Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment.

Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, ( http://www.un.org/documents/ga/conf151/aconf15126-1annex1.htm) and the Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests (http://www.un.org/documents/ga/conf151/aconf15126-3annex3.htm) were adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992.

The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was created in December 1992 to ensure effective follow-up of UNCED, to monitor and report on implementation of the agreements at the local, national, regional and international levels. It was agreed that a five year review of Earth Summit progress would be made in 1997 by the United Nations General Assembly meeting in special session ( http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/spec/aress19-2.htm ) .

The full implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Commitments to the Rio principles, were strongly reaffirmed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 26 August to 4 September 2002.

The Convention on Biological Diversity ( http://www.biodiv.org/ )

The Convention on Biological Diversity, commonly referred to as the Biodiversity Treaty, was one of two major treaties opened for signature at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992. The treaty defines biodiversity as "the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems." Parties to the Biodiversity Treaty "affirm sovereign rights over the biological resources found within their countries, while accepting responsibility for conserving biological diversity and using biological resources in a sustainable manner," according to an International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessment of the treaty.

Having secured its 30th ratification in September 1993, the Biodiversity Treaty entered into force December 29, 1993. One hundred sixty-seven nations have signed the treaty since it was opened for signature at UNCED.

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) ( http://www.pops.int ) (Signed in May, 2002 but to be ratified by India) ( http://www.pops.int/documents/convtext/convtext_en.pdf )

The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants (POPs).  POPs are chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of living organisms and are toxic to humans and wildlife.  POPs circulate globally and can cause damage wherever they travel.  In implementing the Convention, Governments will take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment.

Prior Informed Consent (PIC), Rotterdam Convention ( http://www.pic.int/ ) (For certain Hazardous Chemicals in International Trade)(Ratified on 24th May, 2005)(http://www.pic.int/en/ConventionText/ONU-GB.pdf )

The Rotterdam Convention is a multilateral environmental agreement designed to promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts among Parties in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals, in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm and to contribute to their environmentally sound use by facilitating information exchange about their characteristics, providing for a national decision-making process on their import and export and disseminating these decisions to Parties.

In other words, the Convention enables the world to monitor and control the trade in certain hazardous chemicals. It is not a recommendation to ban the global trade or use of specific chemicals. It is rather an instrument to provide importing Parties with the power to make informed decisions on which chemicals they want to receive and to exclude those they cannot manage safely.

If trade takes place, requirements for labeling and provision of information on potential health and environmental effects will promote the safe use of these chemicals.

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (http://envfor.nic.in/mef/cpbio-full.htm) ( http://envfor.nic.in/mef/cpbio-full.pdf )
(view as Pdf) India has ratified it on January 17, 2003. ( http://envfor.nic.in/mef/cpbio.pdf )

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the first international regulatory framework for safe transfer, handling and use of living Modified Organisms (LMOs) was negotiated under the aegis of the Convention on the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology. It establishes an advance informed agreement (AIA) procedure for ensuring that countries are provided with the information necessary to make informed decisions before agreeing to the import of such organisms into their territory. It further incorporates procedure for import of LMOs with respect to Food Feed and Product (FFP), Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework and Capacity Building.

The Protocol contains reference to a precautionary approach and reaffirms the precaution language in Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. The Protocol also establishes a Biosafety Clearing-House to facilitate the exchange of information on living modified organisms and to assist countries in the implementation of the Protocol.

The protocol was adopted on 29th January 2000. The protocol has been signed by 103 countries (except USA). The Cabinet (GOI) approved the proposal and India signed the Biosafety Protocol on 23 rd January 2001. Subsequent to the Cabinet approval on 5 th September 2002, India has acceded to the Biosafety Protocol on 17 th January 2003. So far 43 countries have ratified the protocol. The Protocol will come into force on the 90th day after the date of deposit of the fiftieth instrument for ratification by countries that are Parties to the Convention.

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes (http://www.basel.int/about.html ) ( http://www.basel.int/text/con-e-rev.pdf )

A global agreement, ratified by several member countries and the European Union for addressing the problems and challenges posed by hazardous waste. The Secretariat, in Geneva, Switzerland, facilitates the implementation of the Convention and related agreements. It also provides assistance and guidelines on legal and technical issues, gathers statistical data, and conducts training on the proper management of hazardous waste. The Secretariat is administered by UNEP.

Key objectives of the Basel Convention

• To minimize the generation of hazardous wastes in terms of quantity and hazardousness;
• To dispose of them as close to the source of generation as possible;
• To reduce the movement of hazardous wastes.

The following categories of hazardous waste are covered by the Convention.

Toxic, poisonous, explosive, corrosive, flammable, ecotoxic and infectious

Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (http://unfccc.int/2860.php http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.pdf)

The negotiation of the Kyoto Protocol and its rulebook :
When they adopted the Convention, governments knew that its commitments would not be sufficient to seriously tackle climate change. At COP 1 (Berlin, March/April 1995), in a decision known as the Berlin Mandate, Parties therefore launched a new round of talks to decide on stronger and more detailed commitments for industrialized countries. After two and a half years of intense negotiations, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted at COP 3 in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997.

The complexity of the negotiations, however, meant that considerable “unfinished business” remained even after the Kyoto Protocol itself was adopted. The Protocol sketched out the basic features of its “mechanisms” and compliance system, for example, but did not explain the all-important rules of how they would operate. Although 84 countries signed the Protocol, indicating that they intended to ratify, but many were reluctant to actually do so and bring the Protocol into force before having a clearer picture of the treaty's rulebook. A new round of negotiations was therefore launched to flesh out the Kyoto Protocol's rulebook, conducted in parallel with negotiations on ongoing issues under the Convention. This round finally culminated at COP 7 with the adoption of the Marrakesh Accords, setting out detailed rules for the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. As discussed above, the Marrakesh Accords  made considerable progress regarding the implementation of the Convention.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) (http://www.cites.org/) (http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/text.shtml )

CITES, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora , is an international agreement between Governments with currently 166 member countries. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

Because the trade in wild animals and plants crosses borders between countries, the effort to regulate it requires international cooperation to safeguard certain species from over-exploitation. CITES was conceived in the spirit of such cooperation. Today, it accords varying degrees of protection to more than 30,000 species of animals and plants, whether they are traded as live specimens, fur coats or dried herbs.

CITES was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of IUCN (The World Conservation Union). The text of the Convention was finally agreed at a meeting of representatives of 80 countries in Washington DC., United States of America, on March 3, 1973, and on July 1, 1975 CITES entered in force.

Helsinki Protocol to LRTAP on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30 percent ( http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/sulf_h1.htm ) ( http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/full%20text/1985.Sulphur.e.pdf )

The Protocol to the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30 per cent was entered into force in 1987. Twenty-one ECE countries are Parties to this Protocol, which aims at abating one of the major air pollutants. As a result of this Protocol, substantial cuts in sulphur emissions have been recorded in Europe: Taken as a whole, the 21 Parties to the 1985 Sulphur Protocol reduced 1980 sulphur emissions by more than 50% by 1993 (using the latest available figure, where no data were available for 1993). Also individually, based on the latest available data, all Parties to the Protocol have reached the reduction target. Eleven Parties have achieved reductions of at least 60%. Given the target year 1993 for the 1985 Sulphur Protocol, it can be concluded that all Parties to that Protocol have reached the target of reducing emissions by at least 30%.

Sofia Protocol to LRTAP concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or their Transboundary Fluxes(NOxProtocol)(http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/nitr_h1.htm)(http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/full%20text/1988.NOX.e.pdf)

In 1988 the Protocol concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or their Transboundary Fluxes was adopted in Sofia (Bulgaria). This Protocol requires as a first step, to freeze emissions of nitrogen oxides or their Transboundary Fluxes. The general reference year is 1987 (with the exception of the United States that chose to relate its emission target to 1978).

Taking the sum of emissions of Parties to the NOx Protocol in 1994, or a previous year, where no recent data are available, also a reduction of 9% compared to 1987 can be noted. Nineteen of the 25 Parties to the 1988 NOx Protocol have reached the target and stabilized emissions at 1987 (or in the case of the United States 1978) levels or reduced emissions below that level according to the latest emission data reported. 

The second step to the NOx Protocol requires the application of an effects-based approach. Applying the multi-pollutant, multi-effect critical load approach, a new instrument being prepared at present should provide for further reduction of emissions of nitrogen compounds, including ammonia, and volatile organic compounds, in view of their contribution to photochemical pollution, acidification and eutrophication, and their effects on human health, the environment and materials, by addressing all significant emission sources. 

The collection of scientific and technical information as a basis for a further reduction in nitrogen oxides and ammonia, considering their acidifying as well as nitrifying effects, is under way.

Geneva Protocol to LRTAP concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or their Transboundary Fluxes (VOCs Protocol) ( http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/vola_h1.htm) (http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/full%20text/1991.VOC.e.pdf )

In November 1991, the Protocol to the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs, i.e. hydrocarbons) or their Transboundary Fluxes, the second major air pollutant responsible for the formation of ground level ozone, was adopted. It has entered into force on 29 September 1997.

This Protocol specifies three options for emission reduction targets that have to be chosen upon signature or upon ratification:

(i) 30% reduction in emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by 1999 using a year between 1984 and 1990 as a basis. (This option has been chosen by Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom with 1988 as base year, by Denmark with 1985, by Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the United States with 1984, and by Czech Republic, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco and Slovakia with 1990 as base year);

(ii) The same reduction as for (i) within a Tropospheric Ozone Management Area (TOMA) specified in annex I to the Protocol and ensuring that by 1999 total national emissions do not exceed 1988 levels. (Annex I specifies TOMAs in Norway (base year 1989) and Canada (base year 1988));

(iii) Finally, where emissions in 1988 did not exceed certain specified levels, Parties may opt for a stabilization at that level of emission by 1999. (This has been chosen by Bulgaria, Greece, and Hungary).

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is a landmark international agreement designed to protect the stratospheric ozone layer. The treaty was originally signed in 1987 and substantially amended in 1990 and 1992. The Montreal Protocol stipulates that the production and consumption of compounds that deplete ozone in the stratosphere--chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform--are to be phased out by 2000 (2005 for methyl chloroform). Scientific theory and evidence suggest that, once emitted to the atmosphere, these compounds could significantly deplete the stratospheric ozone layer that shields the planet from damaging UV-B radiation. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has prepared a Montreal Protocol Handbook that provides additional detail and explanation of the provisions. (CIESIN's Thematic Guide on Ozone Depletion and Global Environmental Change (http://www.ciesin.org/TG/OZ/oz-home.html ) presents an-in-depth look at causes, human and environmental effects, and policy responses to stratospheric ozone depletion.)

The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1985), which outlines states' responsibilities for protecting human health and the environment against the adverse effects of ozone depletion, established the framework under which the Montreal Protocol was negotiated.

The United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 26 August to 4 September 2002. The Johannesburg Summit, as it was also known, presented an opportunity for world leaders to adopt concrete steps and identify quantifiable targets for better implementing Agenda 21.

Specific areas of focus in the WSSD Plan of Implementation include conserving marine biodiversity, protecting vulnerable areas such as coral reefs and wetlands, reducing marine pollution, eliminating illegal fishing, and achieving better coordination across ocean-related United Nations and regional organizations.

Convention on Wetlands 1971 (Ramsar Convention) ( http://www.ramsar.org )

The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The Ramsar Convention, as it has become commonly known, was the first intergovernmental treaty between nations for the conservation of natural resources. There are presently 150 Contracting Parties to the Convention, with 1558 wetland sites, totaling 130.5 million hectares, designated for inclusion in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.

In 1992, more than 100 heads of state met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The Earth Summit, as UNCED was also known, was convened to address urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development. The assembled leaders signed the Convention on Biological Diversity 1992 ( http://www.biodiv.org/ ) and adopted Agenda 21, a plan for achieving sustainable development in the 21st century.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was opened for signature on 10 December 1982 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. This marked the culmination of more than 14 years of work involving participation by more than 150 countries representing all regions of the world. The convention entered into force in accordance with its article 308 on 16 November 1994.

Today, the Convention on the Law of the Sea is the primary international legal document regulating all marine sector activities. It provides detailed provisions governing access to the seas, protection and preservation of the marine environment, the sustainable management of living resources, and the exploitation of non-living resources.

Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972 (World Heritage Convention) ( http://whc.unesco.org/en/convention/ )

The most significant feature of the 1972 World Heritage Convention is that it links together in a single document the concepts of nature conservation and the preservation of cultural properties. The Convention recognizes the way in which people interact with nature, and the fundamental need to preserve the balance between the two. 

Over 100 governments adopted the GPA. The GPA is aimed at preventing the degradation of the marine environment from land-based activities, with targets including sewage, persistent organic pollutants, radioactivity, metals, oils, nutrients, sediment mobilisation, litter and habitat destruction. The GPA is designed to be a source of practical guidance to states in taking actions within their respective policies, priorities and resources.

In view of their common concern for the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity, the parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity 1992 agreed on a program of action for implementing the convention. The program, called the Jakarta Mandate on Marine and Coastal Biological Diversity, was adopted in 1995.

Convention on migratory species ( http://www.cms.int/pdf/convtxt/cms_convtxt_english.pdf ) (http://www.cms.int/documents/convtxt/cms_convtxt.htm )

Convention Secretariats of the UNEP http://www.unep.org/Documents.multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=43&ArticleID=234

Source: http://www.envfor.nic.in/ , http://www2.spfo.unibo.it/spolfo/ENVLAW.htm and http://www.tigerhomes.org/animal/curriculums/cities-pc.cfm