Environmental Laws, Agencies and Treaties Timeline - Sam Schalki

Lacey Act (US)

May 25, 1900

Combats trafficking of illegally taken wildlife, fish or plants.

World Bank

1944

Providing technical and financial assistance to developing countries with the objectives of reducing poverty and promoting growth.

World Health Organization

Apr 7, 1948

Dedicated to the improvement of human health by monitoring and assessing health trends and providing medical advice to countries.

Delaney Clause of Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (US)

1958

Requires the FDA to ban food additives which are found to cause or induce cancer in humans or animals as indicated by testing.

Environmental Protection Agency (US)

Dec 2, 1970

Oversees all governmental efforts related to the environment, including science, research, assessment and education.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (US)

Dec 29, 1970

Responsible for the enforcement of health and safety regulations.

Clean Air Act (US)

Dec 31, 1970

Comprehensive federal law that regulates all sources of air emissions.

United Nations Environment Programme

1972

UNEP uses its expertise to strengthen environmental standards and practices while helping implement environmental obligations at the country, regional and global levels.

Clean Water Act (US)

Oct 18, 1972

Establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

Mar 3, 1973

International agreement signed by 184 parties in 1973, designed to ensure that international trade in animals and plants does not threaten their survival in the wild.

Endangered Species Act (US)

Dec 28, 1973

The primary law in the US for promoting imperiled species.

Safe Drinking Water Act (US)

Dec 16, 1974

The principal federal law in the United States intended to ensure safe drinking water for the public.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (US)

Oct 21, 1976

Gives EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from cradle to grave.

Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (US)

Aug 3, 1977

The primary federal law that regulates the environmental effects of coal mining in the Unites States.

Department of Energy (US)

Aug 4, 1977

An executive department of the US federal government that oversees US National energy policy and manages the research and development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons in the US.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, Liability Act (US)

Dec 11, 1980

Provides a federal "superfund" to cleanup uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites as well as accidents, spills, and other emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment.

Montreal Protocol

Sep 16, 1987

A global agreement to protect the stratospheric ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances.

Kyoto Protocol

Dec 11, 1997

An international treaty which extended that 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.