The Green Six Sigma Handbook

Chapter 17International and National Climate Change Initiatives

DOI: 10.4324/9781003268239-21

We must now agree on binding review mechanism under international law, so that this century can be called the century of decarbonisation.

—Angela Merkel

17.1 Introduction

It was not until 1972 that environmental issues received serious attention from any national or international organisations. In June 1972 the first Earth Summit held in Stockholm adopted a declaration that set out principles for the preservation and enhancement of the human environment. The conference also proposed the establishment of stations to monitor long-term trends in atmospheric properties; however, at this stage, climate change was not the central preoccupation. Over the ...