International convention is meetings between some countries in the world.
In the meeting, they
will discuss about some rules, and then if countries accept to follow the rules, they have to sign. Because the global climate is going to become worse, there are many conventions on climate change. Climate changes is a wide range topic. Hence, it will be divided into six topics. They are atmosphere, freshwater resources, hazardous substances, marine living resources, natural conservation, and nuclear safety. There are many international convention, or agreement on each specific topic. Firstly, the first topic on convention is about atmosphere. The main objectives of conventions are to attempt to limit, gradually prevent, and reduce the air pollution. Also, it emphasized to reduce the air pollution caused from transportation. There will be some policies, and strategies will be developed to reduce air pollution via exchanges information, research, and monitoring. There will be some more clear efforts to protect ozone layer. Therefore, the objective of conventions is going to reduce CFCs, the main chemical agents causing ozone depletion. There are many conventions on atmosphere. For example, Convention on long-range Transboundary Air Pollution is signed in Geneva in 1979. It is implemented by the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP), directed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). According to the article of this conventions, the parties of the conventions have agreed some important points as follows: "Air Pollution" means the introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the air resulting in deleterious effects of such a nature as to endanger human health, harm living resources and ecosystems and material property and impair or interfere with amenities and other legitimate uses of the environment, and "air pollutants" shall be construed accordingly. "Long-range transboundary air pollution" means air pollution whose physical origin is situated wholly or in part within the area under the national jurisdiction of one State and which has adverse effects in the area under the jurisdiction of another State at such a distance that it is not generally possible to distinguish the contribution of individual emission sources or groups of sources. The Contracting Parties, taking due account of the facts and problems involved, are determined to protect man and his environment against air pollution and shall endeavour to limit and, as far as possible, gradually reduce and prevent air pollution including long- range transboundary air pollution. The Contracting Parties, within the framework of the present Convention, shall by means of exchanges of information, consultation, researching and monitoring, develop without undue delay policies and strategies which shall serve as a means of combating the discharge of air pollutants, taking into account efforts already made at national and international levels. The Contracting Parties, as appropriate to their needs, shall initiate and co-operate in the conduct of research into and/or development of: 1. Existing and proposed technologies for reducing emissions of sulphur compounds and other major air pollutants, including technical and economic feasibility, and environmental consequences. 2. Instrumentation and other techniques for monitoring and measuring emission rates and ambient concentrations of air pollutants. 3. Improved models for a better understanding of the transmission of long- range transboundary air pollutants. 4. The effects of sulphur compounds and other major air pollutants on human health and the environment, including agriculture, forestry, materials, aquatic and other natural ecosystems and visibility, with a view to establishing a scientific basis for dose/effect relationships designed to protect the environment. 5. The economic, social and environmental assessment of alternative measures for attaining environmental objectives including the reduction of long-range transboundary air pollution. 6. Education and training programs related to the environmental aspects of pollution by sulphur compounds and other major air pollutants. There are still some other international conventions or agreement on atmosphere. They are as listed below Environmental Protection: Aircraft Engine Emissions, Chicago Framework Convention on Climate Change, New York, 1992 Georgia Basin-Puget Sound International Airshed Strategy, Vancouver, 2002 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, Vienna, 1985 The second topic of the convention about environmental protection is freshwater resources. Those conventions or meetings discuss about related problems such as water quantity, water quality, high water stress, overexploitation of water resources, increasing droughts and floods, and contaminated water or water-related diseases. The famous convention about water is Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, which is signed in Helsiniki in 1992. It is still implemented by United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). According to the articles, the parties of conventions have agreed some important points are listed below "Transboundary waters" means any surface or ground waters which mark, cross or are located on boundaries between two or more States; wherever transboundary waters flow directly into the sea, these transboundary waters end at a straight line across their respective mouths between points on the low-water line of their banks. "Transboundary impact" means any significant adverse effect on the environment resulting from a change in the conditions of transboundary waters caused by a human activity, the physical origin of which is situated wholly or in part within an area under the jurisdiction of a Party, within an area under the jurisdiction of another Party. Such effects on the environment include effects on human health and safety, flora, fauna, soil, air, water, climate, landscape and historical monuments or other physical structures or the interaction among these factors; they also include effects on the cultural heritage or socio-economic conditions resulting from alterations to those factors. Take all appropriate measures 1. To prevent, control and reduce pollution of waters causing or likely to cause transboundary impact. 2. To ensure that transboundary waters are used with the aim of ecologically sound and rational water management, conservation of water resources and environmental protection. 3. To ensure that transboundary waters are used in a reasonable and equitable way, taking into particular account their transboundary character, in the case of activities which cause or are likely to cause transboundary impact. 4. To ensure conservation and, where necessary, restoration of ecosystems.
Measures for the prevention, control and reduction of water pollution shall be taken, where possible, at source. These measures shall not directly or indirectly result in a transfer of pollution to other parts of the environment. The third sub-topic of convention on environmental protection is on hazardous substances. Those convention will discuss to define a full list of hazardous substances which will have extremely terrible effects on the environment such as Chlordane, DDT, and Endosulfan. Signatory nations have to ban the importation of lists of hazardous substances as well as exportation. There are some conventions on this is listed below: Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, Basel, 1989. Convention on Civil Liability for Damage Caused during Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road, Rail, and Inland Navigation Vessels (CRTD), Geneva, 1989. Convention on the ban of the Import into Africa and the Control of Transboundary Movements and Management of Hazardous Wastes within Africa, Bamako, 1991. European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR), Geneva, 1957. Stockholm Convention Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants Stockholm, 2001. Waigani Convention Convention to Ban the Importation into Forum Island Countries of Hazardous and Radioactive Wastes and to Control the Transboundary Movement and Management of Hazardous Wastes within the South Pacific Region, Waigani, 1995. Minamata Convention on Mercury, Minamata 2013. FAO International Code of Conduct on the distribution and use of Pesticides, Rome, 1985. The fourth sub-topic of convention on environmental protection is on marine living resources. Those conventions will be about protection, scientific studies, and rational use of some marine living resources (such as fauna, and flora). Also, some problem related to mineral resources will be discussed. In addition, emergency responses actions in the area will be discussed. Moreover, environment assessment for all activities including tourism. There are some important conventions about marine living resources is listed below Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), Canberra, 1980. International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Rio de Janeiro, 1966. International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW), Washington, 1946. International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC), Brussels, 1969, 1976, 1984 and 1992. International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage (FUND) 1971 and 1992, Brussels, 1971/1992. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea LOS Convention, Montego Bay, 1982. Protocol on Preparedness, Response and Co-operation to Pollution Incidents by Hazardous and Noxious Substances OPRC-HNS Protocol, London, 2000. The fifth sub-topics about convention on environmental protection is nature conservation and terrestrial living resources. The parties of conventions discuss about how to enhance environment protection, foster conservation, and sustainable use of natural resources. Also, harmonize and coordinate policies in these fields will be published. Some conventions on these fields are listed below: World Heritage Convention Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, Paris, 1972. Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, (CITES), Washington DC, 1973. Ramsar Convention Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat, Ramsar, 1971. FAO International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources, Rome, 1983. International Tropical Timber Agreement, (ITTA), Geneva, 1994. Ramsar Convention Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat, Ramsar, 1971. The last sub-topics of conventions on environmental protection is about nuclear safety. The signatory countries have to ban nuclear tests in atmosphere, underwater, and in space, but not underground. They have to reduce nuclear weapons. There also discussion about assistance in the case of nuclear accident or radiology emergency. There will be obligations to implement and standard rules at all facilities related to nuclear energy. Those conventions are mostly implemented by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Some conventions about nuclear safety are listed below. Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty 1996 Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency (Assistance Convention), Vienna, 1986. Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident (Notification Convention), Vienna, 1986. Convention on Nuclear Safety, Vienna, 1994. Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, Vienna, 1963.