Kyoto, POPs, and Straddling Stocks : Understanding Environmental Treaties

international environmental treaties - once a fringe area of environmental law - increasingly deal with issues that affect the lives of Canadians. At a time when citizens take to the street to protest globalized trade rules, global environmental rules are a welcome antidote to the backlash against multilateralism. These rules are widely supported. They are often criticized because they don’t go far enough and have not yet produced reverses in the most troubling global environmental trends. Many members of the public question why their governments willingly relinquish sovereignty in the name of the marketplace but are reluctant to make similar concessions for the environment. This guide explains how treaties work internationally, and how they work in Canada.