General Information - International Environmental Policy

In the age of globalisation...

Especially in times of increasing globalisation, the field of international relationships places considerable importance on global environmental policy. Global environmental problems cannot be solved unilaterally, but instead require a multilateral approach. With the Johannesburg Action Plan of September 2002, heads of state and government drew up ways of achieving sustainable development, which has been the acknowledged international objective since the Rio Conference in 1992. The Action Plan covers a range of topics including poverty reduction, climate change and energy policy, loss of biodiversity, desertification, destruction of forests, marine pollution, chemical safety, the closed substance cycle economy, consumer protection and good governance. Often such problems cannot be solved by individual countries or regions acting alone.

No environmental progress without international policies

Therefore, cross-sectoral strategies are necessary which allow environmental protection to be taken into consideration in other policy areas as well: For example in cooperation with developing countries or in activities of international trade, investment and financing. In the EU the principle of integrating environmental protection into other policy areas is anchored in its treaties.
It is considerable progress that a variety of international organisations are paying greater attention to environmental protection in their work.