Environmental Treaties and Conventions.pptx

Environment

1. Environmental Treaties and Legeslation By Mr. Piyush R. Telang Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Sir Parashurambhau College (Empowered Autonomous), Pune. Mob: [phone] Mr. Piyush R. Telang

2. The  United Nations Environment Programme  ( UNEP ) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system.  It was established by  Maurice Strong , its first director, after the  United Nations Conference on the Human Environment  in Stockholm in June 1972. Its aim is to provide leadership, deliver science and develop solutions on a wide range of issues , including climate change, the management of marine and terrestrial  ecosystems , and green economic development. The organization also develops  international environmental agreements ; publishes and promotes  environmental science  and helps national governments achieve environmental targets. United Nations Environment Programme  ( UNEP )

3. Inger Andersen, Denmark 2019 to Present UNEP’s mission: to inform, enable and inspire… to inform... UNEP evidence about the state and health of the planet contributes solutions to the triple planetary crisis . UNEP scans the horizon for emerging environmental threats. UNEP provides guidance on sound policies to address challenges facing the planet and humankind. to enable... UNEP encourages and helps countries to deliver on their environmental commitments . UNEP supports strong environmental laws and institutions for the health of planet and people . UNEP brings people together to tackle the planetary emergency , including through the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA ). UNEP promotes a shift of investment and business practices towards sustainable consumption and production. UNEP is the voice for the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the UN . UNEP enables countries to access financing and programming from global funds . UNEP seeks to minimize environmental threats to human well-being caused by disasters and conflicts. to inspire... UNEP raises awareness and advocates for effective action on the triple planetary crisis . UNEP uses the power of technology and digital & social media to educate young people. UNEP celebrates and honours individuals and institutions for outstanding environmental work.

4. United Nations Environment Programme  ( UNEP ) In 1972,  United Nations Conference on the Human Environment  (the Stockholm Conference) resulted in a Declaration on the Human Environment (Stockholm Declaration) and the establishment of an environmental management body, which was later named the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Headquarters were established in Nairobi, Kenya , with a staff of 300, including 100 professionals in a variety of fields, and with a five-year fund of more than US$100 million.   UNEP's structure includes eight divisions: Science Division: aims to provide scientifically credible environmental assessments and information for sustainable development.  Policy and Programme Division: makes the policy and programme of the UNEP. This division ensures other divisions are coordinated. Ecosystems Division: supports countries in conserving, restoring and managing their ecosystems. Economy Division: assists large businesses in their efforts to be more environmentally conscious.  Governance Affairs Office: engages member states and other relevant groups to use UNEP's work. Law Division: helps to develop  environmental law . Works with countries to combat  environmental crime  and meet international environmental commitments.  Communication Division: develops and disseminates UNEP's messages. Corporate Services Division: handles UNEP's corporate interests such as management and exposure to financial risk.

5. The  Convention on Biological Diversity  ( CBD ), known informally as the  Biodiversity Convention , is a  multilateral treaty . The Convention has three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity (or  biodiversity ); the sustainable use of its components; and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from  genetic resources . Its objective is to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, and it is often seen as the key document regarding  sustainable development . The Convention was opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 5 June 1992 and entered into force on 29 December 1993. The Convention recognized for the first time in international law that the conservation of biodiversity is "a common concern of humankind" and is an integral part of the development process.

6. The  Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat  is an international  treaty  for the conservation and sustainable use of  Ramsar sites  ( wetlands ). It is also known as the  Convention on Wetlands . It is named after the city of  Ramsar  in  Iran , where the convention was signed in 1971. The list of wetlands of international importance included 2,531  Ramsar sites  in February 2025 covering over 2.6 million square kilometres (1,000,000  sq  mi). The countries with most sites are the United Kingdom with 175 and Mexico with 142. The country with the largest surface area of listed wetland is Bolivia, with around 148,000 square kilometres (57,000  sq  mi). Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

7. The  United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa  ( UNCCD ) is a Convention to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements. The Convention, the only convention stemming from a direct recommendation of the Rio Conference's Agenda 21, was adopted in Paris, France, on 17 June 1994 and entered into force in December 1996. It is the only internationally legally binding framework set up to address the problem of desertification. The Convention is based on the principles of participation, partnership and decentralization—the backbone of good governance and sustainable development. It has 197 parties, making it near universal in reach.

8. The Kyoto Protocol was an international agreement that committed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005. The Kyoto Protocol was the first treaty to set legally binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The Kyoto Protocol implemented the objective of the UNFCCC to reduce the onset of global warming by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to “a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”. The Kyoto Protocol applied to the seven greenhouse gases listed in Annex A: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). The Kyoto Protocol

9. The Montreal Protocol The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is the landmark multilateral environmental agreement that regulates the production and consumption of nearly 100 man-made chemicals referred to as ozone depleting substances (ODS). When released into the atmosphere, those chemicals damage the stratospheric ozone layer, Earth’s protective shield that protects humans and the environment from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The protocol regulates the production and consumption of ODS, including CFCs. It sets different timetables for developed and developing countries to phase out ODS. Adopted on 16 September 1987, the Protocol is to date one of the rare treaties to achieve universal ratification . The Montreal Protocol is part of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. In 1995, the United Nations named September 16 the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer.

10. The Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is a  legally binding international treaty on climate change . It was adopted by 196 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France, on 12 December 2015. It entered into force on 4 November 2016 . Its overarching goal is to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels .” The Paris Agreement works on a five-year cycle of increasingly ambitious climate action -- or, ratcheting up -- carried out by countries. Since 2020, countries have been submitting their national climate action plans, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Each successive NDC is meant to reflect an increasingly higher degree of ambition compared to the previous version . With the Paris Agreement, countries established an enhanced transparency framework (ETF). Under ETF, starting in 2024, countries will report transparently on actions taken and progress in climate change mitigation, adaptation measures and support provided or received. It also provides for international procedures for the review of the submitted reports.