Baseline Statement:  Almira Sugatan 

            Nations all around the world have been increasingly interdependent over the last few decades. One nation's action definitely affects another, directly or indirectly. This interdependence gave birth to international law, which is needed to settle disputes and set laws for nations to follow. Early this quarter, I had only the most basic idea about international law and treaties. But as my group and I did our projects, I learned how treaties are created, how they are enforced, monitored, and who were involved in its creation. Since our focus was on Climate Change, I learned about United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

           Times change, and just as the Constitution is amended to accommodate these changes, treaties too, are amended through protocols. The UNFCCC was opened for signature during the Rio Summit in 1992 and came into force in 1994. Its objective was the stabilization of green house gases around the world. The Convention has had 6 Conference of the Parties since 1992; the most important among all 6 is the COP 3, which resulted in the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol commits Annex I Parties (mostly industrialized nations) to individual, legally-binding targets to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, adding up to a total cut of at least 5% from 1990 levels in the period 2008-2012. Changes to the Convention were made through the Kyoto Protocol as new scientific information regarding issues concerning climate change become available. The different international organizations like the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program gathers the information and reports them to the COPs.

           There are two types of treaties: bilateral and multilateral treaties. Bilateral treaties are agreed upon by two sovereign states, while multilateral treaties are agreed upon by 3 or more nations. Multilateral treaties have become the dominant source of international environmental law because issues regarding the environment involve nations from around the world. Thus, it is only natural that more than two nations agree upon an environmental treaty. Climate change is phenomenon that will affect all countries from around the world and so the UNFCCC is an example of a multilateral treaty. As of September 7, 2000, 186 countries have signed the climate change treaty while 84 countries have signed the Kyoto Protocol. Unfortunately, only 33 nation states have ratified the treaty; 55 nations need to ratify the treaty for it to be put into force.

           As mentioned earlier, treaties have been an important source of international environmental law. Through the Stockholm Conference in 1972 and the Rio Summit in 1992 environmental issues have been put to the forefront of international concerns.
 
           The Stockholm Conference was "motivated primarily by a concern over trans-boundary pollution, particularly in the form of acid rain, Sweden in 1968 suggested an international conference to address global environmental problems" (Hunter, et al, 281). Scientists were getting terrible results from their research about the environment and they decided that nations all over the world should put their resources together to take better care of the environment. The result of the Stockholm Conference

           Helped lay the groundwork for the subsequent acceptance of the concept of 
           sustainable development. The Declaration emphasized the importance of integrating
           environment and development, of reducing or eliminating pollution, and of controlling
           the use of renewable and non-renewable resources. The Declaration seemed to
           suggest a human right to a healthy environment …(Hunter, et al, 286).

           The last part of the statement above seems to be the most critical of all the other statements mentioned. It is true that everyone, young or old, rich or poor, has the right to a healthy environment. This statement, if applied by all nation States would stop all kinds of pollution and environmental degradation in the world.

           The Rio Summit, dubbed as the "mother of all summits" was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992 (Hunter, et al, 295). One hundred and fifteen heads of state and government attended the Summit along with thousands and thousands of delegates from around the world. It was a reaffirmation of the accomplishments of the Stockholm Conference and "brainstorming" for new ways to help the environment without jeopardizing international relations.

           The most controversial part of the Rio Conference was Agenda 21, which was a "comprehensive and detailed blueprint for the future implementation of sustainable development" (Hunter, et al, 311). Agenda 21 "evaluates the progress of different levels of government in achieving the integration of environment and development" (Hunter, et al, 313). It not only protects the environment through sustainable development but also creates increased cooperation among nation States.

           The Stockholm Conference and the Rio Summit has been instrumental in the creation of environmental treaties. But since both conferences took place many years ago, there is a need to reevaluate the problem solving techniques proposed back then. This is not to say that Stockholm and Rio were unsuccessful, but since the world has new information in its hands regarding environmental issues, a new approach may need to be taken. Not only does the world have new information, but the world has changed so much in the last few years. Each country has its own needs that need to be met and some of the provisions made in Stockholm and Rio may not be appropriate for these countries now. Sovereign states may have also changed their minds regarding they're agreement to certain policies made back then.

           In 2002, the Rio Summit will be reevaluated. Rio +10 will hopefully make changes to improve environmental problem solving. Let us hope that these improvements really solve the problems of the environment.