After decades of developing environmental treaties, conventions, protocols, and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), international attention is shifting to compliance with and enforcement of these instruments. The need is clear: many countries are struggling to implement their environmental commitments under the numerous agreements to which they are party. Where do they start? Are there more efficient and effective ways to implement? How can it be done with limited resources?
To assist countries in addressing the various challenges, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is honoured to present this Manual on Compliance with and Enforcement of Multilateral Environmental Agreements. This Manual is part of UNEP’s broader efforts to strengthen capacity to implement, comply with, and enforce MEAs and environmental law more broadly.
Throughout its history, UNEP has been a leader in catalyzing and facilitating the negotiation and development of MEAs. More recently, UNEP has also played a key role in refocusing international attention on compliance and enforcement. From 1999 to 2001, UNEP convened a process that led to the development and adoption of Guidelines on Compliance with and Enforcement of Multilateral Environmental Agreements. These Guidelines, adopted in February 2002, provide a set of approaches and considerations for countries as they negotiate, implement, and enforce MEAs. The Guidelines are significant for the breadth of their reach and the clarity and succinctness of their language.
The Manual complements the Guidelines by providing specific examples from around the world on how Governments, NGOs, the private sector, and other institutions have utilized the various approaches set forth in the Guidelines. The Manual also provides more detailed explanations, checklists, and additional resources in order to give depth to the specific approaches: How do they work? What are different ways to structure or implement a specific approach? How is it funded? Who coordinates the activities?
Indeed, the specific examples are one of the aspects that make this Manual unique and significant. They are practical, rather than hypothetical or theoretical. Moreover, most of them come from countries with developing economies or economies in transition. As such, the examples are more relevant and easily adaptable to countries that face very limited financial, institutional, technical, and personnel resources.