Currently, a number of environmental issues, such as climate change, ozone layer depletion, and the loss of biological diversity, confront the whole world more than at any time in recent history. These major and urgent threats affect every country irrespective of who is to blame for the destruction or where the destruction has started. Due to this, every nation in the globe recognizes the need for collaboration in surmounting the threats to the global environment (DeSombre 2005, 7-8). That is why the U.S., as the world’s superpower, is playing an increasing role in aiding the environmental issues of other countries.
The UN Conference on Environment and Development, which took place on June 1992, was a milestone improvement in addressing the world environmental issues. Based on the recommendations of this conference, the UN created the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). The United States has been at the forefront in supporting the activities of the CSD as a primary agency for tackling environmental issues throughput the world. Besides this initiative, the U.S. has signed a number of treaties on biodiversity and climate change, which promote international collaboration for sustainable development, especially in Africa. Through these international treaties, the U.S. has been able to support the environmental issues of other countries.
The fact that uncontrolled human activities can lead to the degradation of the environment is a grave global environmental issue, which the U.S. has led the effort in response to this threat. Developed nations, including the U.S., have established specific action plans to reduce the release of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Consequently, other nations have also adopted this initiative, with the assistance of the industrialized nations.
In September 1994, the United States established the U.S. Climate Change Report that outlines the country’s strategies of tackling the escalating threat of global climate change, and the report includes the United States Initiative on Joint Implementation (USIJI). The USIJI aids projects in other nations that are intended to significantly lower the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (U.S. Department of State 1995, para. 8).
To date, the initiative has supported various projects in several countries. The degradation of the ozone layer is an increasing international environmental concern. Beginning with the agreement in 1978 to prohibit the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as well as other ozone-depleting chemicals in non-essential aerosols, the U.S. has led initiatives to deal with this danger; consequently, the country has insisted on the ratification of the accord to ban the use of these dangerous chemicals in every country in the world.
An essential goal of the United States international environmental policy is the conservation of the world’s natural resources (Harris 2001, 3-5). It pursues this by means of a combination of bilateral and multilateral activities. For example, it is a signatory of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES has been important in the efforts of the U.S. to check and control the species endangered due to illegal international trade. In addition, the United States tackles the issue through other means such as increasing the financial support of forest conservation programs in developing countries. In financing environmental protection in other countries, the U.S. aims to ensure that environmental considerations are taken into account.
Reference List
DeSombre, Elizabeth R. 2005. The Global Environment and World Politics. London: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.
Harris, Paul G. 2001. The environment, international relations, and U.S. foreign policy. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press.
U.S. Department of State. 1995. “Fact Sheet: Global Environmental Issues.” Bureau of Public Affairs. Web.