State of Global Environmental Governance 2020

The 2020 State of Global Environmental Governance report details the shift of international environmental negotiations to virtual platforms due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It analyzes the adoption of the 'silence procedure' for decision-making, the delays in scientific advice from bodies like the IPCC, and the temporary nature of pandemic-related emission dips. The document argues that the pandemic highlighted the interconnectedness of human health, biodiversity loss, and climate change, while warning that structural inequalities and nationalist responses to the pandemic could hinder the global cooperation necessary for a green and inclusive recovery.

• The COVID-19 pandemic forced global environmental governance to move online, leading to the adoption of the 'silence procedure' by the UN General Assembly, the UN Forum on Forests, and the Convention on Biological Diversity to adopt operational decisions without physical voting.
• Virtual negotiations were effective for smaller, technical, or implementation-focused bodies, but larger bodies struggled to craft new rules or reach substantive decisions due to the lack of interpersonal interaction and 'break out groups'.
• The pandemic caused significant delays in the production of scientific advice, specifically affecting the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report, which meant negotiations for the Glasgow Climate Change Conference would lack updated scientific guidance.
• Environmental improvements during lockdowns were temporary 'blips' rather than structural changes; while daily global emissions fell by 17% at the pandemic's height, up to 83% of emissions remain structural and linked to energy and transport systems.
• The pandemic increased the use of plastics for personal protective equipment and disposable containers, reversing a previous trend where demand for recycled plastic had exceeded that for virgin plastic.
• The crisis exacerbated existing social and racial inequalities, with marginalized populations—including women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples—bearing a disproportionate burden of both the pandemic and environmental degradation.

APA

Allan, J., Soubry, B., Rosen, T., & Tsioumani, E. (2020). State of Global Environmental Governance 2020. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-02/state-global-environmental-governance-2020-en.pdf

Chicago

Allan, Jen, Bernard Soubry, Tanya Rosen, and Elsa Tsioumani. State of Global Environmental Governance 2020. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2020. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-02/state-global-environmental-governance-2020-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Allan |first1=Jen |last2=Soubry |first2=Bernard |last3=Rosen |first3=Tanya |last4=Tsioumani |first4=Elsa |title=State of Global Environmental Governance 2020 |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-02/state-global-environmental-governance-2020-en.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{allan2020state, author = {Allan, Jen and Soubry, Bernard and Rosen, Tanya and Tsioumani, Elsa}, title = {{State of Global Environmental Governance 2020}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2020}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-02/state-global-environmental-governance-2020-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }