Environmental Conventions and Organizations
To assist those
interested in working on environmental issues in the E&E region,
we are providing the following information regarding environmental
conventions and oganizations that are active in the E&E. The
links associated with the descriptions lead to external web sites
from which more detailed information is availalbe. This resource
will be updated as new conventions and organizations that effect
the E&E are created.
If
you have additions and/or corrections please contact: Webmaster
International Conventions
Convention on Wetlands (The Ramsar
Convention), 1971
Contracting parties (countries) undertake to use wisely all wetland
resources under their jurisdiction and to designate for conservation
at least one wetland of international importance.
World
Heritage Convention, 1972
All states have the obligation to protect their unique natural and
cultural areas. The international community has the obligation to
help pay for them.
CITES
Convention, 1975
Over the past 25 years the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has been regulating international
trade of all species listed in its Appendices.
Convention
on Migratory Species, 1979
In force since 1983, the Convention, also known as the Bonn Convention,
obligates parties to protect endangered migratory species and to set
agreements for the conservation of vulnerable species that are not
yet endangered.
FAO
International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources, 1983
This voluntary agreement among nations is based on the principle that
plant genetic resources are the common heritage of humankind. It's
in this agreement that "Farmers Rights" have been recognised,
as a compensation for their contribution to the selection and conservation
of genetic diversity of crops and livestock.
United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 1992
In this international treaty, governments agreed work towards stabilisation
of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that
would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate
system. One important commitment for developed countries was the goal
of returning to 1990 levels of emissions of greenhouse gases by the
year 2000.
Convention
on Biological Diversity, 1992
At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders agreed on
a comprehensive strategy for "sustainable development" --
meeting our needs while ensuring that we leave a healthy and viable
world for future generations. One of the key agreements adopted at
Rio was the Convention on Biological Diversity. The world's governments
set out commitments for maintaining the world's ecological foundations
as we go about the business of economic development. The Convention
establishes three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity,
the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable
sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources.
Convention
to Combat Desertification (CCD), 1994
Created after the recommendations from the United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development over 110 governments have signed the
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. It aims to promote
effective action through innovative local programs and supportive
international partnerships. Countries affected by desertification
will implement the Convention by developing and carrying out national,
sub-regional, and regional action programs.
Rio Plus Ten - the ten-year
review of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED) or Rio Earth Summit plus ten will be held in South Africa.
In 2002, ten years after the Earth Summit in Rio, the United Nations
will undertake a review of the implementation of Agenda 21 and draw
up a work program on sustainable development for the future. A key
part of Rio+10 will be engaging all actors - the public, business,
and civil society - in common action to achieve sustainable development.
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European Conventions
Convention
on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats
(Bern Convention), 1979 - was adopted on September 1979 in Bern (Switzerland)
and came into force on 1 June 1982. It has over 40 Contracting Parties
including over 35 member States of the Council of Europe as well as
the European Union. The aims of this Convention are to conserve wild
flora and fauna and their natural habitats, especially those species
and habitats whose conservation requires the co-operation of several
States, and to promote such co-operation.
The
Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (1995)
- The Strategy establishes an international framework for co-operation
for consolidating and extending existing schemes and programs in the
conservation field.
European
Landscape Convention (2000) - The aims of this Convention are to
promote landscape protection, management and planning, and to organize
European co-operation on landscape issues.
Natura
2000 - was created as the result of the EU Habitats Directive.
Natura 2000 is to guarantee the maintenance (or reestablishment) of
a favorable conservation status of habitats or the habitats of species
in their natural range within the territory of the EU.
The
Emerald Network is a network of Areas of Special Conservation
Interest (ASCIs), which is to be established in the territory of the
Contracting parties and Observer States to the Bern Convention, including,
among others, Central and Eastern European countries and the EU member
States. For EU member States Emerald network sites are those of the
Natura 2000 network.
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International Organizations
Global
Environment Facility (GEF) was established by the World Bank,
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
in 1990. It operates as the Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Biodiversity
(UNCBD) Conventions' financial mechanism. The GEF is not the financial
mechanism of the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The
GEF was created to provide grants and concessional funds to developing
countries to finance incremental costs for programs, projects, and
activities to protect the world's environment. Anti-desertification
projects relevant to the focal areas of climate change, biodiversity,
ozone depletion, and international waters may be eligible for funding.
IUCN
or the World Conservation Union - Its stated mission is to influence,
encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the
integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural
resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.
TRAFFIC - A joint program between IUCN and WWF to monitor trade in wild plants
& animals and to help implement CITES (originally established
in 1976 by IUCN). Its mission is to ensure that trade in wild plants
and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature.
World
Bank - The World Bank is pursuing new initiatives to ensure that
the benefits of incorporating sustainability into all its activities
are felt on a global scale and for the long-term. By linking poverty
alleviation and sustainable development, the Bank is focused on finding
ways to ensure that economic growth does not come at the expense of
the world's physical and ecological systems.
WWF - World
Wildlife Fund (US) or World Wide
Fund for Nature (International) - is the world's largest and most
experienced independent conservation organization with 4.7 million
supporters and a global network active in some 100 countries. WWF's
mission is to protect nature and the biological diversity that we
all need to survive.
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