Multilateral Environmental Agreements

MEAs are international instruments states enter into,

addressing particular environmental issues. They play
a vital role in the development of overall
environmental frameworks from the global, regional,
national to sub-national levels of governance and
cooperation. Some MEAs are legally-binding such as
Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), Basel
Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal,
and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic
Pollutants.
Some are voluntary agreements among nations,
among these are the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD), United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United
Nations Convention to Combat Desertification,
Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
(CMS), and the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar
Convention).
Most of these MEAs are outcomes of international
conventions that parties (governments), and non-
parties (civil society, scientists, private sector,
indigenous people, etc.) participate in. Together, they
forge agreements and pledge to take action to solve
environmental issues. International frameworks are
adopted at country level resulting into policies, plans,
programs and activities implemented across sectors of
the society.
The Philippines’ Wildlife Act (RA 9147), National
Integrated Protected Areas System (RA 7586 and
11038), Clean Air Act (RA 8749), Ecological Solid
Waste Management Act (RA 9003), the Indigenous
Peoples Rights Act (8371), Philippine Plant Variety
Protection Act (RA 9168), Toxic Substances &
Hazardous & Nuclear Wastes Control Act (RA 6969),
are some of the policy outcomes arising from our
country’s commitments in various global treaties.
The Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) represents the Philippines in many
of these MEA meetings. Other government agencies
participate in international conventions related to
trade, transboundary crime, sustainable development,
health, human rights, geopolitical matters, among
others.
Multilateral Environmental Agreements in
Biodiversity
The Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) of the
DENR is the focal agency representing the Philippines
in several MEAs related to biodiversity conservation.
It negotiates on the country’s behalf, measures and
actions that aim to tackle drivers of biodiversity loss.
Country positions and commitments are drafted in
consultation with various stakeholders, including
scientific and technical experts.
1. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
The Convention on Biological Diversity provides a
global legal framework for action on biodiversity. It
brings together the Parties in the Conference of the
Parties (COP) which is the Convention’s governing
body that meets every two years, or as needed, to
review progress in the implementation of the
Convention, to adopt programmes of work, to achieve
its objectives, and provide policy guidance.
The COP is assisted by the Subsidiary Body on
Scientific, Technical, and Technological Advice
(SBSTTA), which is made up of government
representatives with expertise in relevant fields, as
well as observers from non-Party governments, the
scientific community, and other relevant
organizations. SBSTTA is responsible for providing
recommendations to the COP on the technical aspects
of the implementation of the Convention.
It has 3 main objectives:

• The conservation of biological diversity

• The sustainable use of the components of biological
diversity
• The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising
out of the utilization of genetic resources
* Philippines is a Party since January 6, 1994
Convention Protocols:
a. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the
Convention on Biological Diversity is an international
agreement which aims to ensure the safe handling,
transport and use of living modified organisms
(LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that
may have adverse effects on biological diversity,
taking also into account risks to human health. It was
adopted on 29 January 2000 and entered into force on
11 September 2003.

* Philippines entry into force on January 3, 2007

b. Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing
The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources
and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising
from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological
Diversity is an international agreement which aims at
sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of
genetic resources in a fair and equitable way. It
entered into force on 12 October 2014, 90 days after
the date of deposit of the fiftieth instrument of
ratification.
* Philippines is a party since December 28, 2015
2. Convention on the Conservation of Migratory
Species of Wild Animals (CMS)
As an environmental treaty under the aegis of the
United Nations Environment Programme, CMS
provides a global platform for the conservation and
sustainable use of migratory animals and their
habitats. CMS brings together the States through
which migratory animals pass, the Range States, and
lays the legal foundation for internationally
coordinated conservation measures throughout a
migratory range.
Migratory species threatened with extinction are listed
on Appendix I of the Convention. CMS Parties strive
towards strictly protecting these animals, conserving
or restoring the places where they live, mitigating
obstacles to migration and controlling other factors
that might endanger them. Besides establishing
obligations for each State joining the Convention,
CMS promotes concerted action among the Range
States of many of these species.
Migratory species that need or would significantly
benefit from international co-operation are listed in
Appendix II of the Convention. For this reason, the
Convention encourages the Range States to conclude
global or regional agreements.
* Philippines is a Party since February 1, 1994
3. Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
CITES (the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an
international agreement between governments. Its aim
is to ensure that international trade in specimens of
wild animals and plants does not threaten their
survival.
CITES works by subjecting international trade in
specimens of selected species to certain controls. All
import, export, re-export and introduction from the
sea of species covered by the Convention has to be
authorized through a licensing system. Each Party to
the Convention must designate one or more
Management Authorities in charge of administering
that licensing system and one or more Scientific
Authorities to advise them on the effects of trade on
the status of the species.
The species covered by CITES are listed in three
Appendices, according to the degree of protection they
need:
Appendix I includes species threatened with
extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is
permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
Appendix II includes species not necessarily
threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be
controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible
with their survival.
Appendix III contains species that are protected in at
least one country, which has asked other CITES
Parties for assistance in controlling the trade. Changes
to Appendix III follow a distinct procedure from
changes to Appendices I and II, as each Party’s is
entitled to make unilateral amendments to it.
* Philippines is a party since November 16, 1981
4. The Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention)
The Convention on Wetlands is the intergovernmental
treaty that provides the framework for the
conservation and wise use of wetlands and their
resources.
The Convention’s mission is “the conservation and
wise use of all wetlands through local and national
actions and international cooperation, as a
contribution towards achieving sustainable
development throughout the world”.
Under the “three pillars” of the Convention, the
Contracting Parties commit to:
• work towards the wise use of all their wetlands;
• designate suitable wetlands for the list of Wetlands of
International Importance (the “Ramsar List”) and
ensure their effective management;
• cooperate internationally on transboundary
wetlands, shared wetland systems and shared species.
The Philippines has eight (8) Ramsar sites:

1) Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary

2) Naujan Lake National Park
3) Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary
4) Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
5) Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
6) Las Piñas- Parañaque Critical Habitat And
Ecotourism Area
7) Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Conservation
Area
8) Sasmuan Pampanga Coastal Wetlands
5. Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI)
The CTI-CFF is a multilateral partnership formed by
the governments of the six Coral Triangle countries
(Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea,
Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste) in 2009 to address
the growing threats to the Coral Triangle. Under the
CTI-CFF, the six countries signed a declaration to
protect the Coral Triangle and committed to
implement a Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) with five
goals: designation of effectively managed seascapes;
application of an ecosystem approach to fisheries
management; establishment of a fully functional
marine protected area system; strengthening climate
change adaptation and resilience; and improving the
status of threatened marine species. The six countries
then developed their respective CTI-CFF National
Plans of Action to adopt the regional goals to their
local conditions.
The Coral Triangle encompasses 647 million hectares
of land and sea located within the territories of
Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea,
Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. The Coral Triangle
is a geographical term that refers to a roughly
triangular shape of marine waters between the Pacific
and Indian oceans. For more details, see the CTI-CFF
Regional Map.
The Philippine CTI-CFF National Coordinating
Committee was established in 2009 to provide
guidance for the overall implementation of the
Philippine CTI-CFF National Plan of Action (NPOA)
and to serve as the country focal point for the
implementation of the CTI-CFF Regional Plan of
Action. The NCC is led by the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources and the Bureau
of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources under the
Department of Agriculture. Its members include
representatives from the Department of Foreign
Affairs, the Department of Finance, the National
Economic and Development Authority, the League of
Municipalities of the Philippines, non-government
organizations, academic institutions and the business
sector.
* CTI was enforced on 2009
6. ASEAN Working Group on Nature Conservation
and Biodiversity (AWGNCB)
Recognising the benefits of collective action towards
achieving sustainable development as well as
promoting clean and green environment, the ASEAN
Leaders resolved to intensify cooperation in
addressing problems associated with conservation and
sustainable use of biological diversity through the
establishment of the ASEAN Working Group on
Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (AWGNCB).
The AWGNCB is a consultative platform that aims to
further strengthen regional coordination and
cooperation in addressing problems associated natural
biodiversity, and to undertake concrete actions in
ensuring that the regions rich biological diversity is
protected, conserved and sustainably managed. The
AWGNCB also monitors and develops a common
ASEAN stand/s applicable to international and
regional conventions and agreements on nature
conservation and biodiversity.
7. ASEAN Working Group on Coastal and Marine
Environment (AWGCME)
Recognizing the importance of coastal and marine
resources for the livelihood of ASEAN people, ASEAN
Leaders resolved to foster the conservation and
sustainable management of coastal and marine
ecosystems. The commitment of the ASEAN Leaders is
reflected in the Blueprint for the ASEAN Socio-
Cultural Community (ASCC Blueprint) 2025 that
shall serve as the guiding mandate of ASEAN
Working Group on Coastal and Marine Environment
(AWGCME).
AWGCME aims to ensure ASEANs coastal and
marine environment are sustainably managed;
representative ecosystems, pristine areas, and species
are protected; economic activities are sustainably
managed; and public awareness of the coastal and
marine environment instilled.
AWGCME also functions as a consultative forum to
promote coordination and collaboration among
various relevant ASEAN and other regional marine-
related initiatives to ensure a well-coordinated and
integrated approach to the conservation and
sustainable management of the coastal and marine
environment