Unit - I

UNIT-1
Multilateral Environmental
Agreements (MEAs) and Protocols
Multilateral Environmental Agreements
(MEAs) are a collection of treaties, conventions,
and protocols that address environmental
challenges. They are international agreements
that promote cooperation to address global
environmental issues, such as climate change,
biodiversity loss, and pollution.
MEAs are governed by international law
and are expressed in written documents that
are approved by each country's
parliament. They can have a primary objective
of addressing environmental problems, and
may also have a secondary objective, such as
sustainable development or poverty reduction
Some examples of MEAs include:
 1) United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC): that
addresses climate change
 2) Kyoto Protocol: that addresses climate
change
 3) Convention on Biological Diversity: that
addresses biodiversity loss
 4) Rotterdam Convention: An MEA that
aims to promote shared responsibility for
the importation of hazardous chemicals
 5) Stockholm Convention: that aims to
eliminate or restrict the production and use
of persistent organic pollutants
 6) Minamata Convention: An MEA that aims
to protect human health and the
environment from mercury and mercury
compounds
1.UNFCCC:
 What is the United Nations
Convention on Climate Change
UNFCCC?
The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March
1994. Today, it has near-universal
membership. The 198 countries that have
ratified the Convention are called Parties to the
Convention. Preventing “dangerous” human
interference with the climate system is the
ultimate aim of the UNFCCC.
 What is the role of the United
Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change?
The United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted in 1992
with the ultimate aim of preventing dangerous
human interference with the climate system.
The 1997 Kyoto Protocol and 2015 Paris
Agreement build on the Convention.
 What are the 5 principles of

UNFCCC?
1.responsibility 2: Reduce overall climate
impact 3: Educate for climate action 4: Promote
sustainable and responsible consumption;
5: Advocate for climate action through
communication.
2.Kyoto Protocol:
The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty
that was adopted in 1997 to reduce
“greenhouse gas emissions”.
 When it was adopted: The Kyoto Protocol
was adopted on December 11, 1997 in Kyoto,
Japan.
 When it went into effect: The Kyoto Protocol
entered into force on February 16, 2005.
 What it did: The Kyoto Protocol committed
industrialized countries and the European
Union to reduce their greenhouse gas
emissions by an average of 5% below 1990
levels between 2008 and 2012.
 What it was based on: The Kyoto Protocol
was based on the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change.
 What it targeted: The Kyoto Protocol
targeted six greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide,
methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride,
hydrofluorocarbons, and perfluorocarbons.
 What it was succeeded by: The Kyoto
Protocol was succeeded by the Paris
Agreement, which entered into force in
November 2016
3.Convention on Biological
Diversity:
The Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD), known informally as
the Biodiversity Convention,it is a
multilateral treaty.The Convention has
three main goals: the conservation of
biological diversity; 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.
 What is the Convention on

Biological Diversity?
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is
the international legal instrument for "the
conservation of biological diversity, the
sustainable use of its components and the fair
and equitable sharing of the benefits arising
out of the utilization of genetic resources" that
has been ratified by 196 nations.
What are the Convention on

Biological Diversity goals?
It has 3 main objectives: The conservation of
biological diversity. The sustainable use of the
components of biological diversity. The fair and
equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of
the utilization of genetic resources.
 What is the Rio Convention on
Biological Diversity?
The key objectives of the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) are the conservation
of biological diversity, its sustainable use, and
the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits
arising from commercial and other utilization of
genetic resources.
4.Rotterdam Convention:
The Rotterdam Convention is an international
treaty that aims to limit the use of hazardous
chemicals and promote shared responsibility
for their importation. It's a legally binding but
voluntary convention that was signed in
Rotterdam, Netherlands in 1998 and came into
force in 2004.
Here are some key points about the Rotterdam
Convention:
 Purpose
The convention aims to help countries make
informed decisions about trading hazardous
chemicals.
 Rules
The convention requires exporters to inform
importing countries about the harmful effects
of toxic chemicals before trade takes
place. Exporters must also use proper labeling,
include safe handling instructions, and inform
buyers of any known restrictions or bans.
 Chemicals covered
The convention covers pesticides and
industrial chemicals that have been banned or
severely restricted for health or environmental
reasons.
5.Stockholm Convention:
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent
Organic Pollutants (POPs) is a global treaty that
was signed in Stockholm on May 22, 2001 and
came into effect on May 17, 2004. The treaty's
goal is to protect human health and the
environment from the harmful effects of POPs,
which are chemicals that can remain in the
environment for long periods of time.
The convention's main provisions include:

 Reducing or eliminating POPs
Member states are required to take proactive
measures to reduce or eliminate the
production and use of POPs.
 Protecting human health and the
environment
POPs can cause severe effects, such as cancer
and reduced IQ, and can accumulate in the
fatty tissue of humans and wildlife.
 Addressing long-distance transport
POPs can be transported over long distances
through the atmosphere and oceans.
6.Minamata Convention:
The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an
international treaty that aims to protect the
environment and human health from the
harmful effects of mercury and its
compounds. The convention is named after the
Japanese city of Minamata, which was severely
affected by mercury poisoning due to industrial
wastewater. Here's some information about the
Minamata Convention:
 When it was signed and went into effect
The Minamata Convention was signed in 2013
and went into effect in 2017.
 What it covers
The convention addresses the release of
mercury into the environment, human
activities that contribute to mercury pollution,
and how to store and dispose of mercury.
 Who is part of it
128 countries are signatories to the
convention, and 119 are parties to it. India is a
signatory and ratified the convention.
 Why it's important
The convention is expected to reduce mercury
pollution over the next few decades.
Environmental
legislations in INDIA
India has many environmental laws, including:
1. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
This act established a National and a State
Wildlife Board for carrying out conservation
activities
2. The Water (Prevention and
Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
This act was one of the first legislations to
control water pollution and regulate industrial
trade discharges.
3. Forest Conservation Act, 1980
This act aims to protect and conserve trees
so that they can support wildlife and their
habitat
4. Air (Prevention and Control of

Pollution) Act, 1981
This act came into force in 1981 and is one of
the main laws that control air pollution in
India. It also mandated state pollution control
boards to prevent and control air pollution.
5. Environment Protection Act,
1986
This legislation focuses on preventing,
controlling, and reducing environmental
pollution. It also declared coastal stretches as
coastal regulation zones
6. The Energy Conservation Act Of
2001
This act aims to promote efficient use of
energy in India
7. Biological Diversity Act, 2002
This act was the first attempt in India to
legislate the conservation of biodiversity.
8. The National Green Tribunal Act,
2010
This act established a special tribunal to
deal with disputes involving environmental
concerns.

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UNIT-1

 What are the 5 principles of

 What is the Convention on

What are the Convention on

The convention's main provisions include:

4. Air (Prevention and Control of

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