Day 2 Prelims 20+: Environment-related International and National Organisations

In today’s Prelims 20+, we focus on Environment-related International and National Organisations—an important segment for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. International organizations like UNEP and IPCC play a vital role in global climate action and environmental monitoring, with their reports guiding countries in formulating policies for a sustainable future.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• It is an international environmental authority that works to establish a global environmental agenda and promote the efficient implementation of the environmental dimension of the United Nations Sustainable Development Programme.
• Established: It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in June 1972.
• Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya
• As a member of the United Nations Development Group, UNEP aims to help the world meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
• UNEP hosts the secretariats of several major multilateral environmental agreements and conventions, including:
  • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
  • Minamata Convention on Mercury
  • Basel Convention (on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal)
  • Rotterdam Convention (on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade)
  • Stockholm Convention (on Persistent Organic Pollutants)
  • Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
  • Vienna Convention (for the Protection of the Ozone Layer)
  • Montreal Protocol (on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer)
  • Bamako Convention (on the Ban of the Import into Africa and the Control of Transboundary Movement and Management of Hazardous Wastes within Africa)
  • Carpathian Convention
  • Tehran Convention (on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea)
  • Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)

• It releases many reports in the field of sustainable development. Some are-
  • Emissions Gap Report
  • Global Resources Outlook
  • Food Waste Index Report
  • Global Environment Outlook
  • Plastics Treaty Negotiation Reports
  • Adaptation Gap Report
  • Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO)
  • Global Air Quality Assessment

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

• It is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.
• It helps countries develop policies, leadership skills, partnerships and institutional capabilities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Established: It was established in 1965 by the General Assembly of the United Nations.
  • UNDP is based on the merging of the United Nations Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance, created in 1949, and the United Nations Special Fund, established in 1958. 
• Headquarters: New York City, United States, situated within the United Nations headquarters complex
• Mission and vision: Its mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions.
• Work areas: Their work is concentrated on three main focus areas:
  • Sustainable development
  • Democratic governance and Peacebuilding
  • Climate and disaster resilience

• UNDP helps countries attract and use aid effectively.
• Governance: It is considered an executive board within the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
  • The UNDP Executive Board is made up of representatives from 36 countries worldwide, who serve on a rotating basis.
• Funding: UNDP is primarily funded by voluntary contributions from member states, as well as resources from other sources.
• UNDP is central to the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), a network that operates in almost 170 countries and unites the 40 UN funds, programmes, specialised agencies and other bodies working to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• Reports published: The annual Human Development Report is UNDP’s flagship independent publication.

Global Environment Facility (GEF)

• It is a family of funds dedicated to confronting biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, and strains on land and ocean health.
• Established: It was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit of UNFCC to help tackle our planet’s most pressing environmental problems.
• Secretariat: Its secretariat is based in Washington, D.C.
• Financial Assistance: It provides financial assistance for five major international environmental conventions:
  • Minamata Convention on Mercury.
  • Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
  • United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD)
  • United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• Members: It has 184 member countries, including India.
• Governance: It has a unique governing structure organized around an Assembly, the Council, the Secretariat, 18 agencies, a Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel, and the Evaluation Office.
• GEF Trust Fund: The Fund was established to help tackle our planet’s most pressing environmental problems.
• Funds are available to developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet the objectives of the international environmental conventions and agreements.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

• It is the UN body in charge of examining climate change science.
• Established: It was established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1988.
• Membership: The IPCC is an organisation of governments that are members of the United Nations or the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). 
  • The IPCC currently has 195 members.
• Objective: To assess scientific, technical, and socio-economic information relevant to the understanding of human-induced climate change, potential impacts of climate change, and options for mitigation and adaptation.
• The IPCC provides governments with scientific information for use in developing climate policies.
• IPCC Reports: 
  • The main activity of the IPCC is the preparation of reports assessing the state of knowledge of climate change. These include assessment reports, special reports and methodology reports.
  • IPCC reports are also key inputs into international climate change negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• The IPCC does not undertake new research or monitor climate-related data.
  • Instead, it conducts assessments of the state of climate change knowledge on the basis of published and peer-reviewed scientific and technical literature.
• Scientists volunteer their time to assess the thousands of scientific papers published each year to provide a comprehensive summary of what is known about the drivers of climate change, impacts and future risks, and how adaptation and mitigation can reduce those risks.
• Assessments: The IPPC’s first assessment report was released in 1990. 
  • The IPCC finished its Sixth Assessment Report cycle in 2023 and has now entered its Seventh Assessment Report cycle.

IPCC working groups

• It comprises three working groups, which focus on different aspects of climate science and climate change response.
  • Working Group I: looks at the physics of climate change;
  • Working Group II: examines climate change impacts and adaptation;
  • Working Group III: focuses on climate change mitigation;
• The three working groups release separate reports, which are then compiled into a synthesis report.
• Recognition: In 2007 the IPCC shared, with Al Gore, the Nobel Peace Prize for disseminating knowledge about human-caused climate change.

International Tropic Timber Organisation (ITTO)

• It is an intergovernmental organization promoting the sustainable management and conservation of tropical forests and the expansion and diversification of international trade in tropical timber from sustainably managed and legally harvested forests.
• Establishment: It was established under the International Tropical Timber Agreement 1983 (ITTA 1983), negotiated under the auspices of the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
• Headquarters: Yokohama, Japan
• Financial assistance: It facilitates funding for forestry projects in tropical timber producing countries.
• Funding of ITTO: All projects are funded by voluntary contributions from governments.
• Members: 75 countries (including India)
• Governance: International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) is the governing body of the ITTO.
• Its members manage about 80 per cent of the world’s tropical forests and are responsible for 90 per cent of the global tropical timber trade.

United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)

• It promotes the management, conservation, and sustainable development of all types of forests.
• Established: It was established in 2000 by the UN Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC).
• The Forum meets annually at the UN Headquarters in New York, bringing together representatives of all member states and forest-related agencies for high-level dialogue on technical matters in odd years and policy matters in even years.
• The forum has universal membership, and is composed of all Member States of the United Nations and specialized agencies.
• India is a founding member of UNFF.
• The declaration of the 19th session aims to achieve agreement on a high-level political commitment to forest protection, with specific actions for effective implementation of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests (UNSPF) by UNFF and its stakeholders.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

• It is a global environmental organization dedicated to the conservation of nature and the sustainable use of natural resources.
• It functions as a unique membership-based union comprising both government bodies and civil society organizations (CSOs).
• IUCN provides knowledge, data, tools, and policy support to governments, NGOs, private entities, and other stakeholders to integrate nature conservation with economic development and human well-being.
• Established in 1948, the IUCN has evolved into the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, with over 1,300 member organizations globally.
• The IUCN is best known for its Red List of Threatened Species, initiated in 1964, which is the most comprehensive global inventory of the conservation status of plant and animal species.
  •  Within the Red List framework, the term “threatened” refers to species categorized as Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), and Vulnerable (VU).

Tropical Forest Alliance (TFA)

• The Tropical Forest Alliance 2020 (TFA 2020) was established in 2012 during the Rio+20 Conference.
• It operates as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), wherein participating entities voluntarily collaborate—individually and collectively—to reduce tropical deforestation linked to the production of key commodities such as soy, palm oil, beef, and paper and pulp.
• The Alliance addresses the underlying drivers of tropical deforestation through a combination of policy interventions, market-based strategies, and communication initiatives.
• TFA is an initiative under the World Economic Forum’s platform on Shaping the Future of Global Public Goods.
• Its secretariat is hosted by the World Economic Forum.
• The Alliance aims to cut deforestation by half by 2020 and to completely stop it by 2030.

International Whaling Commission (IWC)

• It is an intergovernmental environmental organization established to conserve whale populations and regulate whaling activities.
  Its legal foundation is the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, signed in 1946, making it one of the earliest international environmental agreements.
• The IWC currently has 88 member countries, all of which are signatories to the Convention..
• The Convention includes a legally binding Schedule, which forms an integral part of the agreement. This Schedule covers various regulatory provisions, including catch limits, which can be amended by the Commission, typically during its biennial meetings.
• The IWC has also introduced a Strategic Plan for Whale Watching, aimed at promoting this activity responsibly and in line with international best practices.
• In addition to regulation, the Commission conducts scientific research on cetaceans (including whales, dolphins, and porpoises), maintains scientific databases, and publishes the Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
• India is a member state of the IWC.

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

• It is the world’s leading non-profit conservation organization, operating in over 100 countries.
• It was founded in 1961 and has its headquarters in Gland, Switzerland.
• WWF’s core mission is to conserve nature and address the most critical threats to biodiversity on Earth.
• It works globally at all levels—with communities, governments, and organizations—to create and implement innovative solutions that protect ecosystems, wildlife, and human settlements.
• WWF focuses its efforts on key areas such as climate, forests, food, freshwater, oceans, and wildlife.
•  It undertakes various projects in collaboration with international partners, local communities, and national governments.
• Notable campaigns by WWF include Earth Hour and the Debt-for-Nature Swap.
• The organization also publishes the Living Planet Report every two years since 1998, which assesses the state of the planet’s health and the impact of human activity on nature.

Wetland International (WI)

• It is a global, independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wetlands and their resources for the benefit of people and biodiversity.
•  It operates with the support of government and NGO members from across the globe.
• The organization has a strong presence in the developing world and maintains around 20 offices, including regional, national, and project offices spread across all continents.
•  Its headquarters is located in Ede, the Netherlands.

BirdLife International

• BirdLife International is a global partnership of conservation organizations that works to conserve birds, their habitats, and overall biodiversity, while promoting the sustainable use of natural resources in collaboration with local communities.
• It is considered the world’s largest partnership for bird conservation, uniting national organizations in over 100 countries.
• The organization was formerly known as the International Committee for Bird Preservation.
• Headquarters: United Kingdom
  Regional Offices: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific.
• It serves as the official Red List Authority for birds for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), playing a key role in assessing the conservation status of bird species globally.
• One of its major contributions is the identification and publication of the Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), which are crucial for bird conservation.
• It publishes a quarterly magazine called World Birdwatch, featuring authoritative articles and updates on global bird conservation efforts.

National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)

• It is a statutory body constituted by the Central Government under Section 5 A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA).
•  It is worth noting that the Wildlife Act of 1972 did not originally include the NBWL. The NBWL was established later through an amendment in 2002.
• It replaced the Indian Board for Wildlife, which was formed in 1952.
• The NBWL is tasked with advising the government on wildlife conservation matters and granting approvals for projects within protected areas (PAs).
• According to the Wildlife Protection Act (WLPA), activities such as constructing tourist lodges, altering PA boundaries, diverting or destroying wildlife habitats, and de-notifying Tiger Reserves cannot proceed without the NBWL’s approval or recommendations.

Structure of NBWL

• Chairperson: The Prime Minister.
• Vice-Chairperson: The Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
• Member-Secretary: The Additional Director General of Forests (Wildlife) & Director, Wildlife Preservation.
• Members:
  • 3 Members of Parliament (2 from Lok Sabha and 1 from Rajya Sabha).
  • 5 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
  • 10 eminent conservationists, ecologists, and environmentalists nominated by the central government.
  • Secretaries of various government departments.
  • The Chief of Army Staff.

Standing Committee of NBWL

• The Standing Committee is an independent body under the NBWL.
• It is chaired by the Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
•  It consists of not more than ten members nominated by the Minister from amongst the members of the NBWL.
  • While the NBWL serves as a policy-making body that advises and contributes to the Central Government’s wildlife protection policies, the Standing Committee primarily focuses on project clearances.

Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)

•  It was established in 1962 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
• It was started under the stewardship of Rukmini Devi Arundale, a well-known humanitarian.
• It functions as a statutory advisory body under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying to ensure animal welfare and prevent cruelty.
• The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government, along with official members from various ministries and non-official members, including animal welfare activists and veterinarians.

Membership:

• The Board comprises 28 members, each serving a term of three years.
• It includes representatives from various government organizations, animal rights activists, and parliamentarians.

It is headquartered in Ballabgarh, Haryana.

Powers of AWBI

• Advisory Powers: Recommends improvements in animal welfare laws to the government.
• Regulatory Powers: Ensures enforcement of animal protection laws and issues guidelines.
• Financial Powers: Grants funds for shelters, medical care, and rescue operations.
• Monitoring Powers: Oversees performing animals, slaughterhouses, and transport conditions.

Functions of AWBI

• Legal & Policy Advisory: Suggests amendments to animal welfare laws.
• Financial Assistance: Funds animal shelters, ambulances, and birth control programs.
• Public Awareness: Conducts campaigns and training programs.
• Monitoring: Regulates circuses, films, and animal use in entertainment.
• Enforcement of Rules: Implements laws like Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, and Transport of Animals Rules.

Central Zoo Authority (CZA)

• It is a statutory, autonomous body established by the Government of India under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
• It was formed in 1992 under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• The CZA’s primary responsibility is to enforce minimum standards and norms for the healthcare and well-being of animals housed in zoos across India. In addition to this, the CZA also oversees zoo management, ensuring that these institutions maintain the welfare of animals, and it provides technical and financial support when needed.
• Every zoo in India must be recognized by the CZA to operate. The Authority evaluates zoos based on various prescribed parameters and grants recognition based on compliance with these guidelines.
• The main functions of the CZA include:
  • Ensuring the proper management of zoos.
  • Setting standards for animal care and the upkeep of zoo facilities.
  • Offering support to improve zoo infrastructure and animal welfare programs.
  • Monitoring and ensuring that zoos comply with national and international standards for animal care.

Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)

• The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) is a statutory, multi-disciplinary body established by the Government of India to combat organized wildlife crime across the country. 
• It was constituted through an amendment to the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Mandate of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB): Under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, the WCCB is mandated to:

• Gather Intelligence on organized wildlife crime and share it with enforcement agencies for prompt action.
• Maintain a Centralized Database to track and monitor wildlife crimes nationwide.
• Coordinate Internationally with foreign authorities and global organizations to tackle cross-border wildlife crime.
• Build Capacity of enforcement agencies for scientific investigation and assist states in wildlife crime prosecutions.
• Advise the Government on wildlife crime issues of national and international importance, including legal and policy matters.
• Support Customs Authorities in inspecting flora and fauna consignments as per the Wildlife Protection Act, CITES, and EXIM Policy.
• Operate an Online Database System for real-time data and trend analysis, aiding preventive action and operations like SAVE KURMA, THUNDERBIRD, WILDNET, LESKNOW, and others.

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)

• It was registered as a society on 12th August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• It serves as the implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA), 1986.
  • NGRBA was dissolved in 2016 and replaced by the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection, and Management of River Ganga.
• The objective of the National Mission for Clean Ganga is to reduce pollution in the Ganga River and ensure its rejuvenation.
• The operational area of this project covers the Ganges Basin and all the states through which the Ganga River flows, including Delhi.

National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)

• It is a statutory authority set up under India’s Biological Diversity Act (2002).
• It came into existence in 2003, with its headquarters in Chennai.
• Function: The NBA provides facilitative, regulatory, and advisory functions to the Government of India on issues of conservation, sustainable use, and fair & equitable sharing of benefits arising from the country’s biological resources.
• Decentralised Approach: Under the Biodiversity Act, 2002 and Biodiversity Rules, 2004, the following two other entities have been established to complement the National Biodiversity Authority:
  • State Biodiversity Boards (SBB) at the State level, and
  • Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) at the local village level.

National Green Tribunal

• The National Green Tribunal was established in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
• It is a specialized body equipped with the necessary expertise to handle environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues.
• It is powered to safeguard the basic right to have a safe environment for individuals as part of Article 21 of the Constitution. (Subhash Kumar vs State of Bihar).
• Governed by: The Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.
• Fast disposal of cases: The Tribunal is mandated to make and endeavour for disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the case.
• Locations: New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai shall be the other four place of sitting of the Tribunal.
• Composition of NGT: The Tribunal comprises:
  • Chairperson: A retired Supreme Court judge.
  • Judicial members: Retired High Court judges.
  • Expert members: Professionals with at least 15 years of experience in fields related to environment or forest conservation.
• Simple approach – Aggrieved parties may approach the Tribunal in person by submitting an application and no need of advocate.
• Orders are binding – Its orders are enforceable and have powers of a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. 
• Orders are not final – It has powers to review its own decisions and if this fails, the decision can be challenged before the Supreme Court within 90 days.

Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA)

• The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Government of India.
• It was established to manage and utilize funds collected as compensation from user agencies that divert forest land for non-forest purposes, ensuring ecological restoration and sustainable forest management.
• Origin: CAMPA was first constituted in 2004 following a Supreme Court directive to manage funds collected for compensatory afforestation, net present value (NPV) of forest land, and other related charges from user agencies.
• Statutory Status: The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016, formalized CAMPA’s structure and operations, creating the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund (NCAF) and State Compensatory Afforestation Funds (SCAFs) under the Public Account of India and the respective states.
• Fund Flow: 90% of the collected funds are allocated to State Funds, and 10% to the National Fund.
• Objectives and Functions
  • Primary Aim: To mitigate the adverse impact of forest land diversion by promoting afforestation and regeneration activities, thereby compensating for lost forest cover.
• Fund Utilization: Funds are used for:
  • Compensatory afforestation on non-forest or degraded forest land
  • Conservation and management of existing forests and wildlife
  • Infrastructure development for forest protection and management
  • Assisted natural regeneration and biodiversity enhancement
  • Institutional Mechanism: CAMPA ensures that funds are released and utilized quickly, efficiently, and transparently through a well-defined mechanism.
• Structure:
  • National CAMPA: Functions as an advisory and monitoring body, laying down guidelines, providing technical support, and reviewing state-level plans and activities.
  • State CAMPA: Each state has its own authority to implement and monitor afforestation and conservation activities using the funds received.

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