Skip to content

Environmental protocols: what they are and examples

Leading the promotion and defense of different initiatives to protect the planet, environmental protocols have the trust and commitment of the international community to comply with the different most relevant environmental obligations. Within this international community, various organizations, such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, try to resolve important issues related to biological diversity, chemical products and wastes, climate, atmosphere and, in general, protection and preservation. enviroment.

Continue reading this AgroCorrn article to learn more about environmental protocols: what they are and examples .

What are environmental protocols

The environmental protocols establish agreements and initiatives aimed at regulating different environmental problems affecting both the health of individuals and the survival of other living beings and their habitats. These protocols can be conceived as national and international agreements , with the aim of improving the environmental living conditions of a specific region or, on the contrary, on a global level.

Each and every one of the different environmental protocols that human beings have drawn up throughout history have legal support, that is, they are based on the application of different laws and regulations that guarantee the correct fulfillment of the objectives that are have detailed in each protocol.

Thus, various international governmental organizations, such as the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), are in charge of managing and reviewing the legal and mandatory compliance with environmental protocols , by all countries that they have participated and are committed to the objectives of said environmental protocols.

Here are some examples of the most important and prominent environmental protocols, many of which are essential in the ultimate goal of protecting the environment, living beings and planet Earth as a whole.

Examples of environmental protocols

Numerous and diverse environmental protocols have been established to date, with the purpose of protecting life on Earth and guaranteeing the survival of future generations of the different species that inhabit the planet. These environmental protocols include:

  • Madrid Protocol (Spain, 1991) on the protection of the Environment of the Antarctic Treaty. In this other AgroCorrn article we talk about the Antarctic Treaty: what it is and what it establishes .
  • Cartagena Protocol (Colombia, 1999) on Biotechnological Safety. Here you can learn more about this: Cartagena Protocol: what is the objective and signatory countries .
  • Gothenburg Protocol (Germany, 1999) on the reduction of acidification, eutrophication and ozone in the troposphere.
  • Aarhus Protocol (Denmark, 1998) on heavy metals.
  • Helsinki Protocol (Finland, 1985) for the reduction of sulfur emissions.
  • Montreal Protocol (Canada, 1989) on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. If you want more information about this, you can enter this other post on the Montreal Protocol: what it is, participating countries and objectives .
  • Kyoto Protocol (Japan, 1997) on climate change and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Kyoto Protocol on climate change

The famous and world-famous Kyoto Protocol is an environmental protocol that was drafted by the UNFCCC or United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It is an agreement made between several countries or nations, that is, it is international. Specifically, 187 countries around the world pledged to reduce the emissions of 6 of the main GHGs or greenhouse gases that cause the great acceleration of global warming: methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and three fluorinated industrial gases, which are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The Kyoto Protocol was drawn up in the city of the same name (Kyoto, Japan) in 1990, although it did not enter into force until 2005.

To learn more about this, we recommend reading this other article in which we explain in more detail what the Kyoto protocol consists of .

The Gothenburg Protocol

The international initiative carried out by the Gothenburg Protocol (Germany) in 1999, aimed to reduce acidification and eutrophication , as well as the ozone present in the troposphere.

It came into force in 2005, becoming one of the most prominent environmental protocols focused on the control and reduction of gas emissions such as sulfuric dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOC). and ammonia (NH3); caused by different anthropogenic activities, which carry dangerous harmful effects on health, natural ecosystems, and crops.

Madrid Protocol – environmental protection in Antarctica

Among the environmental protocols focused on the protection and conservation of a single specific region of the planet, the Madrid Protocol stands out . It is a complementary protocol to the previously signed Antarctic Treaty , which focuses on expanding the protection of the environment of the continent of Antarctica , with special interest in the ecosystems associated with the white continent.

The Madrid Protocol was signed in the Spanish capital in 1991, entering into force in 1998 and pending review for the future 2048. Among its main objectives are the prohibition of all exploitation of mineral resources in Antarctica (except for scientific research), as well as the evaluation and monitoring of each and every one of the different activities carried out on the continent, including tourism.

If you want to read more articles similar to Environmental protocols: what they are and examples , we recommend that you enter our category of Projects, associations and NGOs .

Maria Anderson
+ posts

Hello, I am a blogger specialized in environmental, health and scientific dissemination issues in general. The best way to define myself as a blogger is by reading my texts, so I encourage you to do so. Above all, if you are interested in staying up to date and reflecting on these issues, both on a practical and informative level.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *