The Earth Summit
It’s Your World
Environmental issues affect the entire planet, but it isn’t just down to governments to change things for the better. You can make a difference too! Follow the links on this page to find out more.
The Earth Summit (made easy)
In 1992, the United Nations (UN) met in Rio de Janeiro to debate ways to halt pollution and the destruction of the world’s natural resources. This was known as The Earth Summit. Every five years, the UN meets to review how these agreements are shaping up in reality. The most recent meeting was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002.
Here are some key agreements from the 2002 Earth Summit:
- To halve the number of people lacking clean drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015.
- To pursue green energy targets (though only 30 governments could agree to this, including the UK).
- Russia agreed to cut greenhouse gases, according to a treaty signed in Kyoto in 1997. The USA would not sign this treaty, but with Russia's agreement there are now enough countries involved to make it effective.
Follow these links to find out more.
www.mylinkspage.com/earthsummit.html#T2D
Do you want to help make the ideas from the Earth Summit come true? This site
has lots of links to ideas for things you can do.
www.est.org.uk/myhome/whatcan/simplesteps
Some really simple steps to saving energy. Anyone can find something here
that they can do.
www.wwf.org.uk/localmatters/news/n_0000001062.asp
The last Earth Summit meeting was in 2002. Many things have happened since
then in Britain and around the world.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4267245.stm The Kyoto agreement aims to limit the atmospheric pollution that causes global warming.
www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/delivery/latestnews.htm
In March 2005 Britain launched a Sustainable Development Strategy, which aims
to tackle many environmental problems in Britain.
The Kyoto Protocol
Since 2002, the Kyoto Protocol has ensured that the reduction of greenhouse gases are still considered an international priority. As of December 2006, a total of 169 countries and other governmental entities have ratified the agreement.
The objective of the Kyoto Protocol is to stabilize and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, make climate change less severe, and promote sustainable development. The Protocol is historic in that it is the first attempt to achieve international agreements to moderate global climate change through reduction in GHGs, and the first to use the flexibility of the global market place for global environmental management.
The Protocol emerged first as an agreement, but through international negotiations it is progressing into sets of legal articles. These impose obligations on all the countries which have signed up to it, but they also identify opportunities for improved environmental land management at local, national and international levels.
For further information, please see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol
