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The three Rio Conventions have been linked—at least on paper—since the 1992 Earth Summit. While each treaty stands on its own, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), both of which were opened for signature at the Rio Earth Summit, and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the negotiation of which was called for in the Rio Earth Summit outcome—Agenda 21, remain intricately linked because they address interconnected and interdependent issues.

Achieving consensus in multilateral environmental negotiations is not an easy feat. In the run-up to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 27), UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15), and other key sustainable development negotiations during November and December, we asked experts from the Earth Negotiations Bulletin what sets a negotiation up for a successful outcome.

“Forever chemicals,” aka PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) are now mainstream news (for example in the Washington Post and on BBC). Yet, comprehensive discussion of the impacts of chemicals on our environment and health tends to be confined to dedicated outlets and niche literature.

The Stockholm Conference in 1972 created the framework that still guides how countries negotiate environmental deals. How do we fulfill its vision?

Once called “the world’s parliament on the environment,” the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) has a unique role in global environmental governance. It is high-level and universal—the only forum for stakeholders from all countries to discuss the environmental challenges we face.

Négocier des accords mondiaux sur l'action climatique, la restauration de la biodiversité, le contrôle de la pollution plastique et d'autres crises environnementales n'est pas facile dans le meilleur des cas - et 2021 en était loin. Pourtant, il y a eu des gains alors que le monde naviguait sur des vagues changeantes de COVID-19 et un partage inégal des vaccins. Notre rapport L'état des négociations environnementales mondiales 2021 explore les faits saillants et les points faibles de l'année écoulée. La lettre d'ouverture de la Dre Jennifer Allan met cette année tumultueuse en contexte tout en envisageant les jalons de négociation possibles en 2022.

Negotiating global agreements on climate action, biodiversity restoration, plastic pollution control, and other environmental crises is not easy at the best of times—and 2021 was far from that. Yet there were gains as the world navigated shifting waves of COVID-19 and unequal vaccine sharing. Our report The State of Global Environmental Negotiations 2021 explores the highlights and lowlights of the past year. Dr. Jennifer Allan's opening letter puts this tumultuous year in context while looking ahead to the possible negotiating milestones in 2022.

While a lot of attention has gone to climate talks at the end of 2021, countries are also negotiating biodiversity targets.

At the midway point of the Glasgow Climate Change Conference (COP 26) where do negotiations stand?