LibGuides: Climate Change and Environmental Law Guide: International Agreements

The Paris Agreement
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Kyoto Protocol
The Ozone Treaties: Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol
Convention on Biological Diversity (includes the Nagoya and Cartagena Protocols)
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal
Aarhus Convention
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Convention on the Law of the Sea

Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty: There is also a proposed Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty which would complement Paris Agreement by creating a roadmap to halting the expansion of fossil fuels and managing an equitable phase-out of coal, oil, and gas. Though so far only 12 nation-states have supported the Fossil Fuel Treaty proposal, over 100 cities and subnational governments have endorsed the treaty.

Global Plastics Treaty: On March 2, 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme adopted a resolution, UNEP/EA.5/Res.14, to negotiate an international legally binding agreement by 2024 to address plastic pollution. Some estimates predict that global emissions from plastic production could triple to account for one-fifth of the Earth’s remaining carbon budget by the middle of the century. The negotiations for the Plastics Treaty involves nation-states, indigenous communities, and record numbers of fossil fuel and petrochemical lobbyists.

The Paris Agreement (2015)

Bluebook Citation: Paris Agreement to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Dec. 12, 2015, T.I.A.S. No. 16-1104

Text of the Paris Agreement

Overview of the Paris Agreement

UNFCCC Explanatory Website - Paris Agreement
Provides an overview of the treaty, explanations of key aspects of the treaty, and the work done by the Conference of Parties.
Status of Ratification
Here you can find links to the signatories to the Agreement, ratification and entry into force.

The Katowice Climate Package

The Katowice Climate Package
The Katowice package sets out the essential procedures and mechanisms that will make the Paris Agreement operational.
The Katowice Climate Package - Overview by UNFCCC
Provides an overview of key aspects of the Katowice Climate Package.

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

Overview of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are at the heart of the Paris Agreement. NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
NDC Registry
Here is the registry where you can find the NDCs submitted by Parties to the Paris Agreement.

The UNFCCC

Bluebook Citation: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, May 9, 1992, S. Treaty Doc. No. 102-38

Official Text for Bluebook - UNFCCC
UNFCCC - PDF Text of Convention (more readable than UNTS version)
UNFCCC - Official Website
Overview of treaty and links to news and reports. Includes links and info about annual meetings of the Conference of Parties.
Overview of Structure of UNFCCC
Summary of governing bodies and cooperating agencies.
UNFCCC - Status of Ratification
Includes a link to the list of parties to the Convention.

Basel Convention - Hazardous Waste

Bluebook Citation: Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, Mar. 22, 1989, 1673 U.N.T.S. 57

Basel Convention - Text
Basel Convention - Official Bluebook Compliant Version
Status of Ratification
Links to parties to the Convention, the Amendment to the Basel Convention, Plastic Waste Amendments, and Basel Protocol on Liability and Compensation for Damage Resulting from Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal Basel
Basel Convention - Homepage
Overview of the convention, news, and information on its implementation

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

Bluebook Citation: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, Mar. 3, 1973, 27 U.S.T. 1087.

CITES - Text of the Convention
CITES - Official Bluebook Compliant Text
CITES Homepage
Includes news, reports and information about implementation, including national legislation

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Bluebook Citation: Convention on the Law of the Sea, Dec. 10, 1982, 1833 U.N.T.S. 397.

The International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) issued an advisory opinion on May 21, 2024 which interpreted several articles of the CLOS relating to the protection of the marine environment as encompassing the obligation to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions from State Parties.

The Kyoto Protocol

Bluebook Citation: Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Dec. 10, 1997, 2303 U.N.T.S. 162.

Convention on Biological Diversity

Bluebook Citation: Convention on Biological Diversity, Jun. 5, 1992, 31 I.L.M. 818

Convention on Biological Diversity - Text
Convention on Biological Diversity - Official Bluebook Compliant Version
Status of Ratification
Lists parties to the Convention, the Nagoya Protocol, and the Cartagena Protocol
Convention on Biological Diversity - Homepage
With links to the Nagoya Protocol and Cartagena Protocol

Multilateral and Bilateral Agreement Collections

The International Environmental Agreements Database Project
Current content includes over 1,300 MEAs, over 2,200 BEAs, 250 other environmental agreements, and over 90,000 individual country "membership actions" (dates of signature, ratification, or entry into force; release notes here).
Treaties in Force
Search bilateral treaties by country and subject; multilateral by subject

The Inside Story of the Paris Agreement

The Ozone Treaties: Montreal Protocol & Vienna Convention

Bluebook Citation: Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, Preamble, Sept. 16, 1987, S. Treaty Doc. 100-10

Bluebook Citation: Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, Mar. 22, 1985, T.I.A.S. No. 11,097

Text of the Vienna Convention & Montreal Protocol
Montreal Protocol - Official Bluebook Compliant Text
Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer - Official Bluebook Compliant Text
Status of Ratification
Links to parties to the "Ozone Treaties" including the Montreal Protocol, Vienna Convention, and amendments
Montreal Protocol & Vienna Convention - Homepage on UNEP

Aarhus Convention

The Aarhus Convention provides for:

Access to environmental information:

The right of the citizens to receive environmental information that is held by public authorities

Public participation in environmental decision making:

The right of the citizens to participate in preparing plans, programmes, policies, and legislation that may affect the environment.

Access to justice:

The right of the citizens to have access to review procedures when their rights with respect to access to information or public participation have been violated.

Bluebook Citation: Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, Jun. 25, 1998, 2161 U.N.T.S. 447

Official Text for Bluebook - Aarhus Convention
Aarhus Convention - PDF Text of Convention
Status of Ratification
Links to parties to the Aarhus Convention, the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs), and the amendment on public participation in decisions on the deliberate release into the environment and placing on the market of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Overviews of the Aarhus Convention

Aarhus Centres
The Aarhus Centres assist the governments in implementing the Aarhus Convention and assists the citizens in understanding and exercising their rights as brought by the Convention. This website includes factsheets, infographics and other useful information about the Convention.
UNECE site on Aarhus Convention
European Commission site on the Aarhus Convention

Climate Change and Environmental Law Guide: International Agreements

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