International Environmental Protection Agreements

Overview Environmental issues are global in nature. Climate change, air & water pollution effects everyone. For example, pollution from automobiles in London or Mexico City may affect the climate in Tokyo, as carbon dioxide and other gases from factories and cars cause the atmosphere to heat up. Therefore, environmental international agreement are important.

Canada’s Role Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution in 1979 Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987 And more

Montreal Protocol Under the agreement, 191 countries have agreed to aggressively accelerate the elimination of the last ozone depleting substances of importance, called hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). The ozone layer is a layer in Earth’s atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone (O 3 ). This layer absorbs 97– 99% of the Sun's high frequency ultraviolet lights ultraviolet lights, which is damaging to life on Earth

Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution in 1979 The aim of the Convention is that Parties shall endeavour to limit and, as far as possible, gradually reduce and prevent air pollution including long-range transboundary air pollution. Parties develop policies and strategies to combat the discharge of air pollutants through exchanges of information, consultation, research and monitoring.

Environmental Disasters Bhopal: the Union Carbide gas leak-December 3, 1984 Chernobyl: Russian nuclear power plant explosion-April 26, 1986 Seveso: Italian dioxin crisis-July 10, 1976 The 1952 London smog disaster- December disasters.htmhttp:// disasters.htm - for a list of more natural disasters.

Chernobyl: Russian nuclear power plant explosion 0Hw&feature=player_embedded#at=138

Why do we need International Environmental Law agreements?

What is International Law laws that govern the conduct of independent nations in their relationships with one another.

Role of UN and International Law The United Nations has helped conclude more than 500 multilateral treaties and agreements. The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) works to develop uniform international norms and standards in international trade law. The International Law Commission of the United Nations, made up of 34 experts, encourages the development of international law and its codification.

Before UN… International law did not begin with the United Nations, but the Organization has played an important role in consolidating and vastly expanding it. In 1873, when the International Law Association was founded, there were no more than 133 multilateral treaties in the world.

How Does International Law Work? General Assembly The International Law Commission Security Council International Court of Justice

General Assembly It initiates, prepares and provides a forum for negotiating multilateral treaties Conventions are adopted by the General Assembly and are then opened for signature and ratification by the Member States.

The International Law Commission It prepares drafts on topics of international law, either chosen by itself or referred to it by the General Assembly. When the Commission completes work on a topic, the General Assembly usually convenes an international conference to incorporate the draft into a Convention. The Convention is then opened to States to become parties, meaning that countries formally agree to be bound by its provisions.

Security Council Deals with enforcing international law Enforces sanctions on nations the disobey the agreements Also has peacekeeping army at it’s disposal

International Court of Justice Helps settle disputes between nations on the basis of existing international law. Known as World Court It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherland.

15 judges from 15 different nationalities Permanent Court of Arbitration nominates judges from each country UN General Assembly UN Security Council The World Court is comprises of fifteen judges elected to nine year terms by the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council from a list of persons nominated by the national groups in the Permanent Court of Arbitration.UN General AssemblyPermanent Court of Arbitration

Why do you think it’s important to have ONLY one judge from each nationality

Judges serve for nine year terms and may be re-elected for up to two further terms. Elections take place every three years, with one-third of the judges retiring (and possibly standing for re-election) each time, in order to ensure continuity within the court. Should a judge die in office, the practice has generally been to elect a judge of the same nationality to complete the term nationality