Question

Explain any three international environmental movements to protect the environment from degradation.

Hint:

Name three international efforts to protect the environment, for example the Rio Earth Summit 1992, the Kyoto Protocol 1997 and the Montreal Protocol 1987, and explain each in two marks.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understand the question:
Global environmental problems such as global warming and ozone depletion cross national borders. So countries have taken joint action through summits and agreements.
The answer needs three such international efforts, each with a heading and about two marks of explanation.

Step 2: Point 1: Rio Earth Summit, 1992:
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development met at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. It is also called the Earth Summit.
It was attended by many states, thousands of NGOs and some companies. It produced the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21 and conventions on climate change and biodiversity.
It also accepted the idea of sustainable development, which links growth with care of nature.

Step 3: Point 2: Kyoto Protocol, 1997:
The Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997 under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
It set binding targets for industrialised countries to cut emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.
Developing countries like India and China were not given binding cuts, based on the idea of common but differentiated responsibilities.

Step 4: Point 3: Montreal Protocol, 1987:
The Montreal Protocol of 1987 was signed to protect the ozone layer from harm by chemicals such as CFCs.
Member countries agreed to phase out these substances in stages. It is seen as one of the more successful environmental agreements.

Final Answer:
Three international efforts are the Rio Earth Summit of 1992 (sustainable development, Agenda 21), the Kyoto Protocol of 1997 (binding cuts in greenhouse gases) and the Montreal Protocol of 1987 (protecting the ozone layer).