Global Env Law & Policy

Question 1

Why might there be a need for international trade agreements? (2)

Answer 1

international nature of pollution
level playing field for international trade
protect global commons
sustainable development

Question 2

What is the UNEP?

Answer 2

United Nations Environment Programme

Question 3

What is the UNEP’s function?

Answer 3

The main UN body,
Deals with environmental matters
Monitors environmental changes & issues
Promotes wise management of the environment

Question 4

What are the UNEP’s 7 thematic areas?

Answer 4

climate change
disasters and conflict
ecosystem management
environmental governance
chemicals and waste
resource efficiency
environmental review

Question 5

Describe the Torrey Canyon case study

Answer 5

Oil spill in south west england in 1967, 120 miles of cornish coast line was contaminated with oil slick, 15,000 sea birds died, napalm was used to burn off the oil, exacerbating the environmental cost

Question 6

Why was the UN environmental assembly created? and what for? (2012)

Answer 6

A result of Rio +20, to further unite enviro international law

Question 7

What is the international law commission?

Answer 7

Works to draft treaties, develop customary international law/general principles that form reports and conventions

Question 8

What is the UNFCCC? + description

Answer 8

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Came from earth summit 1992
Greatest, longest term impact
First international agreement accepting there was a need for action
Framework only; no targets due to economic concerns, and concern over role of developing countries

Question 9

What is international soft law?

Answer 9

Broad agreements, not binding

e.g. 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity

Question 10

What are the penalties for non compliance with international law?

Answer 10

Diplomacy preferred route
Very problematic to address
Both states must adhere to the verdict of the international court of justice

Question 11

What was the landmark case in the International Court of Justice?

Answer 11

New Zealand vs Japan
Whaling in the Antarctic 2010-2014
Japan had breached parts of the 1946 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, in that they could only be caught and killed for scientific purposes

Question 12

Summarise the Brundtland Report.

Answer 12

'our common future' 1987
limited proposed solutions
changed course of thinking on SD
No mechanisms for improvment
est. link between environment and development

Question 13

What were the 5 outcomes of the Rio Earth Summit 1992?

Answer 13

Rio declaration
convention on biological diversity
agenda 21
UN framework convention on climate change
declaration on forest principles

Question 14

What is the Rio Declaration?

Answer 14

Adoption of 27 principles for action on environment
Official recognition of:
Polluter pays principle
Precautionary principle 
SD

Question 15

What is principle 2 of the Rio Declaration?

Answer 15

The charter of the united nations says that nation states have the sovereign right to exploit their own resources, however principle 2 states that they must not exploit them in a responsible way, and ensure it does not cause damage to areas outside their jurisdiction

Question 16

What were the Rio Earth Summit outcomes?

Answer 16

Global acceptance of concept of SD
Rio +20
‘Framework’ to deal with climate change
Johannesburg 2002

Question 17

Why were there issues with the Kyoto Protocol?

Answer 17

Not all countries had limits, split two ways that developed nations were allowed to use fossil fuels to develop and developing nations are now not allowed
The target was only 5% reduction of 1990 levels
Only entered into force 2005

Question 18

What year were the millennium development goals set for, and how many were there?

Answer 18

2015

9

Question 19

What was a big outcome of Rio+20 in 2012?

Answer 19

SDGs

Question 20

What was the Doha Amendment?

Answer 20

Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol as it was ending
Adjusted commitments for annex 1 countries
New target of 18% reduction from 1990 levels by 2020
Post 2008 crash was hard to get political shift through to a greener economy

Question 21

What was the penalty for non-compliance with the Doha Amendment?

Answer 21

Did not get enough signatories do comply therefore could not go into force
Breaching the Kyoto Protocol up to 2012, then would be taken to enforcement branch of the UNFCCC for a ‘stern talking to’ no actual action
Financial penalties rarely levied

Question 22

Why might emission data be problematic?

Answer 22

We operate on a production based model rather than a consumption one

Question 23

What was the central aim of the Paris Agreement?

Answer 23

To keep global temperature rise well below 2 degrees C and ideally below 1.5 degrees

Question 24

What are some issues with the Paris Agreement

Answer 24

Scientifically uncertain ground, some of the computer models never predicted the levels of change which have occurred between 2015 and 2020, in some cases has been found to be much worse

How to equate temperature to emissions

Focused on domestic, production based emissions

Question 25

How many parties went to the Paris Convention and how many of those ratified?

Answer 25

197 went

181 ratified