Insights from testing a new methodology for unified evaluation of multilateral environmental agreements

This briefing describes the development and testing of a new methodology designed to evaluate the coherence and effectiveness of national implementation of clusters of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). Commissioned by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), the methodology aims to streamline reporting and identify gaps in national capacities and resources.

• The methodology was developed to address a lack of standard procedures for reviewing the implementation of clusters of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), aiming to improve the evidence base for national performance and enhance the link between national and global environmental goals.
• The evaluation framework consists of 15 categories divided into two types of effectiveness: 'implementation effectiveness' (categories 1-11 and 13) and 'objective-led effectiveness' (categories 12, 14, and 15), the latter of which focuses on real-world outcomes.
• Testing of the methodology in Estonia and Tanzania focused on a cluster of four biodiversity-related MEAs: the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the 1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the 1979 Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
• Testing revealed that while implementation processes are generally well-documented, outcomes are more difficult to trace and attribute specifically to MEA implementation, making stakeholder cooperation and focus groups particularly valuable for objective-led categories.
• Operationalizing a single country review using this methodology is estimated to require two experts working full-time for two months over a six-month period, typically consisting of an environmental law expert and an environmental policy analyst.
• The authors suggest that countries establish permanent joint working groups to coordinate the implementation of MEA clusters, which could include representatives from government, local authorities, experts, and civil society to conduct periodic reviews every two to three years.

APA

Kuldna, P., Peterson, K., Senyagwa, J., & Noel, S. (2014). Insights from testing a new methodology for unified evaluation of multilateral environmental agreements. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/NEW/sei-db-2014-kuldna-evaluationofmeassmall.pdf

Chicago

Kuldna, Piret, Kaja Peterson, Jacqueline Senyagwa, and Stacey Noel. Insights from testing a new methodology for unified evaluation of multilateral environmental agreements. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2014. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/NEW/sei-db-2014-kuldna-evaluationofmeassmall.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kuldna |first1=Piret |last2=Peterson |first2=Kaja |last3=Senyagwa |first3=Jacqueline |last4=Noel |first4=Stacey |title=Insights from testing a new methodology for unified evaluation of multilateral environmental agreements |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2014 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/NEW/sei-db-2014-kuldna-evaluationofmeassmall.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kuldna2014insights, author = {Kuldna, Piret and Peterson, Kaja and Senyagwa, Jacqueline and Noel, Stacey}, title = {{Insights from testing a new methodology for unified evaluation of multilateral environmental agreements}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2014}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/NEW/sei-db-2014-kuldna-evaluationofmeassmall.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }