The State of Global Environmental Governance 2019
Publication year
Resource type
UNCCD Library
Material Type
ebook
It is timely to take stock of global environmental governance as the world enters a new year and a new decade. In this volume, the Earth Negotiations Bulletin team reflects on the successes, shortcomings, and overall trends of 2019. We also look ahead, with optimism that 2020 holds promise to regain the momentum recently lost.In 2019 scientists were truth-tellers. Over the course of the year, international scientific bodies produced a range of reports on climate change, biodiversity, and the environment as a whole. Each report contains dire warnings for the future of the planet due to the impact of climate change on food production, of pollution on human health, and land incursions on species extinctions.
Given historic inaction, nearly every system on the planet is in danger. Yet, despite the thousands of pages of scientific evidence, intergovernmental political processes remain deadlocked on so many issues. Policy makers could not mount the type of response commensurate with the science.
The SDGs are ten years away from their 2030 completion date, and governments still need to increase their ambition under the Paris Agreement. Positive, forward-looking outcomes are essential, but not guaranteed.
Taking on Land Tenure and Drought. The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) “took a bold step into the politically-charged arena of land governance” by including land tenure as a thematic issue. The agenda-setting decision treads the line of national sovereignty, encouraging parties to recognize legitimate tenure rights, including customary rights, in a way that is consistent with national legal frameworks. The decision also encourages parties to follow the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security, which were endorsed by the Committee on World Food Security of the Food and Agriculture Organization.Another hard-fought outcome of COP 14 in September 2019 was the establishment of an intergovernmental working group on effective policy and implementation measures for addressing drought under the UNCCD. African countries, in particular, aim to ensure that sufficient international resources are directed to this critical issue, hoping this first step leads to an agreement on establishing a Drought Protocol to the UNCCD. Of course, it is too early to tell if 2020 will fulfill the promise of addressing these new issues. It is now up to the leaders, negotiators, and implementing agencies to advance global environmental management.
The report ends with a look ahead: 2020 is expected to conclude negotiations and establish new tools to address biodiversity, marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdictions, and a post-2020 strategic approach to international chemicals management. With mounting pressure for action, the authors hold out hope that countries will regain the momentum recently lost.
About:
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is one of the world’s leading centres of research and innovation. The Institute provides practical solutions to the growing challenges and opportunities of integrating environmental and social priorities with economic development. We report on international negotiations and share knowledge gained through collaborative projects, resulting in more rigorous research, stronger global networks, and better engagement among researchers, citizens, businesses and policy-makers.
IISD Reporting Services Division (IISD RS) provides a variety of multimedia informational resources for environment and sustainable development policymakers, including daily coverage of international negotiations, analyses and photos. As the publisher of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, IISD RS is recognized for its objectivity and issue expertise in the field of international environment and sustainable development policy. The various products provided by IISD RS make it an essential source of information for government officials, policy and decision makers, UN staff, non-governmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations, business, industry and academia
Given historic inaction, nearly every system on the planet is in danger. Yet, despite the thousands of pages of scientific evidence, intergovernmental political processes remain deadlocked on so many issues. Policy makers could not mount the type of response commensurate with the science.
The SDGs are ten years away from their 2030 completion date, and governments still need to increase their ambition under the Paris Agreement. Positive, forward-looking outcomes are essential, but not guaranteed.
Taking on Land Tenure and Drought. The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) “took a bold step into the politically-charged arena of land governance” by including land tenure as a thematic issue. The agenda-setting decision treads the line of national sovereignty, encouraging parties to recognize legitimate tenure rights, including customary rights, in a way that is consistent with national legal frameworks. The decision also encourages parties to follow the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security, which were endorsed by the Committee on World Food Security of the Food and Agriculture Organization.Another hard-fought outcome of COP 14 in September 2019 was the establishment of an intergovernmental working group on effective policy and implementation measures for addressing drought under the UNCCD. African countries, in particular, aim to ensure that sufficient international resources are directed to this critical issue, hoping this first step leads to an agreement on establishing a Drought Protocol to the UNCCD. Of course, it is too early to tell if 2020 will fulfill the promise of addressing these new issues. It is now up to the leaders, negotiators, and implementing agencies to advance global environmental management.
The report ends with a look ahead: 2020 is expected to conclude negotiations and establish new tools to address biodiversity, marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdictions, and a post-2020 strategic approach to international chemicals management. With mounting pressure for action, the authors hold out hope that countries will regain the momentum recently lost.
About:
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is one of the world’s leading centres of research and innovation. The Institute provides practical solutions to the growing challenges and opportunities of integrating environmental and social priorities with economic development. We report on international negotiations and share knowledge gained through collaborative projects, resulting in more rigorous research, stronger global networks, and better engagement among researchers, citizens, businesses and policy-makers.
IISD Reporting Services Division (IISD RS) provides a variety of multimedia informational resources for environment and sustainable development policymakers, including daily coverage of international negotiations, analyses and photos. As the publisher of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, IISD RS is recognized for its objectivity and issue expertise in the field of international environment and sustainable development policy. The various products provided by IISD RS make it an essential source of information for government officials, policy and decision makers, UN staff, non-governmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations, business, industry and academia
Keywords
land degradation
SDGs targets
environmental governance
disasters
vulnerability
biodiversity
climate change
multilateral environmental agreements
gender equality
public health
science-based evidence
Documents