Multilateral environmental agreement

An international environmental agreement is an agreement between two or more States in the field of the environment. Agreement between two states are referred to as bilateral agreements between three and more states usually as a multilateral environmental agreements (English Multilateral Environmental Agreement, MEA). The geographical scope of multilateral environmental agreements can be very different. While UN -initiated environmental agreements (eg Convention on Biological Diversity ) in general, all States may become a party to the world, other international environmental agreements are regionally aligned ( the Bern Convention eg, for Europe ). States and international organizations to sign such agreements and thus become a party to an international environmental agreement. Associations of states such as the European Union also have the opportunity to become a party to an international environmental agreement.

International environmental agreements are often negotiated at the United Nations environment. They are binding in international law at the international level and to help enforce better environmental protection, which alone would not be possible at national level. The UN Conference on the Human Environment ( UNCHE ) in Stockholm in 1972 and on Environment and Development (UNCED ) in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 are regarded as milestones of global environmental policy and have a great importance for the realization of a number of international environmental agreements. List of international environmental agreements

• 2.1 Important MEAs

Bilateral Environmental Agreements

In bilateral environmental agreements two states regulate their intended environmental cooperation, either governmental or departmental level between the environment ministries. An example is the German - Russian intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of environmental protection on May 28, 1992, the implementation is coordinating a steering group with diverse work groups.

Bilateral Environmental Agreements in Germany

Since the establishment of an independent Federal Environment Ministry in 1986 Germany has a number of bilateral agreements with many partner countries in Europe and in other regions of the world closed.

Multilateral Environmental Agreements

Currently, more than 1,000 multilateral environmental agreements, including nearly 500 intergovernmental agreements exist ("classical " environmental agreements ), nearly 400 Amending Agreement and nearly 200 protocols.

The best-known "classic" environmental agreements is the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD ), the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification ( UNCCD).

Among the most important protocols include the Kyoto Protocol, which supplements the UNFCCC since 1997, the Montreal Protocol multilateral ozone policy and finally the Cartagena Protocol and the Nagoya Protocol on the protection of biodiversity.

Known amendment agreements are particularly the subsequent tightening of the Montreal Protocol, London 1990, Copenhagen 1992, Montreal in 1997 and finally Beijing 1999.

Important MEAs

• 2001: Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Convention)
• 1994: International Tropical Timber Agreement ( ITTA, 1994)
• 1994: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD )
• 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 1997: Kyoto Protocol ( Protocol to the UNFCCC )

• 2010: Nagoya Protocol on access to genetic resources and equitable benefit-sharing ( Additional Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity )
• 2000: Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety ( Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity )