What are the International Regulatory bodies

for Environmental sustainability?

Environmental sustainability is a vast subject. At the global scale and in the
broadest sense environmental management involves the oceans, freshwater
systems, land and atmosphere, but following the sustainability principle of
scale it can be equally applied to any ecosystem from a tropical rainforest
to a home garden. There are various organisations who are working
towards promoting and preserving environmental sustainability.

To name a few- United Nations Environment Programme, World Wide Fund

for Nature, World Resources Institute, Conservation International, Bioneers,
International Institute for Sustainable Development, etc. Most of these
are non-profit organizations and barely regulatory bodies.

“International regulations have to do with international laws. The two

primary sources of international law are custom and treaties, and both play
a role in regulating international pollution. Customary international law
emerges when countries engage in certain practices in the belief that those
practices are required by international law. To become customary law, a
practice must be generally followed, rather than just being the practice of a
few countries. In contrast, treaties, which are often referred to as
conventions or protocols, are legally binding agreements between
countries or intergovernmental organizations. Treaties typically do not
enter into force until a specified number of countries have expressed their
consent to be bound by the treaty; even after the treaties enter into force,
only the countries that expressed their consent are bound. A treaty is only
effective to the extent it is implemented domestically by the parties to it.
Each treaty raises its own questions of domestic implementation.”

There are hundreds of treaties and other international instruments relating

to environmental protection.

Climate protection
1979 Geneva Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution1984
Geneva Protocol on Long-term Financing of the Cooperative Programme for
Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-range Transmission of Air Pollutants
in Europe (EMEP)1985 Helsinki Protocol on the Reduction of Sulphur
Emissions on their TranspoundaryFluxes by at least 30 per cent1988 Sofia
Protocol concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or their
Transboundary Fluxes1991 Geneva Protocol concerning the Control of
Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or their Transboundary Fluxes1994
Oslo Protocol on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions1998 Aarhus
Protocol on Heavy Metals1998 Aarhus Protocol on Persistent Organic
Pollutants (POPs)1999 Gothenburg Protocol to Abate Acidification,
Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone

Ozone layer

Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1985)

Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (1987)

Climate change

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992)

Kyoto Protocol (1997)

Paris Agreement (2016)

Marine, water and environmental protection

Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea

Area (Helsinki Convention, 1992)

Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East

Atlantic (OSPAR Convention, 1992)

Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and

International Lakes (UNECE Water Convention, 1992)Protocol on Water and
Health (1999)Protocol on Civil Liability (2003; not yet ratified by Finland, not
yet in force internationally)

International Convention Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases

of Oil Pollution Casualties (IMO, 1969 Intervention Convention)1973 Protocol
relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Pollution by Substances
other than Oil (IMO, 1973 Intervention Protocol)

International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-

operation (IMO/OPRC, 1990) Protocol on Preparedness, Response and Co-
operation to Pollution Incidents by Hazardous and Noxious Substances
(IMO/OPRC-HNS, 2000) (not yet ratified by Finland)

Agreement Between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden

concerning Cooperation in Taking Measures against Pollution of the Sea by
Oil or other Harmful Substances (1993, supersedes the 1971 agreement)

Agreement between Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden concerning

Cooperation in Taking Measures against Pollution of the Sea by Oil (1971)

Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and

Other Matter (IMO, London Convention 1972)Protocol to the Convention on
the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter
(1996 London Protocol) (not yet ratified by Finland)

Agreement on the Implementation of a European Project on Pollution on the

Topic "Sewage Sludge Processing" (1973)

The Nordic Environmental Protection Convention (1974)

Agreement regarding the Establishment of the Nordic Environment Finance

Corporation (NEFCO) (Agreement between the Governments of Denmark,
Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, 1998)

Agreement with NEFCO on the Establishment of the Baltic Sea Region Testing
Ground Facility (2003)
Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (1991)Measures
outlined in and amendments to the protocol are listed under the Antarctic
Treaty

Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and

Response in the Arctic (2016)

Availability of information and participation

UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in

Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus
Convention, 1998)Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (2003)

Waste management

Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous

Wastes and their Disposal (1989)Basel Protocol on Liability and
Compensation (1999) (not yet ratified by Finland, not yet in force
internationally)

Decision of the OECD Council concerning the Control of Transfrontier

Movements of Wastes Destined for Recovery Operations (1992)

Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound
Recycling of Ships (2009) (not yet ratified by Finland, not yet in force
internationally)

Prevention of environmental damage caused by chemicals

Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain

Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (PIC Convention,
1998)

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Convention,

2001)

Environmental impact assessment

Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary
Context (Espoo Convention, 1991)

UNECE Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (Protocol on SEA,

2003)

Protection of flora and fauna and biological diversity

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (Biodiversity Convention,

1992)Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and
Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (Nagoya Protocol,
2010)Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000)Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur
Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol
on Biosafety (2010), not yet in force internationally.

International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (1946)

Statutes of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural

Resources (IUCN, 1948)

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl

Habitat (Ramsar Convention, 1971)

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and

Flora (CITES Convention, 1973)

Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn

Convention, 1979)

Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North

Seas (ASCOBANS, 1992, under the framework of the Bonn Convention)

Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats (EUROBATS,

1991, under the framework of the Bonn Convention)

Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds

(AEWA, 1996, under the framework of the Bonn Convention)
Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
(Bern Convention, 1979)

Landscape

European Landscape Convention (2000)

Bilateral agreements

Sweden

Agreement on movements of waste in the border areas (2016)

Norway

Agreement on a Finnish-Norwegian Frontier Water Commission (1980)

Poland

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the

Government of Poland on Cooperation in Energy Savings and in the Field of
Environmental Protection (1990)

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the

Government of Poland on Cooperation in the Field of Environmental
Protection (1990)

Russia

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the

Government of the Russian Federation on Cooperation in the Field of
Environmental Protection (1992)

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the

Government of the Russian Federation on Co-operation in Combating
Pollution of the Baltic Sea in Accidents Involving Oil and other Harmful
Substances (1989)
Action Programme for the Purpose of Limiting and Reducing the Deposition
and Harmful Effects of Air Pollutants Emanating from Areas Near the
Common Border of Finland and Russia (1989)

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the

Government of the Russian Federation on the Establishment of a Mutual
Friendship Conservation Area (1989)

Action Programme on the Reduction of Pollution and the Implementation of

the Protection of the Marine Environment in the Baltic Sea and in other Areas
close to the Common Border of the Republic of Finland and the Russian
Federation (1992)

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the

Government of the Russian Federation on the Implementation of
Environmental Projects in the Republic of Karelia, in the Regions of
Leningrad, Novgorod and Piskov, and in St. Petersburg (1993)

Estonia

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the

Government of the Republic of Estonia in the Field of Environmental
Protection (1991)

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the

Government of the Republic of Estonia on Cooperation in the Field of Air
Protection (1993)

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the

Government of the Republic of Estonia on Cooperation in the Field of Water
Protection (1999)

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the

Government of the Republic of Estonia on Cooperation in Combatting
Pollution in the Marine Environment and the related Protocol (1993)
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the
Government of the Republic of Estonia on Environmental Impact Assessment
in a Transboundary Context

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the

Government of the Republic of Estonia on joint implementation of emissions
reductions of greenhouse gases, the 2002 Project Agreement concerning the
Paide Bioenergy JI Project (2003) and the Pakri Wind Farm JI Project (2004)

Romania

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the

Government of Romania on Co-operation Concerning Joint Implementation
and International Emissions Trading Pursuant to the Kyoto Protocol to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2006)

Bulgaria

Framework Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Finland

and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria on Cooperation Concerning
Joint Implementation Pursuant to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (2006)
“Most of the international regulations are not binding unless the state* in
question wishes to respect the obligations by adopting the provisions in
the framework of national legislation. Even if the states* agree to do so,
compliance is not very effective as there is almost no sanction for non-
compliance. “

In India we have various voluntary as well as mandatory regulating bodies

such as BSE, The National Green Tribunal Act 2010, Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986., Corporate Responsibility for Environmental
Protection (CREP), 2003.

For regulations, you need to look at GRI- it is an independent international

organization that has pioneered sustainability reporting since 1997.
Governments and market regulators play a multi-faceted role in promoting
sustainability reporting. They do not just regulate private entities - they are
also expected to lead by example regarding their own transparency on
financial and non-financial performance. Around the world an increasing
number of governments and market regulators are adopting policies and
regulation for sustainability reporting.