international conferences on environment and their outcomes

8/2/2019 International Conferences on Environment and Their Outcomes

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International conferences onEnvironment and their

OutcomesBY:

Devanshu 36Dion 37Eric 38

Esha 39Garima 40


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Environmental organizations can beglobal, regional, national or local; they canbe government-run or private.

Environmentalist activity exists in almostevery country.

Moreover, groups dedicated to community

development and social justice also focuson environmental concerns.

Introduction


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On an international level, concern for theenvironment was the subject of a United NationsConference on the Human Environment inStockholm in 1972, attended by 114 nations.

Out of this meeting developed UNEP (UnitedNations Environment Programme) and the follow-up United Nations Conference on Environmentand Development in 1992.

Other international organizations in support ofenvironmental policies development includethe Commission for EnvironmentalCooperation (as part of NAFTA), the EuropeanEnvironment Agency (EEA), andthe Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange (IPCC).


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Stockholm Conference on theHuman Environment


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From June 5 to June 16, 1972 UNs first major conference on environmental

issues and marked a turning point in thedevelopment of international environmental

politics. Attended by the representatives of 114 countries,

19 inter-governmental agencies, and more than400 inter-governmental and non-governmentalorganizations, it is widely recognized as the

beginning of modern political and publicawareness of global environmental problems. Led to the formulation of the Stockholm

declaration


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Problems and management of humansettlements.

Natural resources management

Pollution control measures

Social and cultural aspects

Development and Environment

General Framework of TheConference


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Man is both the creator and moulder of hisenvironment, which helps him grow.

The protection and improvement of the

human environment is a major issue whichaffects the well being of people and economicdevelopment throughout the world.

Man has the ability to transform hissurroundings.

In developing countries, most environmentalissues arise due to underdevelopment.

Declaration of The Conference


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Growth of population presents problemson the preservation of the environment,measures to be adopted to face this

problem. A point ha been reached, when we must

shape our actions with a prudent care forenvironmental consequences.

The conference calls upon Governmentsand people to exert common efforts for thepreservation of the human environment.


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1. Right to protect the Environment2. Management of natural resources.

3. Conservation of wildlife.

4. Population policy5. Environment and development

6. Pollution control

7. Resource planning

8. Ban on nuclear weapons

Principles andRecommendations


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BRUNTLAND COMISSION


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Also known as World Commission onEnvironment and Development (WCED)

Mission is to unite countries to pursue

sustainable development together

The Chairman of the Commission, GroHarlem Brundtland, was appointed by

Javier Perez de Cuellar, former SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, inDecember 1983

HISTORY


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Mansour Khalid as Vice-Chairman.

The organization aims to create a unitedinternational community with shared

sustainability goals by identifying sustainabilityproblems worldwide, raising awareness aboutthem, and suggesting the implementation ofsolutions.

In 1987, the Brundtland Commission publishedthe first volume of Our Common Future, the

organizations main report. Our Common

Future strongly influenced the Earth Summit in

Rio de Janeiro,

Cont.


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To propose long-term environmental strategies forachieving sustainable development to the year2000 and beyond;

To recommend ways in which concern for theenvironment may be translated into greater co-operation among developing countries andbetween countries at different stages of economicand social development and lead to the

achievement of common and mutually supportiveobjectives which take account of theinterrelationships between people, resources,environment and development;

Focus was on..


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To help to define shared perceptions oflong-term environmental issues and of theappropriate efforts needed to deal

successfully with the problems ofprotecting and enhancing the environment,

To consider ways and means by which theinternational community can deal more

effectively with environmental concerns, inthe light of the other recommendations inits report

Cont..


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Brundtland Commission pushed for the idea that whilethe "environment" was previously perceived as a sphereseparate from human emotion or action,

While "development" was a term habitually used todescribe political goals or economic progress,

It is more comprehensive to understand the two terms inrelation to each other


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Brundtland argues: "...the "environment" is where we live; and

"development" is what we all do in attempting toimprove our lot within that abode. The two areinseparable.

The Brundtland Commission insists upon theenvironment being something beyond physicality,going beyond that traditional school of thought toinclude social and political atmospheres andcircumstances.

It also insists that development is not just about howpoor countries can ameliorate their situation, but whatthe entire world, including developed countries, can doto ameliorate our communal situation.


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The concept of "needs" in particular theessential needs of the world's poorestpeople, to which they should be given

overriding priority; the idea of limitations which is imposed by

the state of technology and social

organization on the environment's ability tomeet both present and future needs.

SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT


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Central idea of the Brundtland Commission'sdefinition of "sustainable development" is thatof intergenerational equity.

In sum, the "needs" are basic and essential,

economic growth will facilitate their fulfillment,and that equity is encouraged by citizenparticipation.

Therefore, another characteristic that really

sets this definition apart from others is in theelement of humanity that the BrundtlandCommission integrates.


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Economic Growth: dont exploit the resources Ways to grow economically without hurting the environment

Environmental Protection : Investment in green technologies,

Renewable energies

Social Equality: Meet the needs of the all The rising income gap should be curtailed The Brundtland Commission has made an impact in helping

to reduce the number of people living on less than a dollar aday to just half of what it used to be, but this can also beattributed to growth in China and India.

Crux of the Report


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The Rio Declaration


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Met at Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June1992

Reaffirming the Declaration of the United

Nations Conference on the HumanEnvironment, adopted at Stockholm on 16June 1972

Seeking to build upon it

Preamble


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Of establishing a new and equitable globalpartnership through: the creation of new levels of co-operation among

States, key sectors of societies and people

Working towards international agreements whichrespect the interests of all and

Protect the integrity of the global environmental and

developmental system

Recognizing the integral and interdependentnature of the Earth, our home

Goal


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PRINCIPLE 1 Human beings are at the centre of concerns for

sustainable development. They are entitled to a

healthy and productive life in harmony withnature.

Principle 2

States have the right to exploit their ownresources and the responsibility to ensure thatactivities do not cause damage to theenvironment of other States

The Principles


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Principle 3 The Right to Development Principle 4 Environmental Protection in the

Development Process Principle 5 The Eradication of Poverty

Principle 7 State cooperation to protect theecosystem Principle 11 National Legislation Principle 22 Indigenous people have a vital role

Principle 26 Resolution of EnvironmentalDisputes Principle 27 Cooperation between the State and

People

The Principles


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Third Generation Human Rights Goes beyond Civil and Social rights

Affect Soft Law

Rights broadly cover Group and Collective Rights

Right to Economic and Social Development

Right to a Healthy Environment Right to Natural Resources

Right to Intergenerational Equity andSustainability

The Impact


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Principle 2 UNCLOS, part V (United Nations Convention on the Law

of the Sea)

States have an obligation under international law to conserve and utilize their natural resources in a

sustainable manner share underutilized resources with neighbouring and less

advantaged States to protect their environment and prevent damage to

neighbouring environments

This was expressed in the 1995 Agreement on FishStocks.

Implementation ofRio Declaration


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Convention on BiologicalDiversity


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Came into force in December 1993

Can be divided in following 4 parts

Objectives, Principles, Definitions, Jurisdiction

Commitments of each party

Relationship between parties

Mechanism through which convention regime

will operate

Introduction to CBD

M i P i b d i


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Certain human activities are reducing biodiversity

Capacity to conserve diversity should be

strengthened

Developing countries should be providedwith technological support & Financial

ResourcesCo-operation between governments is

necessary

Main Points to be noted inPreamble

S C fli t


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Financial Resource Allocation Amount of money given by developed countries

Mechanism to control and account for those funds

Article 20 tries to resolve this

Access to genetic resources

Article 15 says access to genetic resourcesdepends on permission from national government

Not restricted to genes taken before convention isimplemented

Developing countries consider this unfair

Some Conflicts


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Transfer of Technology

Article 16 mentions about obligation of allparties facilitate transfer of technologiesrelevant to convention objectives

Developing countries were not willing to rely

on this to guarantee transfer of technologieswhich use their genetic resources


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Kyoto Protocol


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The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the UnitedNations Framework Convention on ClimateChange (UNFCCC ), aimed at fighting global warming.The UNFCCC is an internationalenvironmental treaty with the goal of achieving the

"stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations inthe atmosphere at a level that would preventdangerous anthropogenic interference with the climatesystem.

The Protocol was initially adopted on 11 December1997 in Kyoto, Japan, and entered into force on 16February 2005. As of September 2011, 191 stateshave signed and ratified the protocol.


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Parties to UNFCCC are classified as: Annex I countries: industrialized countries and

economies in transition

Annex II countries: developed countries whichpay for costs of developing countries

Non Annex I countries: Developing countries.

P ti i ti i K t P t l f


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Participation in Kyoto Protocol as ofDecember 2011


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Commitments for the Annex I Parties: The main feature of theProtocollies in establishing commitments for the reduction ofgreenhouse gases that are legally binding for Annex I Parties.( industrialized countries will reduce their collective emissions ofgreenhouse gases by 5.2%. )

Implementation: In order to meet the objectives of the Protocol,

Annex I Parties are required to prepare policies and measures forthe reduction of greenhouse gases in their respective countries. Inaddition, they are required to increase the absorption of these gasesand utilize all mechanisms available, such as joint implementation,the clean development mechanism and emissions trading, in orderto be rewarded with credits that would allow more greenhouse gasemissions at home.

Minimizing Impacts on Developing Countries by establishing anadaptation fund for climate change.

Accounting, Reporting and Review in order to ensure the integrity ofthe Protocol.

Compliance: Establishing a Compliance Committee to enforcecompliance with the commitments under the Protocol.

Objectives


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Annex I countries which have ratified theProtocol have committed to reduce theiremission levels of greenhouse gasses totargets that are mainly set below their 1990levels. They may do this by allocatingreduced annual allowances to the majoroperators within their borders. Theseoperators can only exceed their allocations ifthey buy emission allowances, or offset theirexcesses through a mechanism that isagreed by all the parties to UNFCCC.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emissions_tradinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emissions_trading


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Developing countries are not required to reduce

emission levels unless developed countries supplyenough funding and technology. Setting no

immediate restrictions under UNFCCC servesthree purposes: it avoids restrictions on their development, because

emissions are strongly linked to industrial capacity they can sell emissions credits to nations whose

operators have difficulty meeting their emissionstargets they get money and technologies for low-carbon

investments from Annex II countries.

Developing countries may volunteer to become

The Kyoto Protocol


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The Kyoto Protocol includes three mechanisms that enable a partyto

increase its initial assigned amount:

International emission trading (IET) between Annex I parties (Article17) involves transfers of assigned amount between Annex I

countries.

Joint implementation (JI) between Annex I parties (Article 6) involvestransfers of emission reduction units created by emission reductionor sequestration actions in one Annex I country with financialassistance from another Annex I country.

Clean development mechanism (CDM) (Article 12) involvestransfers to Annex I parties of certified emission reduction creditscreated through emission mitigation projects implemented indeveloping countries with financial and other assistance from AnnexI countries.

The Kyoto ProtocolMechanisms


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Many see the costs of the Kyoto Protocol asoutweighing the benefits, some believing thestandards which Kyoto sets to be toooptimistic, others seeing a highly inequitable

and inefficient agreement which would dolittle to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Base year as 1990 controversy

James Hansen's criticism

Green organisations criticism

Criticism of Carbon Trade

Criticism of the Kyoto Protocol


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1. China 17%, 5.82. United States 16%, 24.13. European Union 11%, 10.64. Indonesia 6%, 12.95. India 5%, 2.16. Russia 5%, 14.97. Brazil 4%, 10.0

8. Japan 3%, 10.69. Canada 2%, 23.210. Mexico 2%, 6.4

Top-ten emitters


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US- When George W. Bush was elected USpresident in 2000, he was asked by USSenator Hagel what his administration's positionwas on climate change. Bush replied that he took

climate change "very seriously," but that heopposed the Kyoto treaty, because "it exempts80% of the world, including major populationcenters such as China and India, from compliance,and would cause serious harm to the USeconomy.

Canada- The decision to do so will save the

government an estimated $14 billion in penalties.

U.S. and Canada
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bushhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Senatorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Senatorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Senatorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Senatorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush


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Other main conferences include:

Copenhagen Summit (2009)

World Climate Change Conference,Moscow (2003)

Business for the environment

World Future Energy Summit

World Ocean Conference


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Thank You!

international conferences on environment and their outcomes

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