International conventions are international treaties or agreements between two or more nations. The words "international convention", "international treaty," "international agreement," and "contract between states" are sometimes used interchangeably. These conventions may be generic or specific in nature. Some of the most important International Conventions related to the Environment are United Nations Conference On Environment and Development (UNCED), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Ramsar Convention On Wetlands, CITES, TRAFFIC, Convention On The Conservation Of Migratory Species (CMS), and more. This article will explain to you important International Conventions related to the Environment which will help prepare the Environment Syllabus for the UPSC Civil Service exam.

Need for International Environmental Conventions

• Many Parties will be able to lessen the effects on health and the environment more affordably by ratifying and implementing the Convention and its protocols than by taking unilateral action.
• Additionally, it has economic advantages since it ensures a level playing field for business across borders and stops Parties from competing with one another at the expense of the environment and human health.
• It focusses on factors that have a negative impact on human health, threaten food security, impede economic growth, accelerate climate change, and deteriorate the ecosystem that supports our very existence.
• The Convention offers a forum for discussing these links and takes steps to mitigate their harmful effects.

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)

• The Earth Summit, often referred to as the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 3–14, 1992.
• A massive effort was made to focus on the effects of human socio-economic activities on the environment at this international conference.
• This was held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first Human Environment Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1972.
• Political leaders, diplomats, scientists, media representatives, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from 179 different countries attended.

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Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

• The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), also referred to as the Biodiversity Convention or the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), is a multilateral treaty.
• The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international legal instrument that has been ratified by 196 countries.
• It focuses on the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources.
• Its overarching goal is to encourage actions that will lead to a more sustainable future. All habitats, species, and genetic resources are covered by the agreement.

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Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

• The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands establishes the guidelines for the preservation and judicious use of all wetlands.
• The convention makes it possible through local, national, and international collaboration as a means of promoting sustainable development on a global scale.
• The Ramsar Convention is the only international environmental agreement that addresses a specific habitat.
• It was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and entered into force in 1975. World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on February 2nd.
• Currently, there are 172 contracting parties to the convention.

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CITES

• The CITES, also known as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is an international agreement between states. It was established in 1973.
• The primary objective of CITES is to protect the world's plants and animals by making sure that the international trade in their specimens does not endanger their existence.
• Under the terms of this agreement, nations cooperate to control the international trade in plant and animal species and to make sure that trade does not threaten the existence of wild populations.
• Any trade in species of plants and animals that are under CITES protection must be sustainable and based on established biological principles.
• CITES is a binding agreement between the parties, but it does not replace national legislation.

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TRAFFIC: The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network

• The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network, or TRAFFIC (Trade Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in Commerce), is a non-governmental organisation.
• The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network monitors the trade in wild plants and animals with a focus on biodiversity and sustainable development.
• It began as a specialized group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Species Survival Commission in 1976 and later developed into a strategic partnership between the WWF and the IUCN.
• Since its inception, TRAFFIC has expanded to become the largest wildlife trade monitoring program in the world and a leading authority on issues related to wildlife trade.

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Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS)

• The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, is generally referred to as the Bonn Convention or CMS.
• It is an intergovernmental agreement signed under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme.
• It focuses on the conservation of wildlife and ecosystems on a global scale.
• It is the only convention that addresses removing or harvesting wild species.
• 173 migratory species from all over the world are currently protected by the Bonn Convention.

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Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT)

• The Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) works to stop the illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products by mobilizing political and public resources.
• The CAWT was established in 2005 and is a special voluntary public-private coalition of groups and organizations with similar views that work together for a shared goal.
• CAWT is a one-of-a-kind voluntary public-private coalition of like-minded governments and organisations working toward a common goal.
• Conservation International, Save the Tiger Fund, the Smithsonian Institution, Traffic International, WildAid, Wildlife Conservation Society, and the American Forest & Paper Association are among the seven major US-based environmental and business organisations with global interests and programmes that have joined the Coalition.
• CAWT membership is open to governments, non-governmental organisations, and corporations committed to combating wildlife trafficking.

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The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)

• The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) is an inter-governmental organization that advocates for the extension and diversification of the international trade in tropical timber derived from sustainably managed and legally harvested tropical forests as well as the sustainable management and protection of tropical forests.
• About 80% of the world's tropical forests and 90% of the world's trade in tropical timber are represented by its member countries.
• The International Tropical Timber Organisation is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan.
• The International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) is the governing body. Producing nations receive half of the ITTC's votes, while consuming nations receive the other half. Votes are distributed within each block according to market share.

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United Nations Forum On Forests (UNFF)

• The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) is subsidiary body created by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC).
• The UNFF was established in October 2000 with the primary goal of promoting "the management, conservation, and sustainable development of all types of forests and to strengthen long-term political commitment to this end" based on the Rio Declaration, Forest Principles, Chapter 11 of Agenda 21, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) report.
• Every Member State of the United Nations as well as specialized agencies make up the Forum's universal membership.
• A set of 270 action ideas for the promotion of the management, protection, and sustainable development of all types of forests were produced as a result of the IPF/IFF processes.

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IUCN

• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (formally the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization that works to conserve nature and ensure the sustainable exploitation of natural resources.
• It involves advocacy, teaching, research, field projects, data collection, and analysis.
• IUCN has expanded its focus beyond conservation ecology over the past few decades and also includes matters relating to sustainable development in its programs.
• The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species was established in 1964 and has since evolved into the world's most comprehensive data source on global extinction risk.

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The Global Tiger Forum (GTF)

• The Global Tiger Forum (GTF) is an intergovernmental and international organization created with members from willing countries to launch a global campaign, adopt a unified strategy, and promote appropriate programs.
• The Global Tiger Forum controls to protect the world's remaining six subspecies of tigers, which are spread across 14 countries with tiger ranges.
• They include the Bengal tiger, Amur tiger, South China tiger, Sumatran tiger, Indochinese tiger, and Malayan tiger.
• This body convenes every three years and contributes to the development of norms and laws for its member nations.

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The Stockholm Convention On PoP

• POPs are hazardous substances made up of organic (carbon-based) chemical compounds and combinations.
• The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants was adopted at a Conference of Plenipotentiaries on May 22, 2001, in Stockholm, Sweden, and went into effect on May 17, 2004.
• The Stockholm Convention on POP attempts to prevent or limit the usage of and creation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
• The CoP adopted amendments to Annexes A, B, and C of the Stockholm Convention at its fourth meeting in 2009, listing nine new persistent organic pollutants.

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Basel Convention

• The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was adopted on March 22, 1989.
• It was implemented by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Basel, Switzerland, in response to a public outcry following the discovery of toxic waste deposits imported from abroad to Africa and other developing countries in the 1980s.
• Its primary objectives are to stop the movement of hazardous waste across countries and to prevent the transfer of such trash from more developed to less developed nations.
• This treaty does not, however, regulate the transportation of radioactive waste.

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Rotterdam Convention

• The Rotterdam Convention is the name of the Convention, which was adopted by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries in 1998 in Rotterdam (Netherlands).
• It intends to promote shared responsibility with respect to the global trade of hazardous chemicals.
• The convention's secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure is implemented under the terms of the Convention, which establishes obligatory legal responsibilities.
• The importing parties must make sure that the exporting parties abide by any judgments made on their imports.

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United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

• The UNCCD, together with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), is one of three Rio Conventions.
• The negotiation of the UNCCD was called for in Agenda 21, the program of action adopted at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), or Earth Summit.
• The UNCCD was adopted on 17 June 1994 and entered into force on 26 December 1996.
• It is the only legally enforceable international agreement that connects the environment, development, and sustainable land management.
• It is the only convention that sprang directly from the Rio Conference's Agenda 21.
• The Convention explicitly targets the arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas known as the drylands, which include some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples.

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International Whaling Commission

• Whaling is the practice of killing whales for their food and oil.
• The International Whaling Commission was established by the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, which was signed in Washington, DC, on December 2, 1994.
• Its headquarters is in Cambridge, United Kingdom, and it is the international organization in charge of managing whaling and whale conservation.
• The objective of the International Whaling Commission is to ensure the proper conservation of whale stocks and, in turn, enable the industry's orderly growth.

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Vienna Convention

• The Vienna Convention was adopted in 1985 and became effective in 1988.
• It serves as a foundation for global efforts to safeguard the ozone layer, but it is devoid of legally obligatory CFC use reduction targets.
• The ozone layer of the earth is protected by the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and its Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
• They have received ratification from 197 parties, making them the most ratified treaties in UN history.

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Kigali Agreement

• At the twenty-eighth meeting of the parties, The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, held in Kigali, Rwanda, amended the 1987 Montreal Protocol to phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
• The Kigali Agreement is an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, an environmental agreement made by nations to gradually remove ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) from the earth's atmosphere.
• The 197 member countries signed the agreement to amend the Montreal Protocol during the 28th Meeting of Parties.
• The signing countries are expected to reduce their production and use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by 80-85 percent from their baseline levels by 2045, according to the terms of the Amendment.
• This will slow global warming (by limiting the increase in global average temperature to 0.5 degrees Celsius) by the year 2100.

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Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems

• A GIAHS is a system of human communities that are always evolving and existing in a complex interaction with its territory, cultural or agricultural landscape, or wider social and physical surroundings.
• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations launched a Global Partnership Initiative on Conservation and Adaptive Management of "Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems" during the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, South Africa) in 2002.
• The GIAHS Programme's overall objective is to identify and protect globally significant agricultural heritage systems and the landscapes, agricultural biodiversity, knowledge systems, and culture that go along with them.
• In contrast to traditional heritage sites, protected areas, or landscapes, the idea of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) is more complicated.
• They are exceptional examples of aesthetic beauty that incorporate agricultural diversification, robust ecosystems, and priceless cultural legacies.

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Minamata Convention

• A global agreement known as the Minamata Convention on Mercury was made to protect the environment and human health against anthropogenic releases and emissions of mercury and its compounds.
• The Minamata Convention was adopted in 2013 in Kumamoto, Japan.
• The convention has the name of the Japanese town of Minamata. Given that mercury poisoning had a severe impact on the city, this naming is significant symbolically.
• Since its entry into force on August 16, 2017, Parties have been cooperating to control mercury supply and trade, reduce mercury use, emission, and release, raise public awareness, and build the institutional capacity required to make mercury history.

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Conclusion

One of the main advantages of these international conventions is that a monitoring body is frequently established to evaluate State parties' progress in implementing the convention by taking into account reports routinely supplied by States because in most cases the contracting States are legally required to uphold the principles outlined in the agreement. The implementation of conventions also rests on the commitment of each country by the convention's guiding principles or the recommendations of the monitoring body.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Which of the following international agreements focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions?

A) The Kyoto Protocol
B) The Paris Agreement
C) The Convention on Biological Diversity
D) The Ramsar Convention

2. What is the primary objective of the Ramsar Convention?

A) To reduce carbon emissions
B) To promote biodiversity conservation
C) To conserve wetlands
D) To regulate hazardous waste

3. Which of the following conventions addresses the issue of transboundary hazardous waste?

A) The Paris Agreement
B) The Basel Convention
C) The Convention on Biological Diversity
D) The Kyoto Protocol

4. Which of the following conventions is focused on the protection of biodiversity?

A) The Paris Agreement
B) The Convention on Biological Diversity
C) The Ramsar Convention
D) The Kyoto Protocol

5. What is the main objective of the Paris Agreement?

A) To protect forests
B) To limit global temperature rise
C) To conserve water resources
D) To regulate ocean pollution

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Discuss the role of international environmental conventions in global sustainability. How have these conventions contributed to reducing environmental degradation?

Answer: International environmental conventions are pivotal in addressing global environmental issues, as they provide a framework for collective action. The Paris Agreement has been a key driver in limiting global warming by setting clear targets for carbon emissions reduction. Similarly, the Convention on Biological Diversity has contributed to the preservation of biodiversity through policies that promote sustainable resource use. However, challenges such as enforcement mechanisms, funding, and political will hinder full implementation. Despite these challenges, these conventions have created an international platform for cooperation, which has helped reduce some forms of environmental degradation, though greater global commitment is necessary for long-term success.

Q2: What are the challenges in implementing international environmental conventions, and how can these challenges be overcome?

Answer: The primary challenges in implementing international environmental conventions include lack of political will, insufficient financial resources, and varying levels of commitment across countries. While some nations have taken significant steps to adhere to their obligations, others face barriers such as domestic political instability or economic constraints. To overcome these challenges, stronger enforcement mechanisms must be established, and financial support should be provided to developing nations through mechanisms like climate finance. Additionally, public awareness and global cooperation should be promoted to ensure the effective implementation of these conventions.

Q3: Analyze the effectiveness of the Paris Agreement in addressing climate change. What measures can be taken to enhance its impact?

Answer: The Paris Agreement has been effective in setting a global framework for tackling climate change, with countries committing to reduce emissions and set climate action plans (NDCs). It has fostered international cooperation and encouraged investments in renewable energy. However, its effectiveness is undermined by insufficient ambition in the NDCs and lack of binding enforcement mechanisms. To enhance its impact, countries should raise their emissions reduction targets and ensure that commitments are met through transparent monitoring and reporting. Financial support for developing countries should be scaled up, and mechanisms for holding non-compliant countries accountable should be strengthened.

Previous Year Questions on International Conventions

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2020:

Question: Which of the following agreements addresses global climate change?

A) The Ramsar Convention
B) The Paris Agreement
C) The Kyoto Protocol
D) The Basel Convention

Answer: (B)

Explanation: The Paris Agreement is an international treaty aimed at addressing global climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting global temperature rise.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2019 (GS Paper 3):

Question: "Discuss the effectiveness of international environmental conventions in curbing global environmental degradation. Provide examples of successful conventions."

Answer: International environmental conventions have played a key role in addressing global environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Examples like the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity have been successful in setting binding targets and fostering international cooperation. However, challenges remain in terms of enforcement and financing. While progress has been made, more action is needed to ensure that countries meet their commitments and that these conventions are more effective in mitigating environmental degradation.