por What are environmental protocols?
The environmental protocols They are a series of international agreements that aim to improve environmental conditions worldwide. They seek to regulate human actions and the impact they have on the planet.
These protocols are intergovernmental documents that have legal backing. The United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) are essential for the implementation of these protocols.
Compliance with environmental protocols is an obligation for the countries that sign when committing to the project.
The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, the Volatile Organic Compounds Protocol, the Kyoto Protocol and the Montreal Protocol are just some of the treaties adopted to improve environmental conditions.
In addition, some of them establish the responsibilities of each signatory country for compliance with the measures stipulated in the treaty.
What are the environmental protocols?
Importance of international law
International law is defined as the set of binding rules, agreements and treaties between countries. When sovereign states create an agreement (binding and enforceable) it is called international law.
The countries of the world come together to formulate rules together in order to benefit their citizens, as well as promote peace, justice and common interests.
International law is associated with the human rights of all citizens, the treatment of refugees, the prosecution of international crimes, the claim of territories, the fair treatment of prisoners, the preservation of the environment and an infinity of issues that benefit citizens. inhabitants of the world.
environmental agreements
Environmental protocols, or also called international environmental agreements, are a type of treaty linked to international law in order to achieve an environmental objective.
It is a series of intergovernmental documents (with legal support) that have the main purpose of preventing or managing human impacts on natural resources.
The United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) are key intergovernmental organizations in the implementation of these agreements.
The United Nations deals with a compendium of issues related to biological diversity, chemicals and waste, climate and atmosphere; like the World Trade Organization, which promotes trade and environmental policies and promotes the protection and preservation of the environment.
Most of the treaties are legally binding on all countries that have formally confirmed their participation in the agreement.
Main international protocols
Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
The Antarctic Environmental Protocol, in its shorter name, was a treaty that entered into force on January 14, 1998, concluded in the capital of Spain, Madrid.
The agreement’s function is to provide comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment. It is estimated that by 2048 it will be open for a new review.
Within the protocol, a series of articles were drafted whose countries involved have a duty to comply, including the prohibition of any activity related to mineral resources that is not solely for scientific purposes.
Another of the articles requires Member States to be prepared for emergency response actions in the area.
As of May 2013, the protocol has been ratified by 34 of the member countries, while only 11 have not.
Volatile Organic Compounds Protocol
The Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution is the one relating to the control of emissions of volatile organic compounds or their transboundary flows. It entered into force on September 29, 1997.
The program is part of the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution.
It seeks to control and reduce the emission of organic chemical substances that have a high vapor pressure at stable temperatures. With this, it aims to reduce cross-border flows to protect both human health and the environment.
It was completed in Switzerland and had the participation of 24 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted in Japan in December 1997 and entered into force in February 2005.
It is an international treaty that aimed to reduce the polluting gases that cause global warming. When it came into force, it required 41 countries and the Member States of the European Union to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
In 2015, the Kyoto Protocol was replaced by a global agreement to limit the increase in global average temperature to a maximum of 2°C.
Montreal Protocol
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was an international treaty adopted on September 16, 1987.
Its objective was to regulate the production and reduce the use of chemical products that contribute to the destruction of the Earth’s ozone layer. It was signed by 46 countries; however, it currently has 200 signatories.
The Montreal Protocol entered into force on January 1, 1989, but it has continued to be modified in order to reduce and eliminate the use of chlorofluorocarbons and halons.
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity entered into force in 2003.
This international treaty has the objective of protecting biological diversity from the risks posed by genetically modified organisms thanks to biotechnology. These organisms have been used to produce medicines and foods with genetic modifications.
The protocol establishes that products resulting from genetic modifications must have a series of precautions and allow nations to establish a balance between public health and economic benefits.
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety may prohibit the importation of genetically modified organisms, if they are considered unsafe.
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
This treaty entered into force in 1996 and was signed by all the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as some African countries. It focuses on the desertification process in areas affected by drought and deforestation, promoting sustainable and sustainable development of soils.
gothenburg protocol
It is an international treaty that entered into force in 2005, where the signatories have the objective of reducing acidification, eutrophication and ozone present in the troposphere. It tries to protect natural ecosystems and crops.
References
Kyoto Protocol (nd). Taken from britannica.com
Montreal Protocol (n.d.). Taken from britannica.com
What is International Law? (n.d.). Taken from legalcareerpath.com