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International summits on the environment - GG - Human Rights and…
International summits on the environment - GG - Human Rights and Environmental.
Stockholm Conference on the human environment 1972
Took place due to a vote cast by
ECOSOC
and was the first conference of its kind.
The conference set down
26 key principles for states to abide by.
natural resources must be safeguarded
non-renewable resources must be shared and safeguarded
pollution must not exceed the environment’s capacity to clean itself
development is needed to improve the environment - all about humans
very anthropocentric
developing countries need financial assistance to develop environmental safeguards
science and technology must be used to protect the environment
each nation must establish its own standards.
What was established
This conference established the idea that climate change was something to be dealt with by the international community.
Issues
The evidence for anthropogenic climate change was thin at this point.
This meant that states were expected to act independently
anthropocentric
Montreal Protocol 1989
This summit (full name the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer) was held as an attempt to repair the damage done to the
Ozone Layer by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
and other chemicals.
why the summit was deemed a success
This brought together 197 states and required certain number of states to sign it before action could be taken.
This method the became the norm
This was also the first to use the
precautionary principle
meaning that the scientific evidence did not need to be entirely conclusive for action to be taken - this allowed action to be taken quickly.
This protocol also recognised that
different states
needed to take different action - some were more responsible than others.
Why was this easy to enforce
Economic sacrifices
did not really have to be taken by states in their adoption of this, they had less to lose. There was also a feeling here unlike the issues today that the
responsibility was mutual
meaning collective action made sense.
Rio Earth Summit 1992
Context
Post
cold war
where global cooperation was beginning to improve and the rules-based system was truly taking flight
This summit was much greater than many others - established the precedent for this sort of summit, this established
global environmental norms. EG - ICZM
The focus of the summit was to introduce sustainable development, create environmental governance systems and agree a framework for the future
Workings
The summit was very legitimate…
The summit met for 2 weeks and 172 governments were in attendance, including 112 heads of state. This gave the summit considerable legitimacy and made the negotiations more impactful. NGOs were also represented in their thousands.
17,000 ordinary citizens also attended the summit making it the most comprehensive environmental global governance summit of all time.
Outcomes
Established the UNFCCC (framework for future climate negotiations).
Establishes a pooling of scientific knowledge and resources.
Agenda 21 -
A comprehensive 300-page, non-binding action plan for sustainable development in the 21st century to be implemented by governments, NGOs, and the UN.
Convention on Biological Diversity.
Effectiveness
Historically significant as the starting point of modern climate diplomacy.
Not all of these promises were actually followed through with when it came to other conferences.
However, it avoided strict targets because many countries feared economic slowdown. There was
very little specific action
that took place off the back of it. - lack of action.
Reflected early tension between
developed and developing nations over responsibility.
Kyoto Summit 1997
why this was different
Conditions and ratification
Failures
Successes
Copenhagen Climate Change Conference (COP15) 2009
Paris Summit (COP21) 2015 - agreement 2016
Glasgow Summit (COP26) 2021
