1. International Affairs Division
Improving international environmental governance in the biodiversity cluster
4 June 2010, GEN Roundtable
Daniel Ziegerer Acting Head of Section Global Affairs

2. Outline of the presentation
Development of the international environmental regulatory system
Current international environmental governance challenges
International environmental governance core functions need to be improved
Clustering as strategy for addressing the international environmental governance challenges
Most important results of the synergies process in the chemicals and waste cluster
Potential opportunities for the biodiversity cluster

3. Development of the international environmental regulatory system
Environmental regime grew as result of urgent problems, not a coherent overarching vision.
First environmental treaties: Ad hoc solutions with limited subject matter, scope and measures.
Since the 1960s: Considerable international efforts to protect the environment. For many specific environmental problem a specific regulatory regime was developed. Later also some more comprehensive approaches were used (e.g. framework conventions).
Today: The international environmental system consists of a multitude of regulatory regimes, institutions and players:
More than 500 MEAs (more than 300 since 1972)
More than 40 specialised agencies, programmes, organs within the UN with environmental mandates and activities (such as UNEP, the MEA Secretariats, the GEF, UNDESA/DSD, FAO, IFAD, WFP, WMO, UNDP, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, WHO, ILO, ISDR, OCHA, the World Bank, WTO, WIPO, etc.)
States and non-state actors

4. Current international environmental governance challenges
There are certain advantages of the current system: flexibility, targeted solutions for specific problems, etc.
However, there are many shortcomings of the current system:
Fragmentation
Overlaps and duplications
Inconsistencies and lack of coherence
Lack of common orientation
Regulatory gaps
Inadequate institutional authority and leadership
Imbalance between the environmental regime and other regimes
There is a general need to improve the coherence, comprehensiveness, effectiveness and efficiency of the international environmental system.

5. International environmental governance core functions need to be improved
Ensuring a responsive and cohesive approach to meeting country needs
Creating a strong, credible and accessible science base and policy interface
Implementation
Science base
Securing sufficient, predictable and coherent funding
Developing a global authoritative and responsive voice for environmental sustainability
Achieving effectiveness, efficiency and coherence
Policy development

6. Strategies for addressing the international environmental governance challenges
Institutional reform
Strengthening UNEP
Creating a UN specialized agency for the environment (WEO, UNEO)
Clustering
Improving coordination, cooperation and synergies among regulatory regimes within the same thematic cluster
Non-institutional approaches
Improving international environmental governance through a common set of overarching goals, targets and indicators
Many attempts over the last twenty years. Currently: Intergovernmental Consultative Group on Broader Reforms (under the auspices of UNEP).
Since the Cartagena decision on IEG, one cluster has been tackeled successfully: Chemicals and wastes. Biodiversity could be next!
Still need to be developed.

7. Most important results of the synergies process in the chemicals and waste cluster
Decision taken at the Simultaneous extraordinary meetings of the of the COPs of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions in Bali, February 2010:
Joint managerial functions
Joint head for the three convention secretariats established
Joint services
Joint financial and administrative support service
Joint legal service
Joint IT service
Joint information service
Joint resource mobilization service
Joint activities
Secretariats requested to develop proposals for cross-cutting and joint activities for the COPs in 2011
Relevant organizations are requested to promote programmatic cooperation and coordination

8. Results of the synergies process in the chemicals and waste cluster (continued)
Synchronization of the budget cycles
Joint audits of the accounts of the secretariats
COPs in 2013 will review on how far arrangements adopted pursuant to synergies decisions have contributed to achieving the following objectives:
Strengthen implementation of conventions at national, regional and global levels
Promote coherent policy guidance
Reduce administrative burden
Maximize effective use of resources
Take into account global concerns and specific needs of developing and transition countries
Protect human health and the environment for the promotion of sustainable development

9. Potential opportunities for the biodiversity cluster
Synergies decision in the chemicals and waste cluster is historic because it is an important step for reversing the trend of fragmentation of the international environmental system.
It is an important step towards a more coherent, comprehensive, effective and efficient environmental regime.
Situation in the biodiversity cluster is not identical (scope of the regulatory regimes, location of the secretariats, etc.), but there are nevertheless similar governance challenges.
Some of the solutions found might also work for biodiversity.
We should examine what lessons can be learned from the chemicals and waste experience for improving environmental governance in the biodiversity cluster.
We should consider launching a synergies process in the biodiversity cluster.