Environmental protection is a practice of protecting the natural environment on individual, organizational or governmental levels, for the benefit of both the natural environment and humans.

Due to the pressures of population and technology, the biophysical environment is being degraded, sometimes permanently. This has been recognized, and governments have begun placing restraints on activities that cause environmental degradation.

Academic institutions now offer courses, such as environmental studies, environmental management and environmental engineering, that teach the history and methods of environment protection. Protection of the environment is needed due to various human activities.

Waste production, air pollution, and loss of biodiversity are some of the issues related to environmental protection. Environmental protection is influenced by three interwoven factors: environmental legislation, ethics and education.

Each of these factors plays its part in influencing national-level environmental decisions and personal-level environmental values and behaviors. For environmental protection to become a reality, it is important for societies to develop each of these areas that, together, will inform and drive environmental decisions.

How can we fix about this?

Government

Discussion concerning environmental protection often focuses on the role of government, legislation, and law enforcement. However, in its broadest sense, environmental protection may be seen to be the responsibility of all the people and not simply that of government. Decisions that impact the environment will ideally involve a broad range of stakeholders including industry, indigenous groups, environmental group and community representatives. Gradually, environmental decision-making processes are evolving to reflect this broad base of stakeholders and are becoming more collaborative in many countries.

Many constitutions acknowledge the fundamental right to environmental protection and many international treaties acknowledge the right to live in a healthy environment.Also, many countries have organizations and agencies devoted to environmental protection. There are international environmental protection organizations, such as the United Nations Environment Programme.

Although environmental protection is not simply the responsibility of government agencies, most people view these agencies as being of prime importance in establishing and maintaining basic standards that protect both the environment and the people interacting with it.

Our government has sign some Protocol to other countries, including

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC )

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCC )

Kyoto Protocol

Copenhagen Acord

Durban Platform

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC )

Signed in 1988

Experts from all over the world started conducing research on climate change

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCC )

Signed in 1992

Lots of countries agreed with the direction of cutting greenhouse gas emissions

Without setting any limits

Kyoto Protocol

Signed in 1997

Set the limits of greenhouse gas emissions for MDCs and LDCs could cut emissions on a voluntary basis

USA refused to ratify the Protocol in 2001

Copenhagen Acord

Signed in 2009

USA, China and other major LDCs agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions

Accord is not legally binding

Durban Platform

Signed in 2011

Extend the Kyoto Protocol for at least 5 years, starting from 2013

Accept legally binding emission cuts for both MDCs and LDCs since 2020 at the latest

Set up the Green Climate Fund to help poor countries

Although we have sign the accord; However, some countries, such as USA, are not willing to cut the greenhouse gases emissions as they worry that it will slow down their economic growth.

Some countries, which have signed the international agreements, have not met the targets they have promised, for example France.

Here are some information about the Kyoto Protocol

Kyoto Protocol Commitment map 2010

Green States = Annex I Countries fully committed.

Yellow States = Committed within substantial freedom as to their commitments.

Red states = are not committed by the Kyoto Protocol.

Information come from:

Wikipedia

Google