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Protocols : Compiled forCivil Services ExamMarch 7, 2014 By Siddharth Leave a Comment

The entire history of Environment Education is classified into threesteps -

1. Classical

United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm,

1972 + UNEP

IUCN

CITES

2. Modern

Vienna & Montreal

Earth Summit 1992

1. CBD (Biodiversity)

2. UNFCC (GHG effect on Climate)

3. Agenda 21 (Sustainable Development)

3. Contemporary

Developments under all 3 brainchilds of Earth Summit.

The difference between a Protocol & aconvention? Read on.
http://my.forumias.com/author/siddharth/


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A protocol is an international agreement that stands on its own but is linked

to an existingconvention. For example A climate convention lays down

the concerns and principles on which climate protocols are then built upon by

adding new commitments which are stronger and far more complex and

detailed than those in the convention.e.g. CBD convention under earth

summit conference gave raise to many subsequent protocols Nagoya, Aichi

etc. Similarly, UNFCC convention gave raise to Kyoto, Copenhagen.

Now, discussing them one by one

CLASSICALThe classical approach (before UNHCE) was Informative Approach and

primarily focussed on diffusion of information about natural environmental

conditions and characteristics.

I. UNCHE + UNEP, 1972

The 1st Global Env. Summit in Stockholm, 1972moulded the approach

from just Informativeto Inspiringand guiding the global community in

being more responsible. It resulted in two things -

- 26 principles

- UNEP

1. It gave 26 principles concerning the environment and

development such as -


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Human Rights

Natural Resources

Wildlife

Environment Education

Resulted in rise of regional environmental clubs like Club of Rome which gave

the concept Limit to Growth and Sierra Club which gave the concept

Blind pace of Development. The Stockholm declaration also resulted in two

global initiatives -

Belgrade Charter (1975)

Tbilisi Declaration (1977)

2. United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) is an

international programme of the UN that -

coordinates United Nations environmental activities,

monitors world environment (earthwatch)

publishes periodic reports (geo)

assists developing countries in implementing environmentally sound

policies and practices.

It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human

Environment i.e. the Stockholm Conference in June 1972 and has its

headquarters in the Gigiri neighborhood of Nairobi, Kenya.

Two important terms associated withUNEP


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i. Earthwatch UNEP keeps constant surveillance on environment, through

this program.

ii. Global Environment Outlook (GEO) UNEP publishes this report. 5th

such report (GEO-5) released in 2012.

**IPCC was started by UNEP in modern era (1988) for assessment &

publishing objectives. It does not monitor the environment.

II. IUCN, 1948

International Union for Conservation of Natureincludes both Nations

and NGOs.

HQ @ Gland, Switzerland.

The IUCN enjoys observer status at the United Nations General

Assembly.

Vision:- A just world that values and conserves nature and bio-diversity

Objective:- Influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world

to conserve nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable

and ecologically sustainable.

IUCN assesses the conservation status of species. It supports scientific

research, manages field projects globally and brings governments, non-

government organizations, United Nations agencies, companies and local

communities together to develop and implement policy.

IUCN is the worlds oldest and largest global environmental network and

enlists 9 categories.


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III. CITES, 1975

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of WildFauna and Flora is a brainchild of IUCNcreated in 1973 and came into

force in 1975. HQ=Geneva, Switzerland. (Secretariat administered by UNEP).

Maldives & Lebanon are the new entrants in 2013.

Aim - To ensure that international trade in specimensof wild animals

and plants does not threaten their survival. Thus, it aims to stop illicit

trade.

Although CITES is legally bindingon the Parties, it does not take the place

of national laws. Rather it provides a framework respected by each Party so

these parties have to make laws to regulate import and exportof

wildlife species.

COP-16 - The last COP-16 was held in Bangkok, Thailand where the some

african & s.asian countries were reprimanded for making insufficient efforts.

It has been found that domestic trade in tiger parts is nurtured and

encouraged in china. This is a great cause of concern for India.

MODERN

Informative + More concrete approaches to correct the anomalies through

agreements.

Vienna Convention (1985) & MontrealProtocol (1987)


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TheVienna Conventionfor the Protection of the Ozone Layer is often

called a framework convention, because it served as a framework for efforts to

protect the globes ozone layer. The Vienna Convention was adopted in 1985

and entered into force on 22 Sep 1988. In 2009, the Vienna Convention

became the first Convention of any kind to achieve universal

ratification.

The Vienna Convention did not require countries to take concrete actions to

control ozone depleting substances. Instead, in accordance with the

provisions of the Convention, the countries of the world agreed the Montreal

Protocolon Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer under the Convention

to advance that goal.

Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)are

CFCsincluding MethylBromide

HCFC-22

Halon

These are mostly found in :-

i. Refrigeration and Air conditioning (CFC)

ii. Fire extinguishers (Halon)

iii. Cleaning solvents

iv. Aerosols (CFC)

- Natural (Volcanoes)


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- Man Made (spray cans of perfumes, medicine, insecticide)

v. Adhesives & Coatings

It is believed that if the international agreement is adhered to, the ozone layeris expected to recover by 2050. Due to its widespread adoption and

implementation it has been hailed as an example of exceptional international

co-operation, with Kofi Annan quoted as saying that perhaps the single

most successful international agreement to date has been the

Montreal Protocol.The two ozone treaties have been ratified by 197 states

and the European Union making them the most widely ratified treaties in

United Nations history.

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) with its HQ in

Geneva is the leading international body for the assessment of climate

change.It was established by the UNEP + WMO (World Meteorological

Organization) in 1988. So its one part of UNEP which evaluates/assesses the

climate based on available info and publishes report.

i. To evaluate the present scenario of Climate change and its future impact on

Environment, Livelihood, Economics.

ii. It does not conduct any research nor does it monitor climate related data or

parameters. ( Surprising, isnt it? )

iii. It merely assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic

information produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate

change.iv. Thousand of scientists contribute to provide info voluntarily.

v. It is open to all member countries of the United Nations (UN) and WMO.


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Currently 195 countries are members of the IPCC.The fourth Assessment

Report (AR4) of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) said

that most of the warming that has taken place since the middle of the last

century is verylikelythe result of increase in the concentration of human-

induced greenhouse gases

Earth Summit and related 5Conventions (1992)

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development

(UNCED)took place in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Government officials

from 178 countries and between 20,000 and 30,000 individuals from

governments, NGOs and the media participated in this event to discuss

solutions for global problems such as -

Poverty,

War, or

Growing gap between industrialized and developing countries.

It emphasized that economic and social progress depends critically on the

preservation of the natural resource base with effective measures to prevent

environmental degradation.

Before this summit in the late 80s, the UNEP members decided we should

have some sort of international agreement to protect biodiversity. They

worked on a draft Agreement. (Nairobi Conference). In 1992, when Earth

Summit was held in Rio, Brazil, these UNEP people put that draft-agreement

on the table, and requested various countries to sign it. This signedinternational agreement is known as Convention on Biodiversity. (Official

name =Convention on Biological Diversity)


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Earth summit, 1992 paved way to three important conventions:

Mission Earth Summits Result

Protect Biodiversity CBD

Reverse Climate Change UNFCCC

Promote Sustainable Development Agenda21

Others:

iv. Rio Declaration on Environment and Development Set of 27 principles

designed to commit government to ensure environmental protection and

responsible development and intended to be an Environmental Bill of Rights.

v. Rio Forestry Principles Fifteen non-

binding principles for the protection

and sustainable use of global forest resources proposed. These principles have

often been regarded as a foundation for a process to negotiate and agree an

International Forestry Convention.

Added later in 1994:

vi. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is the firstand only

internationally legally binding framework set up to address the problem of

desertification.

Mission ConventionProtocol


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Protect Biodiversity CBD i. Cartagena Protocolii. Aichi Targetsiii.

Nagoya Protocol

Reverse Climate

ChangeUNFCCC

i. Kyoto (moved under UNFCCC)ii. REDD

& REDD+iii. Copenhagen Accord

Promote Sustainable

DevelopmentAgenda21

i. Rio+5, UN Assemblyii. Rio+10,

WSSDiii. Rio+20, UNCSD

I. Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD)

Convention on Biodiversity is the brainchild of UNEP, similar to its other

brainchild IPCC on climate front, which came during Earth Summit

1992. HQ= Montreal, Canada.

3 objectives of CBD :

i. Access and Benefit Sharing i.e. fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising

from the use of genetic resources.

ii. Conservation of Biodiversity

iii. Sustainable use of Biodiversity

Various protocols and targets have been setup to achieve these three broad


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objectives.

CBD doesnt have members it has parties: rich parties on one side, middle

class and poor parties on the other. These parties meet at regular intervals and

their meetings are called Conference of Parties (COP).

i. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety(COP-4) is an international treaty

governing the movements of living modified organisms (LMOs),

resulting from modern biotechnology, from one country to another. The

Protocol applies to the trans-boundary movement, transit, handling and use

of all living modified organisms that may have adverse effects on the

conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into

account risks to human health

It was adopted on 29 January 2000 as a supplementary agreement to the

Convention on Biological Diversity and entered into force on 11 September

2003.

After this, COP-10 gave birth to two things:

- Aichi Targets (conservation of biodiversity)

- Nagoya Protocol (Access and Benefit sharing)

ii. Aichi Targets 20 Ambitious yetAchievable


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In the COP-10 meeting, the parties agreed that previous biodiversity

protection targets are not achieved, So we need to come up with new plans

and targets.

Plan Timeframe

Mid/Long term By 2050

Short term By 2020

This short term plan is officially known as Strategic Plan for Biodiversity

2011-2020.

It is a a ten-year framework for action by all countries to save biodiversity.

This short term plan provide a set of 20 ambitious yet achievabletargets,

collectively known as theAichi Targets.

Aichi Targets= 20 targets, divided into 5 sections (A to E).

iii. Nagoya Protocol (COP-10)

Access and Benefit Sharing i.e. fair and equitable sharing of benefits

arising from the use of genetic resources.

South Africa has become the 12th country and the first in 2013, to ratify the

Nagoya Protocol. Thus it joins Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, India, Jordan, LaoPeoples Democratic Republic, Mauritius, Mexico, Panama, Rwanda and the

Seychelles as countries that have ratified the ground-breaking treaty.


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COP -11 Hyderabad :

Mobilization of financial resourceswas the theme for the COP 11

summit. The next round of the conference is scheduled to take place in

Koreaafter 2 years.

Demands of Developing and Developed Countries:

African countries like Namibia demanded developed nations to stand by

their promise fund allocation for saving the bio-diversity, made in the 2010

protocol

The developed nations stood by their demand of creating a baseline of the

investments made by now and how much more was needed

Developed countries agreed to double the fund to support efforts in

developing states towards meeting the internationally-agreed Biodiversity

Targets, and the main goals of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.

The SaragassoSea, the Tonga archipelagoand key corals sites off the

coast of Brazilare among a range of marine areas to receive special

attention by governments as part of renewed efforts to sustainably manage

the worlds oceans agreed in Hyderabad.


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Conclusion

Amid the discussions and concerns, the COP 11 conference failed to reach to a

concrete decision of making resource mobilization and fund arrangements

done. Indian Prime Minister allocated a fund of $50 million for

strengthening the mechanism for preserving the biodiversity in

India and other Developing nations. Although several steps and things

were critically discussed and concerns were raised to achieve better results

and face the upcoming challenges.

Other Biodiversity (conservation and sustainable use related)

conventions that existed even before CBD:

iv. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of

Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES), 1973

v. Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animal

(CMS in Bonn Convention, 1979) not to be confused with Bonn agreement

thats related to oil spills of 1969. [Govt's responsibility to provide safe passage

to migratory birds, animals, turtles etc].

vi.Convention on Wetlands of International Importance known asRamsar Convention, 1971

vii.World Heritage Convention, UNESCO, 1972for granting Heritage

status to world sites.

viii. Man and Biosphere, UNESCO, 1971established in 1971 forecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Primary

achievement is creation of World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 1977.


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II. UNFCCC

Convention under Earth summit to stabilize GHG level.

Objective To stabilize greenhouse gas concentrationsin the

atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic

interference with the climate system.

a. The Kyoto Protocol(COP-3)

It is an international treaty that sets binding obligations on industrialized

countries to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. The UNFCCC is an

environmental treaty with the goal of preventing dangerous anthropogenic

(i.e., human-induced) interference of the climate system. 190 countries (all

UN members, except Afghanistan, Andorra, Canada, South Sudan and the

United States), as well as the European Union are Parties to the Protocol. The

United States signed but did not ratify the Protocol and Canada withdrew from

it in 2011. The Protocol was adopted by Parties to the UNFCCC in 1997, and

entered into force in 2005.

Although various countries signed Kyoto Protocol in 1997, it did not came into

force immediately. Kyoto protocol came into force only after required number

of Annex 1 Countries ratified it which was achieved only in 2005.

The principle of common but differentiated responsibility includes two

fundamental elements -

i. Common It is the Common responsibility of every nation of this world,to reduce GHG emissions.


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ii. Differentiated This element is based out of two reasons:

- differences in the contributions of developed and developing States to global

env. problems

- differences in their respective economic and technical capacity to tackle

these problems

Annex I

- List of industrialized countries and economies in transition: US, France,

Japan etc.

- These countries had pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to

1990 levels by the year 2000.

Annex II

- A sub-group of Annex 1 Countries, these Annex II countries are required to

give financial assistance and technology to the developing countries.

Non Annex

- Developing countries like India, Brazil, China.

- They dont have binding targets to reduce green house gas emission,

although they are encouraged to do it.

Annex A (Gases)

It gives the list of 7 Green House gases that are responsible for the whole


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problem

1. Carbon dioxide (CO2);

2. Methane (CH4);

3. Nitrous oxide (N2O) i.e. Killer Gas & water vapor;

4. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs);

5. Per fluorocarbons (PFCs); and

6. Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)

7. Nitrogen Trifluoride NF3 (Added recently in Doha COP 2012)

**Besides, activities like coal production (china) & deforestation also results

in CO2 gas emission.

Annex B (Targets)

This gives the Annex I countries (Developed countries) compulsory binding

targets to reduce green house gas emission. For example USA is required to

cut down its emission by 7%

Kyoto protocol: How does it actuallywork?

Under Kyoto Protocol, each Annex-B country is given emission target quota

(Kyoto Units).

For example, for the year 2009, Australias allowed quota was 2,957,579,143


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Kyoto units. (each unit is equivalent to 1 ton of carbon dioxide) Now, as long

as Australia emits that much green house gas= no problem.

So first of all, Australian Government should do all steps to make sure it

doesnt cross that quota for example -

- Making compulsory anti-pollution laws: for example a Tire making company

with daily output of 200 tires must not emit more than 200 tonnes of green

house gas per year.

- Promoting solar energy, reducing tax on solar cells, wind mill equipments

etc.

- If a family buys second car then it will have to pay higher tax (just like

Chinas one child policy but with cars!)

But even after all these measures, if Australia wants to emit more green house

gas, then it will have tobuy additional quota or units from another

country. Kyoto Protocol allows three mechanisms to do so :

i. Carbon Trading

ii. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)

iii. Joint Implementation (JI)

Carbon Trading

Carbon credits create a market for reducing greenhouse emissions by giving

a monetary value to the cost of polluting the air. Emissions become an

internal cost of doing business and are visible on the balance sheet.

For example, consider a business that owns a factory putting out 100,000


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tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in a year. Its government is an Annex I

country that enacts a law to limit the emissions that the business can produce.

So the factory is given a quota of say 80,000 tonnes per year. The factory

either reduces its emissions to 80,000 tonnes or is required to

purchase carbon credits to offset the excess. After costing up

alternatives the business may decide that it is uneconomical or infeasible to

invest in new machinery for that year. Instead it may choose to buy carbon

credits on the open market from organizations that have been approved as

being able to sell legitimate carbon credits.

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)

Suppose Annex B country Australia is given emission quota of 200 units, but

it emits 210 units of green house gas.

But Australia can finance a solar power projectin some village of India

(Non-Annex or developing Country) and get certificate that the solar plant ledto reduction of 10 units of green house gas. In this way, Australia will remain

in its quota/limit.

Similarly, suppose Australian Government has passed a law that a steel

production company with output of 200 tonnes of steel per a day, must not

emit more than 10 units of green house gas in a year.

But this company wants to produce more steel, then its green house gas

emission has increased to 11 units. (1 more unit above the quota)

So this company can also do some solar-projects in India, Brazil etc. and get a

certificate that it has led to reduction of 1 unit of GHG emission. = problem

solved.

Joint Implementation (JI)


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This is identical to CDM.

In CDM, Australia can do good project in a non-Annex country (developing

country) e.g. India.

In JI, Australia can do the good project in another Annex B country e.g. Japan

to meet the quota.

# Why USA did not ratify Kyoto Protocol?

US President George W Bush refused to ratify Kyoto protocol saying that it

would gravely damage the US economy for example a US steel company

would need to either buy Carbon Credits from another company or invest in

some projects in a developing country), while an Indian or Chinese Steel

company has no such obligation so their cost of production = low, hence they

can sell their products @lower MRP = US steel company will loose customers.

So US Government feels is that the treaty is fatally flawed, because it does not

require developing countries (especially India and China) to commit to

emissions reductions.

After President Bush, President Obama too, didnt ratify Kyoto protocol for

the same reason. (plus we should also understand that the powerful US

industrialist lobby may stop election funds to a candidate, if he is in favor of

Kyoto protocol, so USA is unlikely to ratify Kyoto or any such future

protocols that are legally binding)

#Why Canada moved out in 2011?

In 2011, Canada, become the first country to quit the Kyoto Protocol on

climate change, saying the 1997 accord was handicapped because top green

house emitters like the United States and China not covered by it. (Because


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USA has refused to ratify the treaty and China being an Annex II country

has no compulsory responsibility to cut down emission.)

Future of Kyoto Protocol

COP17 was in Durban and COP18 as held Doha, Qatar in Nov 2012

- Extend commitments under Kyoto Protocol until 2020, and

- Create a successor of Kyoto Protocol: a post-2012 international climate

treaty.

Highlights Doha COP (Dec 2012):

The Doha Climate Change Conference that concluded on 8th December, 2012

has resulted in three decisions(clubbed together as Doha Climate

Gateway).

i. 2nd Commitment Period (Pre 2020)

1. The Kyoto Protocol has been extended with a second

commitment period of 8 years, commencing on 1 January 2013

and end on 31 December 2020;

2. Annex 1 Parties that have agreed to the 2nd commitment period (CP2)

obligations will review their Quantified Emission Limitation and

Reduction Objective (QELRO)during 2014 (It is nothing but

Emission Targets);

3. The host country for the Green Climate Fund (GCF)***was

approved to be based in the Republic of Korea;4. Replace the list of GHGs in Annex A with a new list that adds

nitrogen trifluorideto a revised basket of 7 GHGs;


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5. A more controversial decision was the left over units from the first

commitment periodwill not be carried overto the partys

second commitment period but will be transferred to a separate

account, which would significantly reduce their value.

***Green Climate Fund(GCF) is a fund within the framework of the

UNFCCC founded as a mechanism to transfer money from the developed to

the developing world, in order to assist the developing countries in mitigation

and adaptation practices to counter climate change. GCF is used for NAMA

under Bali Action Plan for mitigation by developing nations.

ii. Headway on Bali Action plan

1. Indias principle of equityi.e. Common but differentiated

responsibilities (CBDR)was re-introducedin the negotiation

after it had been kept out of the talks in 2009 and 2010. It was also

supported by G77 and China, BASIC groups.

2. India also argued that Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action

(NAMA)**is voluntary reductionsby developing countriesin

accordance to their respective capabilitiesand requires to be

supported and enabledby technology transfer from developed

countries. By definition, NAMA will vary by country.

3. India also ensured that agriculture, being a sensitive sector of our

economy, was kept out ofmitigation programme.

**Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) was first used in Bali

Action Plan (2007, COP-13) and subsequently forwarded to Copenhagen

Accord. NAMA applies to developing world.

**National Adaptation Programme for Action (NAPA) are action plans

submitted by the LDCs on how to adapt to climate change.


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Criticism - Some have criticized NAMA as encouraging enormous subsidy

programs funded by developed countries and implemented on a voluntary

basis by developing countries

iii. Successor of Kyoto + Debate on PoE [Post 2020]

1. A successor of Protocol is set to be developed by 2015and

implemented by 2020. but there is agains a debate on nature of treaty.

2. While the rich countries argue for a universal treaty with all nations of the

world as parties and binding targets for all, the poor or developing countries

insist that the developed nations have a historical responsibility of creating

the problem of global warming and climate change, hence they must take a

larger responsibility of emission reduction. This is called Principle of Equity.

Warsaw COP-19 (Nov 2013):

i. Methane Reductions

Although, methane reductions has been highlighted in IPCC report,

agriculture has been again kept out ofMitigation.

**India found wide-ranging support from other countries in its effort,

including the entire G77+China bloc and surprisingly the U.S. too


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ii. New Carbon Marketing Mechanism

The developed countries have started pushing for a piecemeal approachto

the global deal. Earlier, they wanted global climate treaty with GHG

reduction targets i.e. mitigationbeing decided first in 2015 and decisions on

adaptation, technologyand financebeing segregated and postponed for

later years. Now, they are promoting the idea that the talks must deliver a

new carbon market mechanism (**existing ones CT, CDM, JI) even before

mitigation.

Developing block has opposed proposals to sign such a piecemeal global

climate treaty and has put in a submission to the UNFCCC, advocating that

all elements of the deal mitigation, adaptation, technology and finance

should be addressed at the same time as part of a balanced package.

iii. Loss & Damage (**Ab tak ka jo loss hua hai)

The G77+China has taken the other high ground of L&Dand want developed

world to take it first. The phrase loss and damage refers broadly to the entire

range of damage and permanent loss associated with climate change in

developing countries that can no longer be avoidedthrough mitigation

or adaptation. There are limits to adaptation and risk reduction.The losses are to

be co nsidered in te rms of both economicand non-economic

Economic losses include structural damage from floods or hurricanes, or crop

loss due to drought or extreme heat.

Non-economic losses include cultural loss, loss of livelihoods, loss of

territory.

***India can play a crucial role as a mediator in this impasse.


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b. UN REDD and REDD+ ProgrammesReducing Emissions from

Deforestation and forest Degradation

Objective To reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from deforestation

and forest degradation.

REDD is an effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in

forests, offering incentives for developing countries to maintain forests that

act as carbon stores). Thus it acts as North-South flow of funds by

incentivizing poor countries. Indias program on Social Forestry can be related

to this.

REDD+ is a solution goes beyond deforestation and forest degradation, and

includes the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and

enhancement of forest carbon stocks. REDD+ will require the full

engagement and respect for the rights of Indigenous Peoples and other forest-

dependent communities. This has paved the way for Indian Bill The

Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of

Forest Rights) Act, 2006 and its corresponding amendment in Sept 2012.

c. Copenhagen Accord NAMA

COP-15 @Copenhagen, Denmark

In the meeting, the BASIC blocBrazil, South Africa, India and Chinaand

the U.S., came up with a political agreement. This agreement is known as the

Copenhagen Accord.

It says -


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i. All countries should pledge to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emission but

all of the pledges made under the Copenhagen Accord are voluntary. There

are no binding obligations placed on these pledges by the UNFCCC or any

other international body.

ii. It also lays the groundwork for financial commitments from developed

countries (US,UK) to developing countries (India,Brazil etc) for climate

change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

**UNFCCC acknowledged the Copenhagen Accord and has assisted in

collecting the GHG reduction pledges of various countries.

III. Sustainable Development

Agenda 21is a non-binding, voluntarilyAction Planfor the UN, other

multilateral organizations, and individual governments around the world

w.r.t. Sustainable Development that can be executed at local, national, and

global levels. The 21 in Agenda 21 refers to the 21st century. It has been

affirmed and modified at subsequent UN conferences and MDGs has been a

special product of Agenda 21.

Opposition in the United StatesDuring the last decade, opposition to

Agenda 21 has increased within the United States at the local, state, and

federal levels The Republican National Committee has adopted a resolution

opposing Agenda 21, and the Republican Party platform stated that We

strongly reject the U.N. Agenda 21 as erosive of American sovereignty.

Several state and local governments have considered or passed motions and

legislation opposing Agenda 21. Alabama became the first state to prohibit

.


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government participation in Agenda 21, but Arizona rejected a similar bill.

Even a group of Democrats has now joined the fight. And the movement to

stop it is growing stronger every single day.Some Statements that provide the

reason for its opposition -It calls for lowering the standard of living for

Americans so that the people in poorer countries will have more, a

redistribution of wealth.This organization is a threat to our individual rights

and our local governments sovereignty in decision-making It is an

insidious, extreme institution that does not represent our citizens, and for our

taxpayers to continue to fund it would be ridiculous.

We do not need international organizations leading the way for us in how

we develop our planning and development tools and regulations

Follow-up

ii. Rio+5 (1997) UN General assembly held a special session to appraise

the status of Agenda 21.

iii. Millennium Summit It a meeting among many world leaders lasting

three days in September 2000. In this summit, 189 member states of the

United Nations agreed to help citizens in the worlds poorest countries to

achieve a better life by the year 2015 and world leaders ratified the UnitedNations Millennium Declaration which later paved way to MDGs.

iv. Rio+10 (2002), Johannesburg : World Summit on Sustainable

Development, WSSD

- Affirmed UN commitment to full implementation of Agenda 21;

- Millennium Development Goals (Read Separately)


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**The absence of the United States rendered the summit partially impotent.

George W. Bush boycotted the summit and did not attend. Except for a brief

appearance by Colin Powell, who hurriedly addressed the closing stages of the

conference while his airplane taxied on the runway of Johannesburg

International, the US government did not send a delegation, earning Bush

praise in a letter from conservative organizations and capitalists.

v.World Summit, 2005 & 2010 - Follow-up summit meeting to review

the progress of MDGs.

vi. Rio+20 (2012) : United Nations Conference on Sustainable

Development, UNCSD [Recent]

Objectives:

- Renew political commitment for sustainable development

- Assessing the progress and implementation gaps in meeting previous

commitments

- Addressing new and emerging challenges.

2 Primary Outcomes:

The primary result of the conference was the non-binding document, The

Future We Want, a 49 page work paper. The document largely reaffirms

previous action plans like Agenda 21 and calls for goals to be integrated into

UNs post 2015 Development agenda.

- Fundamental changes in the way societies consume and produce. Shift

Taxesso thatworkerspay less and polluters pay more.


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- Commitments to phase out fossil fuel subsidies.

Other Outcomes -

ii. Sustainable Development Goals a set of measurable targets aimed at

promoting sustainable development globally.

iii. Strengthening UNEP an international institution that coordinates U.N.

environmental activities to a U.N. agency with power equal to other U.N.

bodies like the World Health Organization.

iv. Nations agreed to explore alternatives to GDP as a measure of wealth that

take environmental and social factors into account.

vii. Take action to reduce the incidence and impacts of such pollution on

marine ecosystems,

viii. New intergovernmental process to produce a report that evaluates how

much money is needed for sustainable development, and what new and

existing instruments can be used to raise more funds.

References:

- Wiki

- Mrunal.org


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- The Hindu

7 Votes

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Conventions and Related Protocols Related to Environment _ Compiled for UPSC

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