A number of alternative policy tools are available to the international community to pursue environmental objectives, as discussed below. The introduction and enforcement of national regulations and the development and maintenance of institutional capacity to monitor and assess environmental quality are basic and essential steps towards addressing domestic, regional and global environmental problems. This process can be facilitated by regional and multilateral agreements. Such agreements can have their own monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, transitional grace periods reflecting different economic and environmental conditions, and dispute-settlement procedures. They can also contribute to progress by harmonizing criteria, tools and methods for measuring ecosystem risks and evaluating performance.
Voluntary measures represent one viable approach.
They allow companies to innovate and determine the best way for improving environmental performance based on their own unique circumstances and local environmental conditions. They can also reduce substantially the costs to government of developing, implementing, monitoring and enforcing environmental regulations. Voluntary measures can be very effective. The ability of developing countries and economies in transition to implement regulations and comply with international environmental agreements can be slowed by lack of financial resources as well as by inadequate institutional capacity and technical expertise. International cooperation in the form of capacity-building programs, including education, training and technical assistance, can help overcome these problems and facilitate progress towards environmental goals.