Interlinkages

There is a growing recognition that while each Rio Convention does stand on its own, with its own defined objectives and commitments, there are also mutual dependencies and inherent relationships among them. The Rio Conventions share a concern for many of the same environmental and sustainable development issues, and operate within the same ecosystems.

If the Conventions can be implemented collaboratively and in a co-ordinated manner, synergies may result that will lead to greater progress on all fronts. For example:

• Addressing climate change can impact rates of desertification and biodiversity loss, for which climate is a key factor.
• Introducing renewable energy technologies for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions can also reduce pressure on land and forest biodiversity by providing an alternative to unsustainable biomass fuels.
• Combating deforestation reduces net carbon dioxide emissions, land degradation, and the loss of biodiversity.
  The varied issues on which the Rio Conventions overlap is reflected in the decisions on cooperation

The Rio Conventions overlap not only on issues, but also in the obligations required of their Parties, such as requirements for research, reporting, training and public education and awareness. Given that the responsibility for meeting the obligations of each convention does not necessarily fall to the same institution within a country, coordination and collaboration are needed at the national level to reduce costs and duplication of effort, and to enhance implementation by Parties.

Finally, each Rio Convention shares the common objective of contributing to the sustainable development goals of Agenda 21. (including the targets of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development) and the Millenium Development Goals.

Documents exploring interlinkages among the Rio Conventions are listed here.