UNEP logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I’m referring here to the Rio+20 meeting taking place right now. Is it just going to join all the other bits of paper that have failed to be implemented?
The reason I ask is that its very difficult for 190 odd countries to agree anything worthwhile that can be implemented by all of them. Most of the 120 world leaders in attendance will be “speaking” to their audiences back home, putting their own interests first and not those of the planet as a whole.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) there is now ‘treaty congestion’ as a result of so many environmental goals and objectives its a wonder that anything will be achieved. Over the last 50 years around 500 agreements have been signed up to. However, most governments once they’ve signed up to them, forget them and do nothing about ratifying and implementing.
Governments sign up to things but let them be superseded by others – especially on trade. Rich countries promote a global economic agenda that stops poor countries participating on equal terms. Also there are around 35 UN organisations with an input to global environment governance, located in different parts of the planet with their own wee fiefdoms.
So, instead of signing another bit of paper perhaps we should be concentrating on putting all environmental treaties under UNEP, in one site and task them with merging all the treaties into one document then ensuring that all countries ratify and implement – with fines – for the betterment of the planet. We need politicians to put the planet first before themselves.
Will it be worth the paper?
UNEP logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I’m referring here to the Rio+20 meeting taking place right now. Is it just going to join all the other bits of paper that have failed to be implemented?
The reason I ask is that its very difficult for 190 odd countries to agree anything worthwhile that can be implemented by all of them. Most of the 120 world leaders in attendance will be “speaking” to their audiences back home, putting their own interests first and not those of the planet as a whole.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) there is now ‘treaty congestion’ as a result of so many environmental goals and objectives its a wonder that anything will be achieved. Over the last 50 years around 500 agreements have been signed up to. However, most governments once they’ve signed up to them, forget them and do nothing about ratifying and implementing.
Governments sign up to things but let them be superseded by others – especially on trade. Rich countries promote a global economic agenda that stops poor countries participating on equal terms. Also there are around 35 UN organisations with an input to global environment governance, located in different parts of the planet with their own wee fiefdoms.
So, instead of signing another bit of paper perhaps we should be concentrating on putting all environmental treaties under UNEP, in one site and task them with merging all the treaties into one document then ensuring that all countries ratify and implement – with fines – for the betterment of the planet. We need politicians to put the planet first before themselves.