State of Global Environmental Governance 2023

The 2023 state of global environmental governance was characterized by a tension between significant multilateral achievements and deepening geopolitical fractures. While the world saw the adoption of the BBNJ treaty and the Global Framework on Chemicals, progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remains dire, with only 15% of targets on track. Climate action reached a milestone with the first Global Stocktake (GST) in Dubai, calling for a transition away from fossil fuels, though critics noted the absence of a full phase-out. Geopolitical tensions, particularly Russia's invasion of Ukraine, have hindered scientific collaboration in the Arctic and increased the use of voting over consensus in treaty negotiations. Financial gaps remain a critical barrier, with calls for a New Global Financing Pact to address the needs of the Global South.

• In 2023, two major delayed milestones were completed: the adoption of the Global Framework on Chemicals by the International Conference on Chemicals Management and the conclusion of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement, also known as the high seas treaty.
• The first Global Stocktake (GST) under the Paris Agreement concluded at COP 28 in Dubai, resulting in a decision that for the first time calls on parties to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly, and equitable manner.
• Progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is severely lagging; the 2023 UN Secretary-General’s report indicates the world is on track to meet only 15% of the SDG targets, while 37% are stagnating or reversing.
• Geopolitical tensions and armed conflicts have fundamentally altered environmental governance, leading to a rise in voting by secret ballot over traditional consensus-building and the freezing of critical scientific projects in the Arctic due to the exclusion of Russia from the Arctic Council.
• Financial mobilization remains insufficient for the scale of the crises, though 2023 saw the operationalization of the loss and damage fund with nearly USD 700 million pledged in the first two days of COP 28, and a record USD 12.8 billion replenishment of the Green Climate Fund.
• The Stockholm Convention's effectiveness evaluation found that levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment, animals, and people are decreasing, although over 17,000 contaminated sites remain in Europe.
• The IPBES Invasive Alien Species Assessment reports that biological invasions cost over USD 423 billion annually as of 2019 and are responsible for at least 60% of plant and animal extinctions.

APA

Allan, J., Kosolapova, E., Templeton, J., & Wagner, L. (2023). State of Global Environmental Governance 2023. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-03/state-global-environmental-governance-2023.pdf

Chicago

Allan, Jen, Elena Kosolapova, Jessica Templeton, and Lynn Wagner. State of Global Environmental Governance 2023. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2023. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-03/state-global-environmental-governance-2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Allan |first1=Jen |last2=Kosolapova |first2=Elena |last3=Templeton |first3=Jessica |last4=Wagner |first4=Lynn |title=State of Global Environmental Governance 2023 |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2023 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-03/state-global-environmental-governance-2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{allan2023state, author = {Allan, Jen and Kosolapova, Elena and Templeton, Jessica and Wagner, Lynn}, title = {{State of Global Environmental Governance 2023}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2023}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-03/state-global-environmental-governance-2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }