UNEP Guidelines on Compliance with and Enforcement of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)

The guidelines address enforcementof national laws and regulationsimplementing MEAs in a broad context,under which States developlaws and institutions that support effectiveenforcement and pursue actions thatdeter and respond to environmental lawviolations and crimes. Overall, they seek solutions for addressing shortcomings in compliance and enforcement which otherwiseundermine the effectiveness of an MEAregime, or a party’s ability to live up to its obligations. Such shortcomings may include the lack of national legislation; lack of awareness of the relevant regulations; lack of financial resources and the costs of compliance, among other factors. The guidelines were adopted by the UNEP Governing Council in February 2002.