BUILDING A SYNERGISTIC MODEL ON CHEMICAL AND WASTE MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT : A CASE STUDY OF MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS REGIONAL ENFORCEMENT NETWORK

Abstract

Proliferation of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) leads to institutional fragmentation, duplication as well as overloading the national administration and likely causes ineffectiveness of MEAs implementation. Using collective action theory, inter-organization theory and propositions on synergy, clustering, fragmentation and regime effectiveness, this research closely examined a case of MEA Regional Enforcement Network (MEA REN), a pilot project aimed at strengthening enforcement of four chemical and waste related MEAs (Basel/Rotterdam/Stockholm Conventions and Montreal Protocol) in Asia, to prove the claim that building MEAs synergies would improve enforcement effectiveness. The study was conducted through in-depth interview, documentation review, comparing trade data, and qualification analysis. The study concluded that synergy building could improve information flows, inter-agency cooperation, law enforcement operations, capacity building and enforcing licensing system so that countries can enforce MEAs in a more effective way. The study recommended organization reform, enforcement networking and capacity building are key areas to improve enforcement effectiveness, and constructed a model of building synergies for chemical and waste related MEAs to improve environmental enforcement.