"Environmental problems have always been part of our history, of life, and work. Yet the way in which environmental problems are perceived and politicized has changed: If it was at first chiefly local and regional environmental problems that were recognized, in recent years global environmental problems that have been a major cause of concern. Global problems can be tackled only by means of an internationally coordinated, global environmental policy, local and regional environmental policies have to be integrated into this context. Global environmental policy has meanwhile become a highly dynamic policy field. The first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm 1972) is generally regarded as its starting point. Since then a good number of environmental accords, both national and bilateral, but, in numerous cases, also multilateral and global, have been signed. The efforts undertaken thus far are, however, not comprehensive enough, and they do not appear to be sufficient. So there is still a wide policy-implementation gap between ongoing environmental degradation and the environmental agreements that have been agreed upon and the compliance record that can be noted for them. This skeptical balance is, however, not without some positive aspects on the credit side: Recent years have seen the negotiation of new global environmental conventions, and already existing accords have been specified through implementation protocols. However, further efforts are needed to mould effective regulatory instruments out of the given environmental agreements. Direct as well as indirect instruments should be used toward that end. Furthermore, it would be essential to start restructuring environmental policy within the United Nations system and to look into the feasibility of establishing a new World Environment and Development Organization." (excerpt) Die erste UN-Umweltkonferenz (Stockholm 1972) gilt gemeinhin als Anfangspunkt einer globalen Umweltpolitik. Seither sind eine Vielzahl nationaler, bilateraler, vielfach auch multilateraler und globaler Umweltvereinbarungen unterzeichnet worden. Gleichwohl sind diese Bemühungen noch nicht umfassend genug. Es klafft nach wie vor ein tiefer Graben zwischen der fortschreitenden Verschlechterung der Umweltbedingungen, den getroffenen Umweltvereinbarungen und der Implementation und Befolgung dieser Vereinbarungen. Es gibt jedoch auch positive Effekte. In den letzten Jahren sind neue globale Umweltkonventionen ausgehandelt worden und bestehende Abkommen wurden durch Implementationsprotokolle konkretisiert. Es bedarf jedoch weiterhin der Schaffung eines effektiven Regulationsinstrumentariums auf der Basis der Umweltabkommen. Hier sollten direkte wie indirekte Instrumente zum Einsatz kommen. Wichtig wäre auch eine Restrukturierung der Umweltpolitik im Rahmen der UNO, etwa durch die Etablierung einer neuen Weltorganisation für Umwelt und Entwicklung. (ICEÜbers)