Environmental Quiz: Environmental Organisations | Nov 24,2020

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was adopted on 22 March 1989 by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Basel, Switzerland, in response to a public outcry following the discovery, in the 1980s, in Africa and other parts of the developing world of deposits of toxic wastes imported from abroad.
Source: Basel Convention

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes.
•The MARPOL Convention was adopted on 2 November 1973 at IMO. The Protocol of 1978 was adopted in response to a spate of tanker accidents in 1976-1977.
•As the 1973 MARPOL Convention had not yet entered into force, the 1978 MARPOL Protocol absorbed the parent Convention. The combined instrument entered into force on 2 October 1983.
•In 1997, a Protocol was adopted to amend the Convention and a new Annex VI was added which entered into force on 19 May 2005. MARPOL has been updated by amendments through the years.
•The Convention includes regulations aimed at preventing and minimizing pollution from ships – both accidental pollution and that from routine operations – and currently includes six technical Annexes.
Source: Shankar

Build up scientific knowledge on wildlife resources. Train personnel at various levels for conservation and management of wildlife.
•Carry out research relevant to management including the development of techniques appropriate to Indian conditions.
•Provide information and advice on specific wildlife management problems.
•Collaborate with international organizations on wildlife research, management and training.
•Develop as a regional centre of international importance on wildlife and natural resource conservation.
•Publicity and consultancy services
Source: Shankar

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of humans and wildlife, and have harmful impacts on human health or on the environment.
•Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) can lead to serious health effects including certain cancers, birth defects, dysfunctional immune and reproductive systems, greater susceptibility to disease and damages to the central and peripheral nervous systems.
•Given their long range transport, no one government acting alone can protect its citizens or its environment from POPs.
•In response to this global problem, the Stockholm Convention, which was adopted in 2001 and entered into force in 2004, requires its parties to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment.
Source: Stockholm Convention

The devastation caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004 laid bare the vital link between coastal ecosystems and human livelihoods.
•It was United States President Bill Clinton’s vision that rebuilding in tsunami-hit areas should improve natural infrastructure and strengthen resilience against future natural disasters.
•In response to this vision, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) developed Mangroves for the Future in 2006.
•Since then, MFF has grown to include eight institutional partners, plus a growing number of countries.
Source: Shankar

Sinking islands may become a reality with sea level rise and climate change in decades to come.
•Tamil Nadu has hit upon a novel idea to protect such islands on its coast – deployment of artificial reefs near vulnerable islands.
•Artificial reefs, made of concrete, have been found to be capable of preventing further erosion of ecologically sensitive islands and also regenerate coral biodiversity in the Gulf of Mannar region.
•Vaan is one of the 21 islands in the Gulf of Mannar, which was declared marine biodiversity park in 1986.
•Indiscriminate mining of coral and use of destructive fishing practices in the past few decades have fully submerged two of the islands while Vaan was on the verge of submergence when the project began in 2015.
•Its area had been reduced from 16 hectares in 1986 to 2 hectares in 2014.
Source: The Hindu

Estuarine Biology regional centre, Gopalpur-on-sea, Ganjam is one of the sixteen regional Centre of Zoological Survey of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change, Govt of India established in 1980 during the 6th five year plan of Govt of India.
The Primary objective of this centre is to conduct investigations on faunal diversity of estuaries, backwaters, lagoons and mangrove ecosystem along the east and west coast of India.
Source: ENVIS

Wetlands International is the global not-for-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wetlands.
•Wetlands are the source of water that supports all forms of life.
•Despite our efforts to promote their importance, loss and damage to wetlands and their biodiversity continues.
•Our vision is a world where wetlands are treasured and nurtured for their beauty, the life they support and the resources they provide.
•The Wetlands International Luc Hoffmann Medal for Wetland Science and Conservation is awarded every triennium to honor Dr Luc Hoffmann, one of the inspirational and far-sighted founders of Wetlands International.
Source: Shankar

The Government of India (GOI), in recognition of the importance of Disaster Management as a national priority, set up a High-Powered Committee (HPC) in August 1999 and a National Committee after the Gujarat earthquake, for making recommendations on the preparation of Disaster Management plans and suggesting effective mitigation mechanisms.
•The Tenth Five-Year Plan document also had, for the first time, a detailed chapter on Disaster Management.
•The Twelfth Finance Commission was also mandated to review the financial arrangements for Disaster Management.
•On 23 December 2005, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, which envisaged the creation of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by the Prime Minister, and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by respective Chief Ministers, to spearhead and implement a holistic and integrated approach to Disaster Management in India.
Source: Shankar

The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is often referred to as UN Environment’s flagship environmental assessment. The first publication was in 1997 and was originally requested by Member States.
•It is a flagship report because it fulfills the core functions of the organization, which date back to the UN General Assembly resolution that established the UN Environment Programme in 1972.
•The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is a consultative and participatory process to prepare an independent assessment of the state of the environment, the effectiveness of the policy response to address these environmental challenges and the possible pathways to be achieve various internationally agreed environmental goals.
•The process also builds capacity for conducting integrated environmental assessments and reporting on the state, trends and outlooks of the environment.
•The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is also a series of products that informs environmental decision-making for not only governments but also various stakeholders such as the youth, businesses and local governments and aims to facilitate the interaction between science and policy.
Source: The Hindu