Topic International affairs

Despite the many conventions and institutions in the area of the environment, policymakers still lack the institutional framework required to be able to guarantee global environmental protection. For this reason, the FOEN advocates the strengthening of international environmental governance in order to achieve a comprehensive, cohesive, effective and efficient international environmental regime.

One of the goals the international community has set in the various multilateral environmental agreements is to contribute to resolving global environmental problems. However, developing countries often lack the resources necessary to do this. Switzerland supports the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements and measures in favour of the global environment through its environmental financing and by contributing to environmental funds.

For the first time in history, the international community has set itself comprehensive targets for sustainable development in the context of Agenda 2030. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) were adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 25 September 2015. Eleven of the 17 goals concern the environment – directly or indirectly. The Federal Office for the Environment actively promotes the implementation of the SDGs within its field of competence.

The international community renewed its commitment to sustainable development at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2012. The Rio resolution marked the introduction of the green economy to the global policy agenda. Measures for the consolidation of institutional framework conditions were also adopted. Furthermore, it was decided at this Conference that Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) should be developed.

The objectives of environmental protection and development must be integrated into development cooperation. To this end, the FOEN collaborates closely with the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

The "Environment for Europe" process aims to improve environmental quality in the pan-European region and provides a framework for cooperation on environmental matters with Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Participating in this process are 56 member states within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), international organisations, funding institutions and NGOs.

International trade and the environment are physically, legally and institutionally interdependent upon one another. Natural resources provide the inputs and the energy required for economic output, whose waste is released back into the environment. The environmental impact of not only increased trade in goods and services, but also waste, around the world may require environmental protection measures that, in turn, have an impact on trade. Trade and the environment are regulated by two separate legal systems that interact with one another (World Trade Organization and free trade agreements, on the one hand, multilateral environmental agreements and national environmental regulations, on the other).