Summary: During the last 20 years, more and more nations have signed international agreements on a host of global environmental issues, ranging from stratospheric ozone depletion to the threatened extinction of plants and animals. Although these agreements in themselves are noteworthy, they are not always well-monitored, and many countries--particularly those in the Third World--lack the ability to comply. GAO and the Congressional Research Service recently held a symposium on how to strengthen international environmental agreements. Panelists included officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of State, the World Bank, and the United Nations Environment Program. Reflecting the results of the symposium, as well as other GAO work, this report (1) describes the extent to which information on the implementation of international environmental agreements is available, (2) examines the roles this information can play, (3) considers how incentives can help countries implement these agreements, and (4) suggests how Congress can strengthen these agreements.
