Examples Of Multinational Environmental Agreements

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UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG South Africa and its Multinational Environmental Agreements Environmental Management 3A Michael Saunders 201243498 One of the major types of ways in which an environmental issue can be addressed is by a multinational environmental agreement. These agreements are signed by several different countries in an attempt to sort out environmental problems in a joint-effort fashion. South Africa has become a member of several of these agreements after it became a democratic country. Five multinational agreements that South Africa is a party of will be discussed, as well as the legal framework South Africa uses to implement these agreements in relation with the environment. Introduction A Multinational Environmental…show more content…
This later allowed for South Africa to join the Convention soon after it became a democratic nation. South Africa, the Constitution of South Africa and the Convention It was decided that the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism build upon the country’s environment and biological diversity through ways which will involve the input several key members which operate in the conservation and use of biological diversity (SADEAT, 1998) This was officially put into effect in April 1995, and resulted in a White Paper being published on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s Biological Diversity (SADEAT, 1998). All of the methods fall underneath South Africa’s Constitution (Act 108 of 1996) (SADEAT, 1998), which states “everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health, or well-being, and to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations, , through reasonable legislative and other measures that: (i) prevent pollution and ecological degradation; (ii) promote conservation; and (iii) secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural…show more content…
Just a few of these guidelines is that the goal must ensure the safe and healthy living and working environments, the protection and conservation of the environment for both present and future generations (SADEAT, 1998). It must also include the fact that more resources maybe required so that basic needs will be met as time goes on, and populations may grow (SADEAT, 1998). Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was created to help protect the ozone layer, which was being damaged as a result of harmful man-made chemicals. The reason for needing to protect the ozone layer is due to the fact that it protects life on Earth from harmful UV rays by absorbing them (SADEAT, 2003). Montreal introduced new measures and policies that would lessen the use of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) in various ways, such as licences for the use of the OSDs (SADEAT, 2003). This licencing method helped to regulate the import and export of OSDs, and slowly reduce the use and trade of them. This along with other events eventually resulted in the creation of the Protocol (SADEAT, 2003). South Africa and the

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