Misplaced Pages

#792207

80-738: The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds , or African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement ( AEWA ) is an independent international treaty developed under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme 's Convention on Migratory Species . The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds was drafted on 19 June 1995 in The Hague , Netherlands, in order to coordinate efforts to conserve bird species migrating between European and African nations. The AEWA

160-652: 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). UNEP was established by General Assembly Resolution 2997. 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. At

240-575: A 27-nation Preparatory Committee for the Conference, whose goal was to produce a declaration concerning the "rights and obligations of citizens and Governments with regard to the preservation and improvement of the human environment" as outlined by a recommendation by the Secretary-General. The Conference Secretariat, Maurice Strong , was responsible for the preparation and organization of the Conference. An Intergovernmental Working Group

320-647: A book with the Parliament of the World's Religions Climate Action Program entitled, "Faith for Earth: A Call for Action." The book serves as an educational resource for students, teachers, and leaders across the world and highlights the role that faith-based organizations can play in addressing critical environmental issues. UN assigns specific years to topics to raise awareness and engagement. The following years pertain to environmental topics: See international observance and list of environmental dates . Following

400-567: A final draft was formed on the last day of the Conference. A debate held by Maurice Strong saw opposition and reservation from certain countries. The Committee proceeded with a draft resolution, which was adopted by 103 votes to none, with 12 abstentions from South Africa and the Soviet bloc. On December 15, 1972, the General Assembly adopted the text under Resolution 2994 with 112 votes to none, and 10 abstentions. The Declaration

480-666: A joint statement with the United Nations University predicting that "50 million people could become environmental refugees by 2010, fleeing the effects of climate change ". This was reinforced in 2008, by Srgjan Kerim, President of the UN General Assembly, who estimated that there would be between 50 million and 200 million environmental migrants by 2010. In 2008, UNEP made a series of statements that glaciers are shrinking at record rates and many could disappear within decades. Scientists measuring

560-532: A prominent theme for the next forty years. Brazil believed that some environmental degradation should be allowed in developing nations for economic growth. The delegates of Brazil emphasized that the Western industrialized countries should have taken the responsibility to address environmental issues, and no measures that restrict trade in the name of the environment, such as environmental requirements that make goods more expensive, should be imposed. While discussing

640-412: A quality that permits a life of dignity and well-being, and he bears a solemn responsibility to protect and improve the environment for present and future generations. In this respect, policies promoting or perpetuating apartheid, racial segregation, discrimination, colonial and other forms of oppression and foreign domination stand condemned and must be eliminated. Principle 2 The natural resources of

720-404: A somewhat Machiavellian view, arguing that nations are preoccupied with promoting their own interests rather than preserving the commons. This idea of the nation-state has affected the outcomes of environmental agreements throughout history. The implementation varied in different countries based on the differences between the rich and poor nations, which potentially led to mild conflict between

800-583: A special responsibility to safeguard and wisely manage the heritage of wildlife and its habitat, which are now gravely imperilled by a combination of adverse factors. Nature conservation, including wildlife, must therefore receive importance in planning for economic development. Principle 5 The non-renewable resources of the earth must be employed in such a way as to guard against the danger of their future exhaustion and to ensure that benefits from such employment are shared by all mankind. Principle 6 The discharge of toxic substances or of other substances and

880-594: A universal member system (all UN member states). (UNEA, UN Environment Assembly) It was implemented once in 2014. The European Investment Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme created the Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP) in 2015 to assist a United Nations project dubbed Sustainable Energy for All. Renewable Energy Performance Platform was established with $ 67 million from

SECTION 10

#1732782454793

960-517: Is an independent treaty under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species , of the United Nations Environment Programme . The agreement focuses on bird species that depend on wetlands for at least part of their lifecycle and cross international borders in their migration patterns. It currently covers 254 species. Its current scope stretches from the Arctic to South Africa, encompassing

1040-605: Is the co-chair and a founding partner (along with groups such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation ) for the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy , which is a public-private partnership of over 50 global organizations and governments seeking to support the transition to a global circular economy . Established in 1974, this is the world's only legal programme for the purpose of protecting

1120-561: Is the solar loan programme sponsored by UNEP that helped 100,000 people finance solar power systems in India . Success in India's solar programme has led to similar projects in other parts of the developing world, including Tunisia , Morocco , Indonesia and Mexico . In 2001, UNEP alerted about the destruction of the Marshlands when it released satellite images showing that 90 percent of

1200-609: The Canadian archipelago and the Middle East as well as Europe and Africa. The parties meet every few years. So far there have been seven meetings: The use of lead shot over wetlands has been banned by the signatories to the convention on account of the poisoning it causes. United Nations Environment Programme As a member of the United Nations Development Group , UNEP aims to help

1280-622: The UNEP as an institution failed to do so with its lack of funding and enforcement mechanisms. Consequently, states are not obligated nor motivated to follow up on the agreement met at the Conference. The ongoing political and ideological rivalry between the US and USSR and their respective allies continues to overshadow the tension in the international environment during the Stockholm Conference in 1972. The Cold War started in 1947 and

1360-716: The United Kingdom 's International Climate Finance initiative, administered by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy , in 2015, and $ 128 million in 2018. REPP was established with a five-year goal of improving energy access for at least two million people in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has so far invested around $ 45 million to renewable energy projects in 13 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa . Solar power and hydropower are among

1440-498: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). On the positive side, the implementation of the Stockholm Conference led to the creation of an action plan that consisted of three pillars: Firstly, an Earthwatch Programme to identify problems of international significance to warn against impending environmental crises; second, recommendations concerning "environmental management or in other words

1520-650: The World Conservation Monitoring Centre , based in Cambridge and sponsored by IUCN , became part of UNEP. In December 1972, the UN General Assembly unanimously elected Maurice Strong to be the first head of UN Environment. He was also secretary-general of both the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment and the Earth Summit (1992). The position was then held for 17 years (1975–1992) by Mostafa Kamal Tolba , who

1600-903: The World Meteorological Organization and UNEP established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). UNEP is also one of several Implementing Agencies for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol . UNEP sometimes uses the alternative name UN Environment. The headquarters of the agency is in Nairobi, Kenya. In

1680-443: The 1970s, the need for environmental governance at a global level was not universally accepted, particularly by developing nations. Some argued that environmental concerns were not a priority for nations in poverty. The leadership of Canadian diplomat Maurice Strong convinced many of the developing nations' governments that they needed to prioritize this issue. In the words of Nigerian professor Adebayo Adedeji : "Mr. Strong, through

SECTION 20

#1732782454793

1760-409: The 1987 Montreal Protocol for limiting emissions of gases blamed for thinning the planet's protective ozone layer, and the 2017 Minamata Convention , a treaty to limit toxic mercury. UNEP has sponsored the development of solar loan programmes, with attractive return rates, to buffer the initial deployment costs and entice consumers to consider and purchase solar PV systems . The most famous example

1840-694: The 2007 publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report , the Paris Call for Action , presented by French president Jacques Chirac and supported by 46 countries, called for the UNEP to be replaced by a new and more powerful "United Nations Environment Organization", to be modeled on the World Health Organization . The 46 countries included the European Union nations, but notably did not include

1920-564: The Conference without further discussion in the committee. The debate at the Stockholm Conference was headed by Maurice F. Strong , the former President of the Canadian International Development Agency . In the general debate, many speakers highlighted the significance of the Declaration and several, including Strong, rallied for the adoption of the Declaration without further changes to preserve

2000-673: The Council of Ministers approved the first four-year Environment Action Programme (1973-1976) in Europe to "reduce pollution and nuisances; improve the environment and quality of life; and promote common community action by member states, in international organizations dealing with the environment". China, as a new joint of the United Nations in October 1971, became an "indispensable stakeholder in global environmental governance" since

2080-667: The Human Environment The Stockholm Declaration of 1972 , or the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment , is the first United Nations declaration on the global environment. It consists of 26 principles and led to the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which laid the foundation for future global environmental governance . The United Nations Conference on

2160-471: The Human Environment was held in Stockholm, Sweden, from June 5–16 in 1972. The 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment signifies the first international effort to place environmental issues at the forefront of global concerns. The Conference sought to recognize the finite nature of Earth's resources and human impacts on the environment. It represented the beginning of a global dialogue on

2240-698: The International Environmental Education Programme (1975–1995), which set out a vision for, and gave practical guidance on how to mobilize education for environmental awareness. In 1976 UNESCO launched an environmental education newsletter Connect as the official organ of the UNESCO-UNEP International Environmental Education Programme (IEEP). Until 2007 it served as a clearinghouse to exchange information on environmental education in general and to promote

2320-555: The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs said the freezing of funds was probably unprecedented. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC BY-SA ( license statement/permission ). Text taken from Issues and trends in Education for Sustainable Development​ , 26, 27, UNESCO. Declaration of the United Nations Conference on

2400-827: The Resources of the Biosphere , which was convened in Paris by UNESCO in September 1968. Promptly, the Application of Science and Technology to Development , the U.N. Advisory Committee, and the Secretary General seconded this notion. Finally, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council endorsed the Secretary-General's recommendation. In 1971, General Assembly Resolution 2581 effectively created

2480-750: The Stockholm Conference 1972. After the Stockholm Conference, China held its first national environmental conference in 1973. After the Cultural Revolution , China held its second national environmental protection conference to strengthen its environmental management and pollution treatment in 1983. China also established the China Council for the International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) to actively promote international environmental cooperation. The Stockholm Declaration has an undeniable impact on

Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds - Misplaced Pages Continue

2560-637: The Stockholm Conference in 1967. In addition, during this time period when countries were at war and decolonizing themselves, international cooperation was crucial. In spite of the ongoing politics, the Soviet Union , the other members of the Eastern bloc , most Western European countries, and the United States all supported Sweden's proposal. However, the United Kingdom and France in particular were concerned that developing countries may use

2640-755: The Stockholm Conference provided a higher standard for the European Council to combat environmental issues. In the Paris Summit 1972 , the Heads of State and of Government acknowledged the theme of the Stockholm Conference that became the origin of the community environmental policy in Europe and led to the establishment of the Environmental Unit (predecessor of the Directorate-General for Environment ). On 22 November 1973,

2720-480: The Stockholm Declaration, was to create, clarify, and rearticulate principles that states can incorporate into their domestic legislation. The goal was that if enough states included the Declaration domestically, it might lead to the Declaration transforming into international law norms . From June 2 to 3, 2022, an international environmental meeting will be held again in Stockholm, Sweden. Under

2800-815: The UN. Even though the Soviet Union and the United States had supported the proposal during discussions in the UN General Assembly , the Geneva-based secretariat preparing the meeting often had to strike a delicate balance between east and west. However, on March 7, 1972, the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia boycotted the opening of the final United Nations preparatory session for the conference to be held in Stockholm in June. The disagreement around

2880-500: The United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China, the top four emitters of greenhouse gases . In December 2012, following the Rio+20 Summit, a decision by the General Assembly of the United Nations to "strengthen and upgrade" the UNEP and establish universal membership of its governing body was confirmed. In other words, it was reorganized by applying the existing executive member system (58 member states) from 1973 to 2013 to

2960-588: The Working Group drafted a preamble in addition to 17 fundamental principles. This initial draft faced heavy criticism from the Preparatory Committee due to the view that the draft was an instrument to promote "restrictive, anti-developmental and 'conservationist' policies." In response to the feedback, the Group created a new document of a preamble and 23 principles. This draft was presented at

3040-454: The agreements reached in pre-Conference consultation sessions. However, while some speakers were willing to accept the draft, they also highlighted the text's lack of attention to developing nations' needs. Developing countries stressed that developed nations should not use environmental concerns as an excuse for imposing development restrictions. They argued that developed nations exploited the greatest amount of resources and contributed most of

3120-502: The aims and activities of the IEEP in particular, as well as being a network for institutions and individuals interested and active in environment education. Climate change In 1989, UNEP published a statement predicting that "entire nations could be wiped off the face of the Earth by sea level rise if the global warming trend is not reversed by the year 2000". In 2005, UNEP issued

3200-580: The application in practice of what was shown to be desirable or necessary in regard to the environment"; lastly, supporting measures such as education, training, public information. Furthermore, the implementation also resulted in the enactment of three international conventions, in London and Washington D.C. respectively which dealt with environmental issues such as waste dumping in oceans, preservation of heritage sites and limiting international trade in certain wildlife species. The principles and goals set at

3280-691: The conditions of under-development and natural disasters pose grave problems and can best be remedied by accelerated development through the transfer of substantial quantities of financial and technological assistance as a supplement to the domestic effort of the developing countries and such timely assistance as may be required. Principle 10 For the developing countries, stability of prices and adequate earnings for primary commodities and raw materials are essential to environmental management, since economic factors as well as ecological processes must be taken into account. Principle 11 The environmental policies of all States should enhance and not adversely affect

Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds - Misplaced Pages Continue

3360-492: The conference as means to garner more financial support from formal colonial powers. Developing countries were also wary that Northern countries' interests would control the discussions and weaponize environmental issues to hinder their economic development. In December 1968, the United Nations General Assembly agreed to convene in 1972 through the adoption of Resolution 2398(XXIII) , with one of

3440-513: The core source of UNEP's programs. Between 1974 and 1986 UNEP produced more than 200 technical guidelines or manuals on environment including forest and water management, pest control , pollution monitoring, the relationship between chemical use and health, and management of industry. The location of the headquarters proved to be a major controversy, with developed countries preferring Geneva , where several other UN offices are based, while developing countries preferred Nairobi, as that would be

3520-458: The debate, China requested a Working Group. They proposed that in order to solve environmental issues, developing countries need to develop their economy, technology, and industrialize to improve productivity. This notion was amended by Iran. The Conference created this group, resulting in a series of amendment requests. After an all-night session and under the leadership of Taieb Slim, T. C. Bacon, Hans Blix , along with Strong and his associates,

3600-420: The earth, including the air, water, land, flora and fauna and especially representative samples of natural ecosystems, must be safeguarded for the benefit of present and future generations through careful planning or management, as appropriate. Principle 3 The capacity of the earth to produce vital renewable resources must be maintained and, wherever practicable, restored or improved. Principle 4 Man has

3680-623: The energy methods used in the projects. In September 2018, a series of allegations were made against the executive director of the UNEP, Eric Solheim, at that time, including excessive number of days spent outside the headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. As a result, Eric Solheim resigned. Several donor countries withdrew their donation in the aftermath of the allegation, including the Dutch government who announced it would withhold $ 8 million in funding to UNEP until nepotism issues were resolved. Sweden and Denmark stopped funding as well. A spokesman for

3760-444: The environmental field. The Global 500 Roll of Honour was initiated in 1987 and ended in 2003. Its 2005 successor, Champions of the Earth , and a similar award, Young Champions of the Earth , are given annually to entrepreneurs, scientists, policy leaders, upcoming talent, individuals and organizations who make significant positive impacts on resources and the environment in their areas. UNEP has registered several successes, such as

3840-545: The fifth Magdeburg Environmental Forum held in 2008, in Magdeburg , Germany, UNEP and car manufacturer Daimler AG called for the establishment of infrastructure for electric vehicles . At this international conference 250 politicians and representatives of non-government organizations discussed future road transportation under the motto of "Sustainable Mobility–the Post-2012 CO 2 Agenda". Circular economy UNEP

3920-418: The first international organization headquartered in the Global South . At first, Mexico City , New Delhi , and Cairo were also competing to be the headquarters, but they pulled out to support Nairobi. Many of the developing countries were "not particularly supportive of creating a new formal institution for environmental governance", but supported its creation as an act of "Southern solidarity". In 2000,

4000-426: The health of almost 30 glaciers around the world found that ice loss reached record levels in 2006. On average, the studied glaciers shrank by 4.9 feet in 2006. Norway 's Breidalblikkbrea glacier shrank 10.2 feet in 2006. Glaciers lost an average of about a foot of ice a year between 1980 and 1999, but since the turn of the millennium the average loss has increased to about 20 inches. Electric vehicles At

4080-425: The highest political level more challenging and therefore restricting the changes. Sir Tony Brenton and Strong highlighted the implications of the nation-state within the international system. Strong points out that states would not easily forgo their sovereignty and enter collective agreements with other nations, which makes international environmental action exceptionally difficult. Similarly, Brenton follows

SECTION 50

#1732782454793

4160-485: The ineligibility of East Germany to participate in the Stockholm Conference. Developing countries including India , Nigeria , and Brazil expressed both embracements of the environmental actions and concerns for potential hindrance on economic development. Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi asserted that "poverty is the worst form of pollution", encompassing a discursive framework that pitted Northern environmentalism against Southern development commitment that remain

4240-403: The link between economic growth, the pollution of the environment, and the well-being of humanity. The resulting Stockholm Declaration urged its partnering nations to reduce air, land, and water degradation by integrating science and technology in their development plans. It also called nations to create regulations on wildlife protection, environmental conservation, and population control. While

4320-446: The majority of the Declaration to be "useless for legal purposes" because of its vagueness. Most of the Declaration, apart from Principle 21, was written as policy statements rather than in legal language. The Declaration is also not legally binding by nature, and it was considered as a soft law at the international level. In addition, while many legal treaties formed secretariats and organizations to oversee compliance and implementation,

4400-474: The marsh had been lost. The UNEP "support for environmental management of the Iraqi Marshland" began in 2004, to manage the marshland area in an environmentally sound manner. UNEP has a programme for young people known as Tunza. Within this programme are other projects like the AEO for Youth . UNEP uses its position to raise awareness for a range of issues. International Environmental Education Programme (1975–1995) For two decades, UNESCO and UNEP led

4480-444: The need to inform other countries about ecological disasters, Brazil criticized any principles that can potentially violate national sovereignty. Brazilian delegates also believed that the United Nations had placed too much emphasis on emerging issues such as the environment, oceans, and space, which distracts the UN from its central role in peacemaking and economic development, especially in the Global South . The Stockholm Conference

4560-423: The norm for alternative environmental ideologies and countercultural beliefs that could co-exist with conventional models of development such as the Stockholm Conference. Between June 3 and 14, 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) met in Rio De Janeiro to reaffirm and build onto the UN Conference on the Human Environment. Given that the Stockholm Conference had previously set

4640-822: The oceans and seas at the regional level. More than 143 countries participate in 18 regional programmes established by the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans, with 14 of them underpinned by legally binding international conventions, such as the Helsinki Convention , the Oslo Dumping Convention , the Barcelona Convention or the Bucharest Convention. The RSCAPs include the Caribbean region , East Asian seas, East African region, Mediterranean Basin , Pacific Northwest region, West African region, Caspian Sea , Black Sea region, Northeast Pacific region, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden , ROPME Sea Area, South Asian seas, Southeast Pacific region, Pacific region, Arctic region, Antarctic region, Baltic Sea , and Northeast Atlantic region. Each programme consists of countries which share

4720-415: The participation of East Germany and West Germany – neither country a UN member state at the time – resulted in a boycott by the Soviet Union and most Warsaw Pact nations in the Eastern Bloc. As a member of several United Nations agencies, West Germany was invited. Still, East Germany was not invited because it has not become a United Nations body member. The USSR and its alliance were dissatisfied with

4800-433: The pollution to the global environment. In contrast, developing countries suffered the burden of a degrading environment, debt, and economic backwardness. Thus, the Global South argued that the Global North should bear most of the responsibility in environmental protection. Furthermore, some countries asserted that they reserve the right to alter the text, as they were not included in the preparatory progress. Following

4880-441: The primary aims being to establish a declaration on the human environment. Such a document is based on the proposal by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to create a " Universal Declaration on the Protection and Preservation of the Human Environment ". This declaration can be traced to the Intergovernmental Conference of Experts on the Scientific Basis for Rational Use and Conservation of

SECTION 60

#1732782454793

4960-509: The reception of the Declaration remained generally positive, some were critical about the practicality of its implementation. All countries agreed on the proposal during the Conference but failed to continue implementing their formulated promises. A year after the Stockholm Conference, it was reflected that better implementation of the declaration required technological, industrial and economic changes globally. The global society continued to lack institutional arrangement, making decision-making at

5040-413: The reception of the ideas in the Declaration generally stayed positive, it received wide criticisms on its practical implementation, especially from developing nations. Amid the Cold War in the 1960s, neutral Sweden was not a NATO member. Due to its geography and increasing pollution issues, it was particularly vulnerable to environmental problems. These cumulating factors motivated Sweden to propose

5120-405: The relationship between the US and the USSR continued to exacerbate. Sweden and other supporters of the conference hoped to use preparations for it to build bridges within a deeply fractured UN and viewed the Cold War from a position of political neutrality. It saw transboundary issues around environmental pollution as a potential catalyst of cooperation and could help boost the global importance of

5200-399: The release of heat, in such quantities or concentrations as to exceed the capacity of the environment to render them harmless, must be halted in order to ensure that serious or irreversible damage is not inflicted upon ecosystems. The just struggle of the peoples of ill countries against pollution should be supported. Principle 7 States shall take all possible steps to prevent pollution of

5280-600: The resignation of Erik Solheim . Prior to that appointment, she was UNEP's deputy executive director. Inger Andersen was appointed executive director of UNEP by UN secretary-general António Guterres in February 2019. (acting) (born 1968) The United Nations Environment Assembly is UNEP's governing body. Created in 2012 to replace the Governing Council, it currently has 193 members and meets every two years. UNEP's structure includes eight divisions: UNEP's main activities are related to: Several awards programs have been established to recognize outstanding work in

5360-711: The respective countries. However, it was also observed that developing countries required facilitation and access to innovative technology, which was only possible through the cooperation of the rich and developed countries. To achieve the solutions outlined in the conference, a more international cooperative attitude was required at a global level. Additionally, the implementation of the Stockholm Declaration encouraged both developed and developing nations to increase their identification and pursuit of new directions for economic growth. Especially approaches that were less energy-intensive, less dependent on non-renewable resources and more focused on reusing and recycling. The implementation

5440-444: The same sea and manages this sea at the regional level. The programmes are controlled by secretariats or Regional Coordinating Units and Regional Activity Centers. UNEP protects seas by promoting international conventions through education and training. Launched in 2017, the initiative's goal is to encourage and collaborate with faith-based organizations to protect the environment and invest in green resources. In 2020, UNEP published

5520-475: The seas by substances that are liable to create hazards to human health, to harm living resources and marine life, to damage amenities or to interfere with other legitimate uses of the sea. Principle 8 Economic and social development is essential for ensuring a favorable living and working environment for man and for creating conditions on earth that are necessary for the improvement of the quality of life. Principle 9 Environmental deficiencies generated by

5600-622: The sincerity of his advocacy, soon made it clear that all of us, irrespective of the stage of our development, have a large stake in the matter." After developing organisations such as the International Labour Organization , the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization , the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (the Stockholm Conference) was convened. In this conference various topics were discussed such as pollution, marine life, protection of resources, environmental change, and disasters relating to natural and biological change. This conference resulted in

5680-406: The standard for future international environmental conferences, the Rio Declaration adopted three of the documents drafted in the Stockholm Declaration. For example, Principle 21 from the Declaration was modified and adopted into a customary international environmental law in the Rio Declaration (initially known as the Earth Charter ). The aim of the Rio Declaration , which was a step forward from

5760-423: The subsequent international environmental treaties, as it is the first major international treaty that framed environmental issues as global issues . Principle 21, which outlines states' sovereign rights to exercise in their territories and their responsibilities to prevent transboundary harm, serves as the legal core to the document. As the first attempt to achieve global consensus, experts like Brenton consider

5840-412: The theme, " Stockholm+50 : a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity," this conference will commemorate the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, and "celebrate 50 years of global environmental action." The 26 principles are: Principle 1 Man has the fundamental right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in an environment of

5920-399: The time, US$ 40 million were pledged by the United States and the remainder by 50 other nations. The 'Voluntary Indicative Scale of Contribution' established in 2002 has the role to increase the supporters of the UNEP. The finances related to all programs of UNEP is voluntarily contributed by Member states of the United Nations . The Environmental Fund, which all nations of UNEP invest in, is

6000-535: The world meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals . UNEP hosts the secretariats of several multilateral environmental agreements and research bodies, including The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), The Minamata Convention on Mercury , The Basel , Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, The Convention on Migratory Species and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), among others. In 1988,

6080-500: Was also challenged by a lack of funding. The UNEP is a UN Programme established after the Stockholm Declaration to coordinate and promote environmental cooperation. However, UNEP was forced to rely on voluntary financial contributions from a few countries. Funding is limited and inconsistent. UNEP's 2010 annual budget was only $ 217 million, compared with $ 4 billion for the World Food Programme and nearly $ 4.8 billion for

6160-556: Was established in the committee's second session. The consensus was for the Declaration to be "inspirational and concise", in addition to being easily comprehensible by the public to act as a means for education, public awareness, and community participation to protect the environment. The members of the Committee agreed that the Declaration should only list "broad goals and objectives", and the Conference should adopt an in-depth action program outlined by supporting documents. Initially,

6240-629: Was instrumental in bringing environmental considerations to the forefront of global thinking and action. Under his leadership, UN Environment's most widely acclaimed success—the historic 1987 agreement to protect the ozone layer —the Montreal Protocol was negotiated. He was succeeded by Elizabeth Dowdeswell (1992–1998), Klaus Töpfer (1998–2006), Achim Steiner (2006–2016), and Erik Solheim (2016–2018). UNEP's acting executive director, Joyce Msuya , took office in November 2018 following

6320-418: Was met with protests from a variety of groups such as scientists concerned with population growth, and also the more radical alternative groups that had their own environmental campaigns and agendas. These protests were not disruptive or violent, but their presence suggested that some non-state participants were not aligned with the mainstream values and processes of the conference itself. These protests also set

6400-667: Was not altered in the Assembly to preserve the agreement achieved at Stockholm. A major topic at the Conference was institutional expansion, which came to reality with the creation of the United Nations Environmental Program by General Assembly Resolution 2997. Under the Action Plan, Earthwatch was established as an environmental assessment body to measure and identify global environmental issues as well as to forecast potential crises. While

#792207