Negotiator's toolkit

This comprehensive knowledge base will help you to understand and navigate multilateral environmental negotiations and related processes.

Negotiator's toolkit

Browse all resources

Resource type

  • Rules of procedure
  • Case studies
  • Manual
  • E-learning course
  • Presentation
  • IISD/ENB summary meeting report

Topics

  • Environmental Governance
  • Chemicals and Waste
  • Climate and Atmosphere
  • Biological diversity
  • Marine and Freshwater

MEAs

  • Basel Convention
  • BBNJ Agreement
  • CBD
  • ICRW
  • Kyoto Protocol
  • Rotterdam Convention
  • Stockholm Convention
  • UNFCCC

Keywords

Showing 1 - 9 of 12 results
Case studies
|
2023

Decision-Making by Consensus

Examples highlighting how decision-making by consensus is not always straightforward, including a video of the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on plastic pollution (INC-2) showing the Chair's response to a number of points of order raised on this
MEAs:
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Topics:
Environmental Governance
Keywords:
Consensus, Voting, Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, Formal objection
PDF Case-studyVideo Example
doha case study image
Presentation
|
2022

CARICOM Key Principles of Negotiation Training Slides

Training presentation on key principles of MEA negotiation provided by CARICOM to prepare regional negotiators for CBD COP 15.
MEAs:
Convention on Biological Diversity
Topics:
Biological diversity,
Environmental Governance
Keywords:
Binding, Caribbean Community and Common Market, Coalitions, Working group, Resolution, Point of order, African Group of Negotiators, Conference Room Paper, Least Developed Countries, Principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, Consensus
uncbd caricom training cover
IISD/ENB summary meeting report
|
2022

5th Session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the BBNJ

Despite more progress at this two-week session than over the last decade, delegates were unable to reach consensus on a new high seas treaty addressing marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction and, instead, suspended the session, to be resumed

MEAs:
Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction
Topics:
Biological diversity,
Marine and Freshwater
Keywords:
Biological diversity, Sustainable use, Regional groups, Consensus, International Agreement, United Nations General Assembly, Environmental Impact Assessment, In situ, Capacity building, Small Island Developing States, Strategic environmental assessment, Mutually Agreed Terms, Traditional Knowledge, World Trade Organization, Precautionary principle, Package deal, Indigenous peoples, Intellectual property rights, World Intellectual Property Organization, Assessed contribution
Manual
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2022

Managing Processes within the Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity: A Guide for Presiding Officers

MEAs:
Convention on Biological Diversity
Topics:
Biological diversity
Keywords:
Voting, Working group, Biosafety Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Subsidiary body, Point of order, Amendment, Amendment, Consensus, Negotiating blocs, Secret ballot, Formal objection, Information document, Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, Financial rules, Compliance Committee, Non-governmental organizations, Small Island Developing States, Subsidiary Body for Implementation
manual cover
E-learning course
|
2022

Online Negotiations

As COVID-19 restrictions made in-person meetings impossible, many United Nations and Multilateral Environmental Agreement (MEA) meetings have moved to a virtual format. This course takes a closer look at how these negotiation processes are dealt with in a virtual context.
Topics:
Environmental Governance
Keywords:
Biosafety Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity, COVID-19 pandemic, Meetings, Compliance Committee, Voting, Subsidiary body, Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, Biosafety, Compliance, Consensus, Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol, Standing Committee, Non-governmental organizations, Regional groups, Economic Commission for Europe, Least Developed Countries
Online negs cover image
Presentation
|
2021

UNEP Training Presentation on Virtual Negotiations

Virtual MEA negotiations training provided by UNEP at the 17th Course on Multilateral Environmental Agreements (University of Eastern Finland – UNEP).
Topics:
Environmental Governance
Keywords:
Meetings, United Nations Environment Programme, Voting, Subsidiary body, Consensus, Standing Committee, Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, United Nations General Assembly, Compliance
Virtual MEA negotiations presentation.pdfView
virtual negotiations presentation cover
Presentation
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2021

Rules of Procedure and Consensus in MEA Negotiations: UNEP Training Slides

Topics:
Environmental Governance
Keywords:
Consensus, Voting, United Nations Environment Programme, Point of order, Conference Room Paper
rop presentation cover
IISD/ENB summary meeting report
|
2021

2021 Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COPs)

Parties and stakeholders to the three global hazardous chemicals and wastes conventions convened online to deal with urgent operational and substantive work including election of officers, the programmes of work and budgets for all three conventions, and a decision regarding

MEAs:
Rotterdam Convention,
Stockholm Convention,
Basel Convention
Topics:
Chemicals and Waste
Keywords:
Global Environment Facility, Wastes, Chemical Review Committee, Persistent Organic Pollutants, Compliance Committee, European Union, Financial rules, Hazardous wastes, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Conference Room Paper, Open-ended Working Group, Meetings, Scale of assessment, United Nations Environment Programme, Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, National Implementation Plan, Persistant Organic Pollutant Review Committee, Small Island Developing States, Trust fund
IISD/ENB summary meeting report
|
2018

67th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC67)

The presence of aboriginal whale hunters at the meeting provided moving and compelling statements. Adoption of the amendment, which required a three-fourths majority, was viewed by many delegates as an example of the IWC’s ability to find a balance between

MEAs:
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
Keywords:
Meetings, Resolution, Amendment, Amendment, European Union, Sustainable use, Working group, Indigenous peoples, Consensus, International Maritime Organization