MONTREAL AND KYOTO PROTOCOLS

• THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL ENFORCED IN 1987 INITIATED A GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE OZONE LAYER BY FORBIDDING THE INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES AND FROM 2004 THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AS WELL TO PRODUCE AND CONSUME THOSE SUBSTANCES THAT ARE ASSUMED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF STRATOSPHERIC OZONE.

• THROUGH THE 1997 KYOTO PROTOCOL, THE INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES (RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 70% OF THE GLOBAL EMISSIONS OF “GREENHOUSE GASES”) HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES (NOT YET IN A BINDING WAY) TO REDUCE THEIR EMISSIONS BY 5.2% COMPARED TO THOSE OF 1990 BY 2008-2012.

RECENT DEVELOPMENT IS KIGALI AGREEMENT OF 2016.

THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD)

• KNOWN INFORMALLY AS THE BIODIVERSITY CONVENTION, IS A MULTILATERAL TREATY.

• THE CONVENTION HAS THREE MAIN GOALS: THE CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (OR BIODIVERSITY); THE SUSTAINABLE USE OF ITS COMPONENTS; AND THE FAIR AND EQUITABLE SHARING OF BENEFITS ARISING FROM GENETIC RESOURCES.

• ITS OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, AND IT IS OFTEN SEEN AS THE KEY DOCUMENT REGARDING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

• THE CONVENTION WAS OPENED FOR SIGNATURE AT THE EARTH SUMMIT IN RIO DE JANEIRO ON 5 JUNE 1992 AND ENTERED INTO FORCE ON 29 DECEMBER 1993.