Many environmental issues are global, transboundary, or occur in most countries across the planet. For these reasons nations have agreed to a significant number of international treaties over the years, usually referred to as ‘Multilateral Environmental Agreements’ (MEAs), and in particular since the global summits on the environment in Stockholm in 1972 and Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

MEAs are legally binding upon those States that become the party to them (through ratification, accession, acceptance or approval) and often take the form of a legal text known as a Convention, Protocol or Agreement. MEAs generally fall under the auspices of the United Nations (UN), through the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) or the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), or the Council of Europe (COE).

• The UNEP is an agency within the UN that coordinates environmental activities.
• The UNECE is one of the five regional commissions of the UN which aims to promote pan-European economic integration.
• The COE is an international organisation whose aim is to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe, and includes MEAs on biodiversity and landscape protection.

Malta is party to various MEAs and the EU is a party to many such environmental MEAs.

More information on such MEAs and related aspects may be accessible through the following platforms.

• InforMEA (Access information on Multilateral Environmental Agreements)
• Global Judicial Portal
• InforMEA Learning Platform
• LEAP (Law and Environment Assistance Platform)

Official Name	Usual Name	Competent Authority	Key
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution	CLRTAP	ERA	Air Pollution
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone (1999)	1999 Multi-effect Protocol	ERA	Air Pollution
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution on Long-term Financing of the Cooperative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe (EMEP)	1984 EMEP Protocol	ERA	Air Pollution
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30 per cent	1985 Sulphur Protocol	ERA	Air Pollution
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or their Transboundary Fluxes	1988 NOx Protocol	ERA	Air Pollution
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or their Transboundary Fluxes	1991 VOC Protocol	ERA	Air Pollution
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions	1994 Sulphur Protocol	ERA	Air Pollution
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution on Heavy Metals	1998 Heavy Metals Protocol	ERA	Air Pollution
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants	1998 POPs Protocol	ERA	Air Pollution
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora	CITES	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Convention on Biological Diversity	CBD	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
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	CBD/Nagoya Protocol	ERA/PPD/DFA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity	CBD/Cartagena Protocol	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety	CBD/NKL Protocol	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals	CMS (Bonn Convention)	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Agreement on the Conservation of the Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area	CMS/ACCOBAMS	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Amendments to the Agreement on the Conservation of the Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area	CMS/ACCOBAMS/Monaco Amendments	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe	CMS/EuroBats	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
1995 Amendment to the Agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe	CMS/EuroBats/Bristol Amendments	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
2000 Amendment to the Agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe	CMS/EuroBats/Bristol Amendments	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats	Bern Convention	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Emerald Network under the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats	Bern Convention/Emerald Network	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat	Ramsar Convention	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Protocol to Amend the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat	Ramsar Convention/Paris Protocol	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Amendments to Articles 6 and 7 of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat	Ramsar Convention/Regina Amendments	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Mediterranean Wetland Initiative	Ramsar Convention/MedWet	ERA	Biodiversity and Conservation
Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters	Aarhus Convention	ERA	Governance and Others
Amendment to Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matter (2005)	Aarhus Convention - GMO Amendment	ERA	Governance and Others
Kiev Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters	PRTR Protocol	ERA	Governance and Others
Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context	Espoo Convention (EIA Convention)	ERA	Governance and Others
First amendment to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (2001)	First amendment to the ESPOO Convention	ERA	Governance and Others
Second Amendment to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (2004)	Second amendment to the ESPOO Convention	ERA	Governance and Others
Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution (1976)	Barcelona Convention	ERA / MFEA	Governance and Others
Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (1995)	Barcelona Convention	ERA / MFEA	Governance and Others
Protocol Concerning Mediterranean Specially Protected Areas to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (1982)	SPA Protocol	ERA	Governance and Others
Protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (1995)	SPA and Biodiversity Protocol	ERA	Governance and Others
Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution from Land-based Sources to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (1980)	Land Based Sources Protocol	ERA	Governance and Others
Amendment to the Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution from Land-Based Sources to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (1996)	Amendment to Land Based Sources Protocol	ERA	Governance and Others
Protocol on the Prevention of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (1996)	Hazardous Wastes Protocol	ERA	Governance and Others
Protocol for the Prevention of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (1976)	Dumping Protocol	ERA	Governance and Others
Amendment to the Protocol for the Prevention of Pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (1995)	Amendment to the Dumping Protocol	ERA	Governance and Others
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa	UNCCD	ERA	Land and Soil
Florence (European Landscape) Convention	Florence Convention (ELC)	ERA/ SCH/ PA	Land and Soil
Florence Convention Amendment Protocol	Florence Convention (ELC) - Amendment Protocol	ERA/ SCH/ PA	Land and Soil
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal	Basel Convention	ERA	Waste Management
Amendment to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal	Ban Amendment of the Basel Convention	ERA	Waste Management
Protocol on Liability and Compensation for Damage Resulting from Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal	Liability Protocol of the Basel Convention	ERA	Waste Management