Regulations for Sustainability
Global Regulation on Sustainability Driver
Description:
The United Nations is the overarching governing body that provides frameworks for a majority of Sustainability Issues. The most widely focused governing body is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). The United Nations is constantly working with nations to supplement and amend the UNFCC. The UNFCC is focused on the reduction of green house gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide. The UNFCC came into force in June of 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (otherwise known as Earth Summit).
Enablers:
a)Increased knowledge of sustainability influencing politics of national governments
b)Market based mechanisms
c)Supplements and addendums to UNFCC (i.e. Kyoto protocol)
Inhibitors:
a)National government interests
b)No international enforcement
c)Financial commitments
Paradigms:
The UNFCC, “sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change.” It has allowed for passage of the Kyoto Protocol which specified binding targets of green house gas emissions. The UNFCC has annual conferences to:
a)Gather and share information on greenhouse gas emissions, national policies and best practices
b)Launch national strategies for addressing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to expected impacts, including the provision of financial and technological support to developing countries
c)Cooperate in preparing for adaptation to the impacts of climate change
Experts:
a) Yvo de Boer – Executive Secretary of UNFCC
Timing:
a)Dec 7 -18, 2009: Copenhagen, Denmark “United Nations Climate Change Conference”
Web Resources:
a)http://unfccc.int/2860.php - United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)
Other Information
Kyoto Protocol(http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php)
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions .These amount to an average of five per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012.