Lessons for COP30: 3 Reasons Why Environmental Treaties Consistently Fail
by Austin JenishGlobal CommonsSep 8th 20256 mins
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Environmental treaties consistently fail to translate into concrete action because of poor clarity, excessive breadth, and a lack of depth. Two decades after the Kyoto Protocol and 10 years after the Paris Agreement came into effect, climate change is continuing to worsen. COP30 offers a key opportunity for the global community to discuss the future of international environmental law. But will it succeed?
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For decades, countries around the world have drawn up and participated in multilateral and international environmental agreements to address the climate crisis. However, the effectiveness of environmental agreements has been consistently called into question.
Multilateral and international environmental treaties have largely failed at preventing or mitigating environmental damage. A notable exception is the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol), which succeeded in phasing out 98% of ozone-depleting substances globally.
But treaties made to combat greenhouse emissions and protect biological diversity have been weak and ineffective, with global emissions constantly on the rise and biodiversity dwindling.
A 2022 analysis of 250,000 agreements found that most have failed to produce their intended effects. In this article, Earth.Org looks at three main reasons behind their ineffectiveness.
https://earth.org/lessons-for-cop30-3-reasons-why-environmental-treaties-consistently-fail/
