1986 in the environment

This is a list of notable events relating to the environment in 1986. They relate to environmental law, conservation, environmentalism and environmental issues.

List of years in the environment (table)
… 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 …
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Events

• The International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme is launched.
• The Quota Management System commences. It is a type of individual fishing quota that is used in New Zealand to manage fish stocks.
• Northern river reversal, an ambitious project to divert the flow of the Northern rivers in the Soviet Union, was abandoned, primarily for environmental reasons.

April

• The Chernobyl disaster, a catastrophic nuclear accident, occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine.

November

• The Sandoz chemical spill, a major environmental disaster caused by a fire and its subsequent control, occurred at the Sandoz agrochemical storehouse in Schweizerhalle, Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland, on November 1, 1986. It released toxic agrochemicals into the air and resulted in tons of pollutants entering the Rhine river, turning it red.
• The West Coast Accord was signed between government, industry and environmental organisations concerning the conservation forests of the West Coast of New Zealand.

December

• The Environment Act 1986 is passed in New Zealand, established the Ministry for the Environment and the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.

See also

• Human impact on the environment
• List of environmental issues