Green Policies, Regulations & Standards

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or UNCCD, is the only legally binding international framework specifically created to address desertification and the effects of drought. Established in 1994, the Convention has 197 Parties, including 196 country Parties and the European Union. Its central purpose is to protect and restore land, support sustainable land management, improve drought resilience and reduce the social, economic and environmental impacts of land degradation. For companies, UNCCD matters because land degradation is not only an environmental issue. It affects agricultural productivity, water availability, soil health, food security, supply-chain resilience, nature-related risk, restoration markets and climate adaptation.

The Kyoto Protocol is the first major international climate treaty to impose legally binding greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets on industrialised countries. It created quantified emissions commitments, national inventory duties, compliance procedures and three flexible market mechanisms: international emissions trading, the Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation. Although the Paris Agreement now provides the main global climate framework after 2020, the Kyoto Protocol remains important because it established the architecture for carbon markets, emissions accounting and international climate compliance.

The Montreal Protocol is a global environmental treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out ozone-depleting substances. It regulates chemicals used in refrigeration, air conditioning, foams, aerosols, fire suppression, solvents, and industrial applications. Through later amendments, especially the Kigali Amendment, it also covers hydrofluorocarbons, which do not deplete ozone but are powerful greenhouse gases. The protocol is one of the most successful international environmental agreements and has major implications for chemicals, cooling, product design, refrigerant supply chains and climate mitigation.

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is a global treaty adopted in 2001 and in force since 2004. It protects human health and the environment from POPs, chemicals that persist, bioaccumulate, travel long distances, and cause harmful effects. Parties must eliminate Annex A chemicals, restrict Annex B chemicals, reduce unintentional Annex C releases and manage POPs stockpiles and waste safely. The Convention affects pesticides, industrial chemicals, PFAS, flame retardants, electronics, textiles, plastics, recycling, waste and contaminated sites. Its requirements are implemented through national laws and market-access controls.

The Rotterdam Convention is an international treaty governing trade in certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides. It does not ban all listed chemicals automatically, but it creates a Prior Informed Consent system that requires information exchange, national import decisions, and export compliance before certain hazardous chemicals can move across borders. The framework affects agrochemicals, industrial chemicals, pesticides, exporters, importers, distributors, customs authorities, chemical traders and downstream users.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from mercury and mercury compounds. It controls mercury supply, trade, products, industrial processes, artisanal and small-scale gold mining, emissions, releases, storage and waste. The framework affects mining, chemicals, healthcare, lighting, measuring devices, energy, cement, waste management, contaminated sites and product supply chains.

The Nagoya Protocol is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity governing access to genetic resources and fair and equitable benefit-sharing. It requires countries to establish rules for prior informed consent, mutually agreed terms, traditional knowledge, and compliance documentation. It affects pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, biotechnology, agriculture, seeds, food ingredients and research institutions. Companies must check provider country rules, document access permissions, share benefits where required and track obligations across R&D and commercialisation.

CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, is an international agreement that regulates trade in listed wild animals and plants to ensure that international trade does not threaten their survival. It affects wildlife products, timber, leather, exotic pets, cosmetics ingredients, fisheries, luxury goods, musical instruments, traditional medicine, tourism, e-commerce, customs systems and biodiversity compliance.

The EU Green Claims Context refers to the broader European regulatory framework governing environmental claims, green marketing and anti-greenwashing controls. It includes the proposed Green Claims Directive, the already adopted Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive, the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, consumer information rules and sector-specific sustainability disclosure requirements. The framework affects brands, retailers, manufacturers, platforms, certification schemes, sustainability teams and marketing departments because environmental claims increasingly need to be specific, evidence-based, transparent and not misleading.

The UK Zero Emission Vehicle mandate requires vehicle manufacturers to sell an increasing share of new zero-emission cars and vans each year. It creates a regulated credit trading system, financial penalties for non-compliance, and complementary CO₂ standards for remaining non-zero-emission vehicles. The framework directly affects automakers, leasing companies, fleet operators, dealers, charging infrastructure providers, battery suppliers, logistics fleets and corporate Scope 3 transport decarbonization strategies.