Multilateral Environmental Agreements and Their Implementation in Hungary [antikvár]

I. THE HISTORY, NEGOTIATIONS AND GENERAL FEATURES OF THE AGREEMENTS TRANSBOUNDARYENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION In the course of the last centuries, the environmental effects of human activities have been ever increasing in scale and complexity, especially since the age of the industrial revolution. The recognition of these processes and the assessment of their impacts are due to the development of the tools and systems of monitoring the environment and the results of scientific research. By the expansion of economic activities, the scale of these impacts has become larger and larger. These impacts were transmitted to large distances by the atmospheric circulation and watercourses; they crossed the borders and have become global. The development of the economy entailed not only effects damaging the environment, but also the increased demand for natural resources. Access to and/or exploitation of natural resources related to (i.e. being under the scope of interest or under the jurisdiction of) more than one country or groups of countries has caused the clash of economic and political interests, in some cases armed conflicts. It became evident that the solution of such environmental problems could be found only in the framework of international co-operation, through the appropriate negotiation of interests and arrangements. The development of international agreements has gained momentum particularly in the last several decades, and today there are already hundreds of international - multilateral - instruments of environmental law. By now, the objectives and provisions of these multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) practically cover all elements of the environment, components and values of nature, human (anthropogenic) activities having or potentially having significant environmental impacts and activities transferring such impacts. Besides global environmental issues, these legal instruments deal with the specific environmental issues of all regions, which also have various implications on the interstate relations. Hungary is also an active participant in this international co-operation. Due to certain industrial and other activities conducted in the country, pollutants are discharged into the environment and contribute, on a regional and global scale, to various environmental damages and to the long-term changes in the state of the environment. At the same time, a significant amount of pollutants arrive and deposited to our territory and the global environmental changes also have their impacts in the country. Having realised this, Hungary has become a party to many international agreements and took the commitment to conform 4o the objectives and provisions set therein. The environmental act in force (Act LIII of 1995) pays special attention to participation in international co-operation and carrying out tasks resulting from international obligations. According to the law, the state ensures the enforcement of citizens' rights related to the protection of the environment and the implementation of environmental agreements made with other states and intemational organisations. It is a further task of the government to maintain the fulfilment of environmental obligations resulting from these intemational agreements. Furthermore, it is also important to adequately disseminate information on nature conservation, environment protection, and on the environmental impacts and obligations. As a "regional economic integration organisation", the European Community became also a Party to many MEAs and it has important implications for its member states. After MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS AND HUNGARY