International Environment: Strengthening the Implementation of Environmental Agreements

Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO and the Congressional Research Service held a symposium on strengthening international environmental agreements, focusing on: (1) the availability of information on the implementation of international environmental agreements; (2) how this information can be used; and (3) whether incentives would help countries to implement these agreements.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter	Status	Comments
As a result of agreements reached at the United Nations (UN) Conference on Environment and Development, as well as those that could be developed as nations continue to address international environmental problems, Congress will have a number of opportunities to consider means to strengthen both existing and future environmental agreements. At these points, Congress may wish to establish as a policy goal that agreements provide for more comprehensive information about nations' implementation and for greater public access to this information.	Closed – Implemented	Language similar to the matters for congressional consideration has been considered by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. As issues of monitoring and compliance with international environmental agreements will continue to resurface, GAO will have additional opportunities to advise Congress on these issues in the future.
As agreements are presented for ratification, the Senate should make clear its interest in developing monitoring mechanisms to supplement countries' reports on implementation. These mechanisms could include: (1) independent fact-finding by the secretariats, hearings or other information-gathering activities; and (2) opportunities for nongovernmental organizations to present and review information.	Closed – Implemented	Congress has considered actions to implement agreements reached at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in June 1992. GAO will continue to provide advice and assistance to relevant committees. Language similar to the matters for congressional consideration was drafted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee for inclusion in the State Department/AID reauthorization bill, entitled International Relations Act of 1993 (see OCR memo 6/10/93). The language, however, was dropped. These issues will continue to resurface and GAO will be in a position to provide assistance to relevant committees.
In providing authorization or appropriations for international institutions, such as the UN Environmental Programme, Congress should encourage these institutions or the secretariats they support to develop the mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of environmental agreements.	Closed – Implemented	Congress is considering actions to implement agreements reached at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in June 1992. GAO will continue to provide advice and assistance to relevant committees. The House Foreign Affairs Committee considered draft language, similar to the language in the GAO report, to the International Relations Act of 1993. This language, however, was later dropped.
Congress may wish to pursue a goal of increasing developing countries' participation in agreements, as well as these countries' capacity to implement agreements. In addition to providing assistance under bilateral aid programs, Congress could encourage international institutions to provide financial and technical assistance to developing countries, both for participation in negotiations leading up to the agreements and their subsequent governance, and for implementation and the reporting of information once the agreements have been adopted.	Closed – Implemented	Congress is considering actions to implement agreements reached at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in June 1992. GAO will continue to provide advice and assistance to relevant committees. Language was considered by the House Foreign Affairs Committee in the State Department/AID reauthorization bill, entitled International Relations Act of 1993. The language, however, was dropped.

Full Report

Full Report (22 pages)

Office of Public Affairs

Chuck Young

Managing Director

youngc1@gao.gov

(202) 512-4800

Topics

Natural Resources and Environment

Developing countriesEnvironmental monitoringForeign economic assistanceForeign technical aidInternational agreementsInternational organizationsInternational relationsReporting requirementsInternational environmental agreementsTechnical assistance