State of Global Environmental Governance 2022

The report provides an overview of global environmental governance in 2022, noting a return to face-to-face multilateralism after the pandemic. Key achievements include the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the launch of plastics treaty negotiations, and the agreement to establish a loss and damage fund for vulnerable countries. It also examines the integration of human rights into environmental policy and the impact of the war in Ukraine on environmental governance.

• In 2022, the international community achieved several major milestones in environmental governance, including the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which replaces the Aichi Biodiversity Targets with 23 more specific and time-bound targets to be reached by 2030.
• Significant progress was made in addressing pollution and marine biodiversity, specifically through the launch of negotiations for a new global plastics treaty intended to conclude by 2024 and the WTO's agreement to curb fisheries subsidies for illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
• A major breakthrough occurred at the Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Change Conference with the agreement to establish a fund and process to operationalize finance for loss and damage, addressing permanent climate effects that exceed adaptation capabilities.
• The concept of nature-based solutions (NbS) gained significant traction in 2022, being formally defined by the UN Environment Assembly and integrated into decisions across the Rio Conventions, although some developing countries, led by Brazil, expressed concerns over the approach.
• Human rights were increasingly linked to environmental governance, highlighted by the UN General Assembly's recognition of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, though the integration of such language into specific treaty implementation remains contentious.
• Geopolitical conflict, specifically the Russian invasion of Ukraine, disrupted environmental governance by delaying elections in some treaty bodies and causing significant ecological damage to 16 Ramsar Sites, leading to a landmark resolution recognizing the impacts of war on the environment.

APA

Allan, J., Kosolapova, E., Rosen, T., Templeton, J., & Wagner, L. (2022). State of Global Environmental Governance 2022. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-02/state-global-environmental-governance-2022.pdf

Chicago

Allan, Jen, Elena Kosolapova, Tanya Rosen, Jessica Templeton, and Lynn Wagner. State of Global Environmental Governance 2022. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2022. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-02/state-global-environmental-governance-2022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Allan |first1=Jen |last2=Kosolapova |first2=Elena |last3=Rosen |first3=Tanya |last4=Templeton |first4=Jessica |last5=Wagner |first5=Lynn |title=State of Global Environmental Governance 2022 |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2022 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-02/state-global-environmental-governance-2022.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{allan2022state, author = {Allan, Jen and Kosolapova, Elena and Rosen, Tanya and Templeton, Jessica and Wagner, Lynn}, title = {{State of Global Environmental Governance 2022}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2022}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-02/state-global-environmental-governance-2022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }