We have known that the environment is in trouble for a long time. But what action have governments around the world taken to tackle it? In this quiz we look at some of the environmental treaties, agreements and laws brought in to protect our planet.
There are laws in place to protect specific species, limit greenhouse gas emissions, control harmful chemicals and much more besides. Unfortunately, some countries are not signed-up to all of them, and others are non-binding. If we seriously want to save the planet, it will take cooperation between every nation on Earth.
The United Nations is certainly taking the issue seriously. As the threat to the environment has become more and more noticeable, the number of treaties aimed at protecting it have increased. But not all countries are as enthusiastic about making the necessary sacrifices. In fact, some leaders have even denied that humans are causing climate change at all!
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
As London’s population grew and the forests around it shrank, people started to use coal, rather than wood, for fuel. This produced clouds of toxic gas, hence Edward’s ban
|
It's still in force today - unfortunately, fewer than half the countries in the world are bound by the agreement
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
As well as banning military activity, the treaty also makes Antarctica a scientific reserve
|
The treaty prohibited nuclear tests anywhere other than beneath ground. Before then, most nuclear tests were carried out in lands far from the nations doing the testing – places where wildlife and indigenous people were exposed to radiation
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bonn was the capital of West Germany prior to reunification. Sadly, many nations have still not signed the Bonn Convention
|
The treaty set out strategies for reducing CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) which damage the ozone layer. The ozone layer protects us from ultraviolet light which causes skin cancer
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
The framework limits the amount of greenhouses gasses countries are allowed to produce. However, because over 190 countries are involved and consensus is required, progress has been slow
|
Between 1946 and 1994, 18 times as much nuclear waste entered the oceans as did so in the Fukushima disaster of 2011 - we did this deliberately!
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
The convention forces exporters of hazardous chemicals to use proper labelling, to give directions for safe handling, and to inform users of any known restrictions. However, it does nothing to outlaw them
|
Andorra, Palestine, South Sudan, the United States and Canada are the only countries not bound by the Protocol
|