UN environment at work. Making environmental law work for planet and people

Violations of environmental law, including environmental crimes, can undermine sustainable development and the achievement of agreed goals and objectives at all levels. Though hundreds of treaties, national laws and regulations exist to address environmental problems, there are major challenges when it comes to implementing and complying with them. The fifth Global Environment Outlook reported, for example, that significant progress has only been made on four of the 90 most important global environmental goals and objectives. The consequences of this shortfall can be seen in the increasing environmental pressures from climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, air and water pollution, and soil degradation, among others. These environmental impacts all have far reaching economic and socialconsequences and contribute to poverty and growing social inequalities.