Inece - International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement

INECE’s efforts on the topic of climate compliance focus on strengthening compliance with existing and emerging requirements that restrict emissions that contribute to climate change and that protect carbon sinks and reservoirs, including forests and soils.  Statements from the 9th Conference at Whistler and the 8th Conference at Cape Town support INECE’s work in this area.

These include requirements that directly control climate emissions, such as requirements related to reducing particulate emissions (black carbon), reducing tropospheric ozone and its precursor, methane, and controlling fluorinated gases, including HFCs, HCFCs, and CFC,  as well as ensuring energy efficiency. Black carbon and tropospheric ozone are local and regional air pollutants that are responsible for killing up to 4.7 million people a year, and significantly harming crops.  Along with HFCs and other fluorinated gases, they also are potent climate pollutants, responsible for 40% of global warming. The Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants was launched early in 2012 to help reduce these pollutants.

INECE  monitors and analyzes instances of non-compliance in the carbon markets and evaluates how those actions affect the market’s environmental and financial integrity, including the European Emissions Trading Scheme.

Forest destruction is another major driver of climate change. INECE work includes raising awareness to measures to control illegal logging and promoting compliance with such measures.

Improving compliance with existing multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) can enhance climate co-benefits. These include MEAs addressing shipping, regional air pollution, and protection of the stratospheric ozone layer under the Montreal Protocol, considered by many to be the most effective environmental treaty created to date.

INECE resources, including its work on indicators and its Principles of Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Handbook, support policymakers around the world in designing effective climate-related requirements, monitoring compliance, conducting enforcement response.

To learn more about INECE’s work on climate compliance, email the INECE Secretariat at inece@inece.org.