International Environmental Treaties – Geography – UGC NET – Notes

International Environmental Agreements (IEAs) are legally binding or non-binding treaties between countries aimed at protecting the environment, managing natural resources, and addressing global environmental problems that cross national borders.

They are usually negotiated under the United Nations (UN) or other international organizations.

Need for Environmental Agreements?

Environmental problems often:

• Cross national boundaries (e.g., air pollution, climate change)
• Affect global commons (oceans, atmosphere, biodiversity)
• Cannot be solved by one country alone

IEAs promote:

• Collective responsibility
• Standardized rules
• Financial and technological support
• Monitoring and compliance mechanisms

Agreements on Climate Protection

• 1979 Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution
• 1984 Geneva Protocol on Long-term Financing of the Cooperative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe (EMΕΡ)
• 1985 Helsinki Protocol on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions on their Transpoundary Fluxes by at least 30 per cent
• 1988 Sofia Protocol concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or their Transboundary Fluxes
• 1991 Geneva Protocol concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or their Transboundary Fluxes
• 1994 Oslo Protocol on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions
• 1998 Aarhus Protocol on Heavy Metals
• 1998 Aarhus Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
• 1999 Gothenburg Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone