I


Today there are more than 500 international treaties and other agreements related to the environment. About two- thirds of these are regional in nature. Most MEAs have been negotiated since the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (also known as the Stockholm Conference) in 19729


. Several global and regional MEAs are


relevant to the Arctic. There also exist a few MEAs, which contain an exclusive Arctic scope, such as the Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears, signed by all Arctic nations that have polar bear populations, and the Agreement between the Governments of the United States and Canada on the Conservation of the Porcupine Caribou Herd.


The objectives, priorities, and levels of implementation of MEAs differ significantly from one agreement to another, even where an overall objective might be protection of biodiversity. The scope of biodiversity-related MEAs varies and includes: • the conservation of individual species; • migration routes and habitats; • the protection of ecosystems; • trade in species; • safe transfer, handling, and use of living modified organisms; • protected areas; and, • sustainable use of biodiversity.


Under the Convention on Biological Diversity there is a working group set up under Article 8(j) which deals with Indigenous knowledge as it relates to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.


Arctic-relevant MEAs


Important MEAs in the context of Arctic biodiversity include conventions such as: • the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands; • the Convention on Biological Diversity; • the UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (WHC);


• the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and its associated agreements such as the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA); and,


• the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).


Regional and/or species-specific agreements, such as the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW), and the Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears, are also highly relevant to the conservation of Arctic biodiversity.


LIMITATIONS AND STRENGTHS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS 25


II


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100