État de la gouvernance environnementale mondiale 2020

The report 'État de la gouvernance environnementale mondiale 2020' examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international environmental governance, the shift to virtual negotiations, and the resulting effects on climate and biodiversity goals. It highlights the challenges of maintaining political momentum and scientific output during lockdowns while noting that the pandemic underscored the interconnectedness of human health and environmental degradation.

• The COVID-19 pandemic forced global environmental governance to move online suddenly, disrupting traditional face-to-face negotiation practices. While some smaller, implementation-focused bodies successfully adopted decisions, larger bodies struggled with virtual formats, which were deemed ill-suited for creating new rules due to the loss of interpersonal dynamics and informal discussions.
• To maintain operational continuity during the pandemic, the UN General Assembly and other organizations like the UN Forum on Forests and the Convention on Biological Diversity utilized the 'Silence procedure'. This tool allows for the adoption of resolutions or budgets if no country objects by a specified deadline, bypassing the need for physical voting.
• Despite the pandemic, high-level political momentum was attempted through virtual events. The Climate Ambition Summit resulted in 45 goals or plans related to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), 24 new net-zero commitments, and 20 new adaptation and resilience plans. Additionally, 75 countries and the EU signed the Leaders' Pledge for Nature to achieve a vision of living in harmony with nature by 2050.
• The pandemic caused significant delays in the production of critical scientific advice. For the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report, lockdowns hindered the ability of contributors—particularly women with caregiving responsibilities—to access data and dedicate time to writing, meaning COP26 negotiations would proceed without necessary updated scientific guidance.
• The environmental impact of COVID-19 lockdowns was temporary and structural changes are required for lasting reductions. While daily global emissions dropped by 17% at the pandemic's peak and total 2020 CO2 emissions may have fallen by approximately 5%, up to 83% of emissions remain structural, linked to energy and transport systems.
• The pandemic exacerbated existing social and environmental inequalities. Marginalized populations, including indigenous peoples and women, were hardest hit. The FAO estimates that the economic recession triggered by COVID-19 could lead to an additional 83 million to 132 million people suffering from hunger.
• The report identifies a critical link between human activity and pandemic risk, noting that land-use changes, agricultural intensification, and unsustainable production and consumption patterns drive both climate change, biodiversity loss, and the emergence of zoonotic diseases.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). État de la gouvernance environnementale mondiale 2020. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-03/state-global-environmental-governance-2020-fr.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. État de la gouvernance environnementale mondiale 2020. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-03/state-global-environmental-governance-2020-fr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=État de la gouvernance environnementale mondiale 2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-03/state-global-environmental-governance-2020-fr.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndtat, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{État de la gouvernance environnementale mondiale 2020}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-03/state-global-environmental-governance-2020-fr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }