Global Environmental Initiatives: Treaties, Targets, and Conservation
United Nations and the Environment
The United Nations is the leading global environmental authority, setting the global environmental agenda, promoting sustainable development, and advocating for the global environment. Key areas include climate change, disasters, ecosystem management, environmental governance, chemicals and waste, resource efficiency, and environmental review.
Climate Change Adaptation
Four priority areas:
- Ecosystem-based adaptation: Implementing projects using biodiversity and ecosystem services.
- Knowledge, analysis, and networking: Spreading adaptation knowledge through global networks.
- World Adaptation Science Programme: Connecting research and decision-makers.
- Access to adaptation finance: Helping countries build resilience.
Multilateral Environmental Agreements
- The Convention on Biological Diversity
- The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
- The Minamata Convention on Mercury
- The Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions
- Montreal Protocol
- The Convention on Migratory Species
Environmental Policy
Air pollution caused 600,000 deaths in 2012. Over 100 million people lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Other major concerns include hazardous chemicals, climate change, public engagement, and access to environmental information and justice.
Guidelines for Biodiversity Monitoring
Offer advice on how to:
- Develop conservation plans and strategies.
- Mainstream biodiversity objectives across policy sectors.
- Assess progress in achieving policy targets.
- Minimize risks from biodiversity loss.
- Maximize benefits from biodiversity and ecosystems.
Convention on Biological Diversity
Signed at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, promoting sustainable development. It recognizes that biological diversity is about people’s needs for food, medicine, clean air and water, shelter, and a healthy environment.
Aichi Biodiversity Targets (2011-2020)
- Strategic Goal A: Address causes of biodiversity loss.
- Strategic Goal B: Reduce pressures on biodiversity.
- Strategic Goal C: Improve biodiversity status.
- Strategic Goal D: Enhance benefits from biodiversity.
- Strategic Goal E: Enhance implementation through planning and capacity building.
Aichi Biodiversity Targets: National Implementation
Parties are:
- Reviewing national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs).
- Developing national targets using the Aichi Targets.
- Adopting updated NBSAPs as policy instruments.
- Integrating biodiversity into national development.
- Monitoring implementation of NBSAPs and national targets.
Aichi Biodiversity Target 11
By 2020, at least 17% of terrestrial and inland water, and 10% of coastal and marine areas, should be conserved through effective protected areas.
Green Infrastructure in the Czech Republic
The Nature Conservation Agency implements conservation, while the Ministry of Environment creates the framework. The National Biodiversity Strategy (2016) defines priorities and reflects international commitments. The Act on Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection (1992) distinguishes between general and special site and species protection.
Environmental Indicators
Key tools for environmental assessment, reporting, and policymaking. They show trends, causes, and effects of environmental conditions, helping set priorities and evaluate policy implementation.
EEA Environmental Indicators
Designed to answer policy questions and support policymaking. Classified as:
- Descriptive (Type A): What’s happening?
- Performance (Type B): Does it matter?
- Efficiency (Type C): Are we improving?
- Policy effectiveness (Type D): Are measures working?
- Total welfare (Type E): Are we better off?
EEA maintains 122 indicators across 13 environmental topics.
Natura 2000
The Czech Republic extended its list of sites for selected species and habitats. The Czech Natura 2000 network now consists of 1111 sites.
Europe 2020
Targets:
- 20% lower greenhouse gas emissions than 1990 levels.
- 20% of energy from renewables.
- 20% increase in energy efficiency.
Eurostat monitors progress.
Europe 2050
Strategic long-term vision for a climate-neutral economy by 2050, aligning with the Paris Agreement.
International Environmental Law (IEL)
Deals with controlling pollution and resource depletion within sustainable development. It covers topics like population, biodiversity, climate change, and pollution.
International Environmental Treaties
Air: Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (1979).
Biotechnology: Cartagena Biosafety Protocol (2000).
Chemicals:
- PIC Rotterdam Convention (1998)
- POP Stockholm Convention (2001)
- Minamata Convention on Mercury (2013)
Climate Change and Ozone Depletion:
- UNFCCC Framework Convention (1992)
- Kyoto Protocol (1997)
- Paris Agreement (2015)
- Vienna Convention (1985)
- Montreal Protocol (1987)
Governance:
- Aarhus Convention (1998)
- Espoo Convention
Land use: Alpine Convention (1991).
Nature and biodiversity:
- CBD Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)
- Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2003)
- Nagoya Protocol (2010)
- CITES Convention (1973)
- Bonn CMS Convention (1979)
- AEWA-CMS (1995)
- Bern Convention (1979)
- Convention for the protection of Vertebrate Animals (1986)
- International Tropical Timber Agreement (1994)
- Alpine Convention (1991)
- Ramsar Convention (1971)
- Agreement on the Prespa Park Area (2010)
- CAMLR Convention (1980)
Soil: UNCCD Convention (1994).
Waste: Basel Convention (1989).
Water:
- Helsinki Convention (1992)
- Danube river basin convention (1987)
- Rhine river basin convention (1999)
- Barcelona Convention (1976)
- OSPAR Convention (1992)
- Bonn Agreement (1983)
- Helsinki Convention on the Baltic Sea (1992)
- Bucharest Convention (1992)
Distinguishing Features of Wetlands
Wetlands have unique soil conditions, support vegetation adapted to wet conditions (hydrophytes), and lack flooding-intolerant biota. Oxygen diffusion is slower in water than in drained soils.
Morphological Adaptations of Plants
Adventitious roots occur on stems above the soil surface, obtaining nutrients from the water column.
Anatomical Adaptations
Intracellular airspaces (aerenchyma tissue) develop in leaves, stems, rhizomes, and roots.
The Early Classification
Penfound classification (1952)
Inland fresh areas:
- Seasonally flooded basins or flats
- Fresh meadows
- Shallow fresh marshes
- Deep fresh marshes
- Open fresh water
- Shrub swamps
- Wooded swamps
- Bogs
Inland saline areas:
- Saline flats
- Saline marshes
- Open saline water
Coastal freshwater wetlands:
- Shallow fresh marshes
- Deep fresh marshes
- Open fresh water
Coastal saline areas:
- Saline flats
- Salt meadows
- Irregularly flooded salt marshes
- Regularly flooded salt marshes
- Sounds and Bays
- Mangrove swamps
The Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention)
An intergovernmental treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. Its mission is to achieve sustainable development through local, national, and international cooperation.
The Ramsar Wetland
Includes lakes, rivers, swamps, marshes, grasslands, peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas, tidal flats, marine areas, mangroves, coral reefs, and human-made sites.
Criteria for Identifying Wetlands of International Importance
Group A: Sites containing representative, rare, or unique wetland types.
Group B: Sites of international importance for conserving biological diversity.
- Supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species.
- Supports populations important for maintaining biological diversity.
- Supports species at critical life stages.
- Regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds.
- Regularly supports 1% of a waterbird population.
Specific criteria based on fish:
- Supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish.
- Important source of food, spawning ground, or migration path for fish.
- Regularly supports 1% of a wetland-dependent non-avian animal population.