ABSTRACT
Environmental issues require global governance. Many environmental problems arise in areas, such as the oceans or the atmosphere, that are outside state jurisdiction. Global environmental issues are governed through a cacophony of coordinated governance efforts that make incremental progress towards addressing environmental problems as they arise. This chapter discusses the UN system, other international institutions, the contribution of non-state actors, and funding mechanisms for supporting global environmental governance. UN global conferences on the environment have played a prominent role in intergovernmental approaches to environmental governance. Issues concerning maritime resources and standards are all governed through international cooperation. The two main types of ocean environmental issues are fisheries conservation and ocean pollution. Ocean resources are addressed by a variety of regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) along with other institutions that address marine mammal harvesting. Ocean pollution is regulated primarily by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the set of international agreements it oversees.
