INTERNATONAL CONVENTIONS

1. RAMSAR CONVENTION ON WETLAND – 1971(IRAN)

An intergovernmental treaty provide framework for national and international co-operation on
wetland.
 Came into force in 1975.
 2ndFebuary -> WORLD WETLAND DAY
2024 theme:- “Wetland & Human Wellbeing”
 Conventions aims at Conservation of those Wetlands of International Importance

2. C.I.T.I.E.S [CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD

FLORA AND FAUNA]
 Came into force in 1975. Administered by International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN)
 As an international agreement between governments into force in 1975.
 It is the only treaty to ensure that the international trade in plants & animals does not threaten
their survival.

3. TRAFFIC [The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network]

 Estd in 1976. It is joint Conservation Programme by W.W.F [World Wide Fund for Nature] &
I.U.C.N [International Union for Conservation of Nature]
 World’s largest Wildlife trading monitoring programme.

4. BONN COVENTION [CONVENTION ON CONSERVATION OF MIGRATORY SPECIES]

 Came into existence in 1979.
 Aims to conserve terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species.
 An intergovernmental treaty under UNEP. [United Nation Environment Programme]

5. I.U.C.N [INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE]

 Estd in 1948. H.Q -> Gland [Switzerland]
 Issues “Red Data Book”. This contain the list of “Threatened Species”. Also called as “Red List”.
 Convention is named after the Japanese City “Minamata” which went through a devastating
incident of mercury poisoning.

6. “STOCKHOLM CONVENTION” ON PERSISTANT ORGANIC POLLUTANT - 2001

 Aims to ban the uses of POP on global scale.
 Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP) are organic chemical substances made of carbon and when
released into environments exhibit:-
a) Stay for long period.
b) Get accumulated & magnify in food chain.
c) Toxic both for humans & Wildlife.
Eg.:- ENDOSULFAN, etc.

7. BASEL CONVENTION-1989.
 Aims to control the trans-boundary movement of hazardous wastes 7 their disposal.
8. INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISION -1946
A global intergovernmental body charged with conservation of Whales & Management of Whaling.

9. MINAMATA CONVENTION ON MERCURY -2013

 It’s an international treaty designed to protect human health and environment from anthro
programme emissions & release of Mercury compounds.

10. VIENNA CONVENTION:-

 Adopted in 1985 & Came into force in 1988.
 It acts as framework for international efforts to protect “ozone layer depletion”.
 Vienna Convention & Montreal Protocol on ozone depleting substances in order to reduce their
abundance in air.
 Prohibits the uses of ozone depleting substances in phased manner such as:- C.F.C, M.F.C, etc.

11. U.N.C.E.D [ UNITED NATION CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT]

“EARTH SUMMIT”, Rio-de-Janerio, Brazil 1992.
It’s outcome:-
Two important legal binding agreement:-
a) U.N.F.C.C.C (UNITED NATION FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE)
b) CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
 Earth Submit outcome document emphasized on “agenda-21” [U.N action plan for sustainable
development in 21st Century]

12. KYOTO PROTOCOL -1997

 Under the ages of U.N.F.C.C.C, it is a legal binding agreement among member nations that
focused on reduction in emissions of green house gases.
 Period of implementation:- (2007-2012)
 CARBON TRADING & CARBON CREDIT CONCEPT is it’s outcome.

13. Paris Climate Deal – 2015

 After the expiring of Kyoto Protocol, the global Community under the ages on U.N.F.C.C.C, Paris.
Under Conference of Parties (COP) – 21 meet resolved to reduce G.H.G emission in non biding manner.

IMPORTANT ACTS/POLICIES IN INDIA WITH RESPECT TO ENVIRONMENT.

1. Wildlife Protection Act:- 1972
 India is the 1st country in world to include provisions related to conservation & protection of
nature under Art. 48 (A), Art. 51(A)
 This Acts provides basic framework to ensure protection & management of Wildlife.
 This Act prohibits poaching, smuggling, illegal trade of animals listed between schedule I-IV and
draws lefty penalty including Jail term if so breached.
 Schedule-V is “vermin”. It can be hunted. Scheduled-VI conserved plant species.
 Transferred environment subject from State list to Concurrent list under Scheduled-7 of Indian
contribution.
 Further, it lead to formation of National pollution control board, State pollution control board.

2. WATER (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act – 1974

3. AIR (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act- 1981

4. FOREST CONSERVATION ACT – 1980

5. EVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT- 1986

 This act was formulated to fight against the problems of pollution.
 It empowers central Govt. to take appropriate measures to prevent & control pollution.
 Empowers & authorizes central govt. to issue direction for operation process / prohibition or
closure of any industry.
 This Act lead to formation of a statutionary body G.E.A.C ( GENETIC ENGINEERING APPROVAL
COMMITTEE) that focuses on development & environment release of G.M.O (Genetically
Modified Organism) or crops.
 “GEAC” is a modelbody that provides clearance to Commercial cultivation ofG.M. crops in India.

6. BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY ACT:- 2002

This Act came out of U.N Convention in Biodiversity under Earth Summit of 1992.
Main objectives of this act is:-
 Biodiversity Conservation.
 Fair & equitable sharing of benefits arising from utilization of genetic resources.

It established 3 tier system or structure to regulate biological resources.

Biodiversity Management
National Biodiversity Authority State Biodiversity
Committee (BMC)
(National Level) (State Level)
[District Level]

Powers & Functions

 A statutory body, it checks biopiracy and protects indigenous & traditional genetic resources.
 Power to grant intellectual property rights.
 Approval to setup factory / installations around wild life sanctuaries.

7. S.T and other Traditional forest Dwellers (Schedule Tribe)

[Recognition of Forest Rights] Act-2006
(F.R.A) or (Forest Right Act-2006)
 Ministry of tribal affairs -> Nodal Agency.
 F.R.A – 2006, recognizes & secures:-
o Community right in adoption to individual right.
o Right to protect & conserve any community forest resource of traditional importance.

 F.R.A grants right to intellectual property & traditional knowledge related to biodiversity &
cultural diversity.
 Act recognizes their right of ownership to collect use dispose minor forest produce. Like:-
tussar, cocoons, honey, wax, tender leaves, herbs, medicinal plants, etc.
 The Rights under Act are heritable but not transferable or “alienable”
  Gram Sabha is competent authority for deter mining the nature and extent of individual or
community forest rights for S.T & traditional forest dwellers.

8. NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL ACT – 2010 (NGT)

 Establishes NGT for effective dispose of cases in relation to environment protection,
conservation of forest within 6 months from date of appeal.
 India is world’s 3rd Country after Newzeland & Australia to have full pledged “GREEN
TRIBUNAL”

CONSEVATION EFFORTS IN INDIA BY GOVERNMENT

1. Project Tiger:- Project launched from [JIM CORBETT NATIONAL PARK, UTTARAKHAND]
Estd. of Tiger Reserves.
Estd. Of “NATIONAL TIGER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY-2006
(A Statutory body. Minister of Environment forest & climate change is Chairman)

2. Project Elephant – 1992

3. Sea Turtle Project – 1999

4. Project Snow Leopard – 2009

5. Vulture Conservation – 2001

6. One-Horn Rhino Conservation (Project Rhino) - 2005

7. Project Hangul – 1970 (KASHMIRI STAG) A variety of Dear. (DACHIGAM NATIONAL PARK) – JAMMU
& KASHMIR

8. GANGETIC DOLPHIN CONSERVATION:-

 National Aquatic Animal of India – 2010
 Listed in Scheduled-I of W.P.A – 1972
 Accords highest degree of Protection .
 Also known as “Tiger of Ganges”
 Dolphin also found in:-
o YANGTZE RIVER (BAJJI)
o INDUS RIVER (BHOLAN)
o AMAZON RIVER (BOTO)

9. Project Cheetah – September 2022

Cheetah kept in KUNO- NATIONAL PARK, Madhya Pradesh
Cheetah introduction in India brought from NAMIBIA & SOUTH AFRICA