Environmental Treaties and Resource Indicators

Protecting the earth from environmental damage is clearly a global effort that requires the cooperation of each and every nation. To facilitate this cooperation, the international community has signed several treaties and put into place many environmental laws. Various natural resource indicators can be used to monitor the implementation of these treaties and laws, the most important of which are online. Here is a collection of links to the most important environmental treaties, laws, and natural resource indicators.

• Atlas of Population and Environment - This site is an extensive resource on the relation of population and various environmental issues.

• Bonn Agreement - Visit this site to learn about the pact developed by several European countries to help avoid oil spills

• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety - Here is the homepage for a protocol that works to protect biotechnology from harming indigenous biological life.

• Center for International Environmental Law - Some great resources from an agency dedicated to using international laws to protect the environment are available on this site.

• China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement - Visitors can read on this page the text of a treaty between China and Australia to protect birds migrating between the countries.

• Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty - This link takes users to a 1996 treaty to ban the testing of all nuclear weapons.

• Convention on Biological Diversity - Here is some good information on the international Biodiversity Treaty of 1992.

• Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution - This site describes a 1972 treaty to prevent polluting the oceans through the dumping of litter.

• Development Levels and Environmental Impact - On this site there is some broadly descriptive data on how human beings impact the world around them.

• Earth Pulse - National Geographic hosts this website with information and images on how natural resources are being used around the world.

• Ecological Footprint - This web page has tools to measure the individual's impact on the environment and its resources.

• Environmental Law Foundation - Here is a United Kingdom-based site that focuses on helping people heed and apply environmental laws.

• Environmental Performance Index - This page tracks how countries are following established policy goals in the area of environmental protection and sustainability.

• Environmental Protection Agency - The U.S. government federal agency tasked with developing and applying environmental regulations is accessible via this link.

• European Environmental Law Network - Users can click on this link to read a page on environmental law within the European Union, including court case information and much more.

• International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling - This site features the text of an important treaty designed to prevent the extinction of whales.

• Protocol Prohibiting Chemical and Biological Agents in War - An important treaty that prohibits the use of chemical and biological weaponry is available on this web page.

• Kyoto Protocol - Here is the full text of perhaps the most widely known international environmental treaty of recent years.

• National Resources Defense Council - This page contains short descriptions of all the major United States federal laws that address the environment.

• National Resource Management Indicator Search - This US-based site monitors how other countries are developing economic policies and laws related to sustainable management of their natural resources.

• OSPAR Commission - Visitors to this site will learn how the OSPAR Commission applies the regulations of agreements between countries for protecting the environment of the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean.

• Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty - This is a site describing an international treaty that agrees to protect the environment of Antarctica.

• Sustainable Use of Natural Resources - The European Union sponsors this site that develops indicators for measuring how natural resource use impacts the environment.

• United Nations Environment Programs - Here is a helpful United Nations page with links to all of its environment-related programs.

• Western Climate Initiative - Click on this link to visit the homepage of an initiative of several U.S. states and Canada to work together against climate change.