

• To Protecting Public Health and the Environment• To ensure global sustainability • Solidarity• Financial Assistance• Confining Environmental Problems

History Of MEAs

• Sweden first suggested to ECOSOC in 1968 the idea of having a UN conference to focus on human interactions with the environment

• ECOSOC passed resolution 1346 supporting the idea.

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Milestones in the evolution of MEAs

• Stockholm Conference on the Human Development (1972):– first attempt to address inter-relationships of environment and

development at global level – established the United National Environmental Program (UNEP)– accelerated development of modern MEAs: more than 60% of

existing MEAs are adopted after Rio

• The 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED): – national and international policies redirected towards integration

of environmental, economic and development objectives– Agenda 21 and Rio Declaration adopted

ATMOSPHERESEAS

CHEMICALS & HAZARDOUSWASTE

LAND

MAIN CLUSTERSScope of MEAs: 5 topics

BIODIVERSITY

MAIN CLUSTERSBiodiversity / Land / Seas

MEAs related to protection and conservation of BIODIVERSITY.

MEAs focusing on protecting LAND from “negative altering”.

MEAs relevant to the regional seas & MARINE ENVIRONMENT.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD);

Others include CITES, CMS, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands etc.

UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD);

3 Rio Conventions linked to climate change and biodiversity.

17 Regional Seas Conventions;

Global Program of Action for the protection of the marine environment from land-based activities (GPA).

MAIN CLUSTERSAtmosphere / Wastes & chemicals

MEAs aimed at protection of the ATMOSPHERE from pollutants.

Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer;UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) and the linked Kyoto Protocol.

MEAs dealing with hazardous WASTES & CHEMICAL pollution. Basel Convention on the control of trans boundary movement of hazardous wastes and their disposal; Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

Implementation of MEAs

• Governments and regional organizations have

taken on a series of international commitments by signing and ratifying MEAs.

• Efforts need to be made to apply these norms and to employ practices that result in environmental improvements

• All MEAs differ in scope and substance. Nevertheless, they tend to be formulated through a similar process that moves through five distinct stages

How an MEA Enters into Force

Pre-negotiation 

Negotiation 

Adoption and signature  

Ratification and accession

  Entry into force   

How MEAs works

• Implementation of an MEA– a process of converting international commitments and

requirements into national law and policy in order to induce behavioral change of target groups, i.e. those actors causing the problem in question.

• Compliance – refers to whether the countries adhere to the agreement

provisions and undertake implementation measures, including procedural measures (e.g. national reporting)

• Effectiveness – whether a MEAs resolved a problem that caused its creation.

List of International Environment Conventions/Protocols Signed and Ratified by Pakistan

Conclusion:

• MEA’s helps to address the environmental problems being faced by the international community

• MEA’s helps to facilitate achieving sustainable development.

• Many MEA’s ( CBD, UNFCCC, UNCCD) covers environmental aspects ( biodiversity, climate change and land management) to ensure the protection of environment in sustainable way.

Cont ..

Pakistan is also giving greater emphasis on implementing MEA’s by:

Educating general public Coordinating with implementing agencies

International partnership