global environmental policies - module 1: governments - global environmental policies and...

Global Environmental Policies- Module 1: Governments -

Global Environmental Policies

andGovernments

Governments

Business andIndustry

NPOs andCommunities

Module 1: Global

Environmental Policy

Module 2: National

Environmental Policy

Module 3: Local

Environmental Policy

Seminar Structure

Today

• The UN was formed on 24 October 1945

• 24 October is “UN Day”• There are 191 country-members• Six official languages are used in

the UN - Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Introduction to the UN

• The senior officer of the UN Secretariat is the Secretary-General: Ban Ki-Moon

• The headquarters of the UN is in New York, with other offices in Geneva, Nairobi, Bangkok etc.

Introduction to the UN

• To keep peace throughout the world. • To develop friendly relations between

nations. • To work together to help people live better

lives, to eliminate poverty, disease and illiteracy in the world, to stop environmental destruction and to encourage respect for each other's rights and freedoms.

• To be a centre for helping nations achieve these aims.

Aims of the United Nations

• All Member States have sovereign equality.

• All Member States must obey the Charter. • Countries must try to settle their

differences by peaceful means. • Countries must avoid using force or

threatening to use force. • The UN may not interfere in the domestic

affairs of any country. • Countries should try to assist the United

Nations.

Principles of the United Nations

• The UN – through its different organizations, work on a range of issues such as -

Issues handled by the United Nations

Business

Children

Culture

Development

Emergencies

Environment

Health

HIV/AIDS

Human Rights

Labour

Peace

Women

UN and environment policy

• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)

• Inter-Agency Committee on Sustainable Development (IACSD)

• Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)

• UNDP, FAO, WMO, IMO, UNU etc.

A Sample of International MEAs

• Framework Convention on Climate Change• Convention on Biological Diversity• Convention to Combat Desertification• Montreal Protocol on substances that Deplete the Ozone

Layer• Convention on Wetlands (RAMSAR)• Law of the Sea• Forestry Principles• Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes• Convention on prevention of Marine Dumping• Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution• International Tropical Timber Agreement

MEA = Multilateral Environmental Agreement (for example, Kyoto Protocol)

How is a global environment policy set up?

A localEnvironment

Problem

… becomes a regional problem

Problems inother countries also impact us.

Problems are ‘exported’ to

other countries …

Problems are sometimes

invisible

Eg: too much waste Eg: high CO2 in the atmosphere

Eg: paper in Japan

Eg: Smoke in Indonesia/Malaysia

Eg: Minamata disease

How is a global environment policy set up?

Problems inother countries also impact us.

Problems are ‘exported’ to

other countries …

Problems are sometimes

invisible

Citizenscomplain

to the local

government

Local Government

informs the national government

Eg: CASA

How is a global environment policy set up?

The problems now becomes ‘international’

National Government

representative to the UN demands

international action

UN sets up committee to

study the problems

NGOs and Universities

provide support

Eg: Climate Change convention set up

Eg: UNFCC

Eg: Climate Action Network

How is a global environment policy set up?

A plan of action or a

UN ‘Protocol’ is developed

National Government commit to take actionto solve problems

Local Government

asked to implement key projects

Eg: Cities for Climate Change

Eg: Kyoto Protocol

Eg: Requirements under the Kyoto Protocol

How is a global environment policy set up?

Localenvironment

problemsolved

Local Government

asked to implement key projects

(maybe … )

Example: The “Big Three” MEAs

Climate Change: UN Framework Convention on Climate ChangeBiodiversity: UN Convention on Biological DiversityDesertification: UN Convention to Combat Desertification

Example: The Global Compact

What is the Global Compact?

UN Global Compact is a voluntary corporate responsibility initiative to advance ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.

More info: http://www.unglobalcompact.org

Kawasaki was the first city in Japan to sign the Global Compact as a city – in order to drive enterprises in the city to adopt CSR prolicies

Governments

Business andIndustry

NPOs andCommunities

Module 1: Global

Environmental Policy

Module 2: National

Environmental Policy

Module 3: Local

Environmental Policy

Next session

Next …

Send me an email anytime!

Hari Srinivas

hari.srinivas@kwansei.ac.jp

Class Communication …

IMPORTANT: When you send an email, please always put “[GEP]” in the subject line!

Resources, websites, ideas, notes will be available online:

www.gdrc.info/gep/