Compliance mechanisms in multilateral environmental agreements: an effective way to improve compliance?

Compliance mechanisms in multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) have slowly but certainly replaced the classic dispute settlement procedures as the preferred means to ensure compliance with environmental obligations in public international law and their importance is growing. These mechanisms and procedures apply uniquely to the treaties that created them. At the same time, they show remarkable overlap and similarities. This article looks into the practice of 22 MEAs and compares the compliance mechanisms, procedures and practices found in these international agreements to the classic dispute settlement procedures. Based on this analysis, conclusions are drawn on the necessity and effectiveness of these compliance mechanisms in MEAs