multilateral environmental agreements (meas) swedish international development agency s ession 3...

Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)

Swedish International Development Agency

SESSION 3

United Nations Environment ProgramDivision of Technology Industry and Economy

ACME Applying CLEANER PRODUCTION to MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS

ACME - Session 3 - Multilateral Environmental Agreements - 2 / 17

OUTLINEObjectives of this session

1/ Background information > Why do we need Multilateral Environmental Agreements?

2/ Main clusters > What topics do MEA deal with? > How industries are concerned?

3/ Organisation of MEA > How are they developed and organised?

4/ Implementation > How could we strengthen MEA?

BACKGROUNDWhat are MEAs ?

MEAs are international legal instruments that:> have a goal of environmental protection (sustainable development);

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

> are concluded between a large number of states or international organizations as Parties;

> can be embodied in a single instrument or more related instruments;

> are governed by international law;

> are concluded in written form.

Many global environmental issues don’t stop at the border:> they are caused by sources thousands of kilometers away;

> they can have a regional or even a global impact.


1972 - Stockholm Conference on the Human Development

BACKGROUNDMilestones in the evolution of MEAs

1992 - Rio Conference on Environment and Development

> First attempt to address relationship between environment and development at global level;

> Adopted first global action plan for the environment;

> Established UNEP.

> National and international policies redirected towards integration of environmental, economic and social objectives;

> 2 main outputs: Rio Declaration and Agenda 21;

> Accelerated the development of modern MEAs: more than 60% of present MEAs established after 1992.


BACKGROUNDNumber of parties to MEAs

Stockholm Conference (1972) Rio Conference (1992)


ATMOSPHERESEAS

CHEMICALS & HAZARDOUS

WASTELAND

MAIN CLUSTERSScope of MEAs: 5 topics


BIODIVERSITY

MAIN CLUSTERSBiodiversity / Land / Seas

MEAs related to protection and conservation of BIODIVERSITY.

MEAs focussing 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.

3 MEAs with direct relevance to industrial activities.

> Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and their disposal;

> Rotterdam Convention on the prior informed consent for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade;

> Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).> Stockholm Convention


> Basel Convention

> UNFCCC

ORGANISATIONFrom negotiation to ratification

How are MEA’s developed ?> A negotiation process between countries involved;

> Often initiated and facilitated/moderated by UNEP;

> Resulting in a mutual agreed and signed protocol during a high-level tailored conference.

> Initial agreement (international legal instrument) are signed between the signatories (states);

> MEAs include provision on number of ratification from signatories needed to come into force;

> Once a country (or “Party”) ratifies, accepts, approves or accedes an MEA, it is subject to the provisions under the MEA.

How do MEAs come into force ?


ORGANISATIONKey concepts

Non-binding instruments

Legally binding instruments

“ Sets commitments in form of legally binding targets and time-tables. ”

“ Set out important issues and priorities, foster discussion and attention, and stimulate new thinking and development of legally binding instruments. ”


ORGANISATIONHow do MEAs work ?

> Converting international commitments into national measures.

IMPLEMENTATION

> Countries adhere to the agreement provisions and undertake implementation measures (e.g. national reporting).

COMPLIANCE

> Formal (national or international) procedures and actions by which compliance is compelled or noncompliance deterred.

ENFORCEMENT

> Whether a MEA resolves a problem that caused its creation.

EFFECTIVENESS


ORGANISATIONInstitutional elements

> Decision-making body on implementation and development of MEAs.

COP – Conference of Parties

> Support to COP (provided by an international organization).

Secretariat

> Generally advisory in nature, report to COP on scientific, technical, or financial matters.

Executive and subsidiary bodies

> Facilitate exchange of information (websites, databases, etc.).

Clearinghouses

> Represented by the national authorities and/or institutions, training and information centers.

Implementation actors on national level


ORGANISATIONFinancial mechanisms

> Mandatory or voluntary trust funds administered by the Secretariats;

> Proposed by Parties and approved by the COP.

Regime budgets

> Funds provided via foundations (e.g. UN Foundation), bilateral arrangements, private sector donors and NGOs.

> World Bank.

Development assistance

> A co-financing mechanism to address global environmental issues;

> GEF focal areas : biodiversity, climate change, international waters, ozone depletion, POPs, land degradation.

Global Environment Facility (GEF)


IMPLEMENTATIONStrengths & weaknesses of MEA’s

> Joint strategy to deal with global issues;

> Clearly defines who should do what;

> Conflict settlement instruments;

> Provides increased attention to preventive - precautionary approach.

> Lack of synergy among MEAs;

> Inadequate funding for many MEAs;

> Lack of performance indicators;

> Inadequate coordination among MEA’s at national level;

> No international enforcement mechanisms in most MEAs.

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES


IMPLEMENTATIONHow to strengthen MEAs ?

How to overcome the perceived weaknesses ?> More integrated application for specific targets groups (e.g. industry);

> Utilization of other concepts/methodologies (e.g. Cleaner Production).

How can Cleaner Production contribute to MEAs ?> Wider use of prevention as the strategy of environmental protection;

> Issue linkage and providing positive incentives for compliance and implementation of MEAs;

> Strengthening synergies among MEAs;

> Adding flexibility to the agreements.


IMPLEMENTATIONWhat can Cleaner Production do ?

What are the advantages of cross-cutting capacity building activities of Cleaner Production initiatives and MEAs ?

> Policy advice;

> Technical and financial assistance;

> Assessment and management of pollution;

> Education and awareness;

> Information exchange;

> Strengthened participation of all stakeholders in the decision-making;

> International partnership.


CONCLUSIONEnd of session 3

Thank you for your attention…Any questions?


multilateral environmental agreements (meas) swedish international development agency s ession 3...

Documents

evolution of meas

meas relevant

present meas

development of modern

integration of environmental

meas stockholm conference

biodiversity slide

topics acme session