The United Nations framework convention on climate change

Abstract

This thesis shall look into the scope and objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change which was born at the Rio Earth Summit of 1992. Technological progress has brought about undesirable environmental consequences which now have to be faced and dealt with before it is too late. The Convention represents an important step forward in the regulation of environmental matters which are of global concern. We shall be seeing however that although there is an amount of goodwill to protect Mother Earth, States are somehow reluctant to undertake certain onerous obligations with the result that many measures, as are those laid down in the Climate Change Convention, have remained on paper, notwithstanding the fact that the obligations are still weak. Certain States are hesitant to give up sovereignty over their natural resources and to reduce the amount of industrial activity within their boundaries. The need is thus felt for the recognition of the inadequacy of these commitments and the consequent requirement to give more flesh to the obligations put down in the Convention by means of protocols.