Biodiversity -
• 1948 - World’s largest and most diverse
environmental network
• Members: Government + NGO’s
• HQ: Gland, Switzerland
• Vision: A just world that values and
conserves nature
• Observer status(1999) in UN
• World Conservation Congress - by IUCN
• World’s largest and most inclusive
environmental decision-making forum
• Every 4 years - Lastly in 2021 at
Marseille France
• Outcome - Nature 2030 Programme
• Established in 1964 - a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity
• Often referred to as ‘Barometer of Life’ - 1,50,000+ species assessed
• 42000 + species threatened with extinction
• IUCN Goal - To assess 1,60,000 Species
Green Status of Species
▪ Red List — Focus on Decline
▪ Green List — Focus on Recovery

▪ Green score - 0% to 100%

▪ Category:
▪ Species present in all
parts of its range
▪ Viability
▪ Ecological Functions

▪ Eg: Sumatran Rhino, Dragon Fly etc

• Launched in 2012
• Global campaign for successful nature
conservation
• Green List Sustainability Standard - a global
benchmark for how to meet the environmental
challenges of the 21st century
• A status conferred on Protected Areas if it meets
the Standard
• Annual award - from 2006
• Nobel Prize of Turtle Conservation
• Presented by - I UCN Turtle
Specialist Group + TSA + Turtle
Conservancy, and Tur
t l e Conservation Fund
 Mangroves For Future
▪ Partnership-led initiative (2006)

▪ Encourages financial support for the

preservation of coastal ecosystems for
sustainable development

▪ Co-chaired by the IUCN and UNDP

▪ Healthy Mangroves = Healthy Coastal

Ecosystem
▪ UNESCO + IUCN

▪ 1/3rd of Glaciers among the World

Heritage sites will disappear by 2050

▪ 50 WHS has Glaciers

▪ Launched in 2016 as - Bonn
Challenge Barometer

▪ Tracks restoration progress across

Terrestrial Ecosystems:
▪ Bonn Challenge
▪ 30 x 30 - Global BD Framework
▪ Paris Agreement
▪ Land Degradation Neutrality
▪ 1 Trillion Trees
Joint initiative of IUCN + Host Country
(Refer to In-situ Conservation)
• International NGO working - wildlife conservation
• 1961 - HQ: Gland, Switzerland
• Mission: Conserve nature and Protecting Diversity

• Important Initiatives seen so far —

• Tiger - Tx2 award, CATS standards
• Living Himalaya Network initiative
• Project Hangul, Project Rhino
▪ Released WWF since 1998 - Every 2
by
years(Biennial)
▪ Living Planet Index —
▪ Measure of the state of the world's
biological diversity based on population
trends of vertebrate species from terrestrial,
freshwater and marine habitats

▪ Observation —-
▪ Past 50 years - 69% decline in the
wildlife p o p u l a t i o n s o f m a m m a
l s , b i r d s , amphibians, reptiles and fish
 • Global partnership of conservation organisations - earlier
known as International Committee for Bird Preservation
• Quarterly magazine - World Birdwatch
• Official Red List authority for birds for IUCN
• It identifies the sites known/referred to as ‘Important Bird and
Biodiversity Areas’ - 13000 + IBA’s globally

• Once in every 4 years

• 50% of world bird species in Decline - 1 in 8 species threatens
with Extinction

• Drivers of Decline?
• Agriculture
• Chemicals use
• Unsustainable logging and deforestation
• Climate change
There are 9 migratory flyways in the World — India
falls in Central Asian Flyway
 • June 1972 - United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment
• 122 countries - Theme: Only One Earth
• First global convergence on the planetary environment
• ‘Swedish Initiative’ - Proposed by Sweden - based on research
study in 1967 — linking Global temperature & CO2 levels

Major Outcomes:

• 3 Dimensions - Establishment of UNEP - Not Harming Environment - Action plan

to study threats to Environment
• Stockholm Declaration - Adopted by 70 Countries - 26 principles - Beginning of
dialogue between Developed & Developing countries
• June 2022 - Stockholm+50 - Convened by UNGA @Sweden - Discussion on
Triple Planetary Crisis, SDG’s, COVID etc
 United Nations Environment Programme
• An agency of United Nations
• Global authority that sets the environmental agenda
& promoting sustainable development within UN
system

• Membership: 193 countries

• 1988 - UNEP + World Meteorological
Organisation established,
• IPCC- Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change

• A member of UNSDG
• Governing Body - United Nations Environment
Assembly
• World’s highest decision making body
on Environment - Meets Biennially

HQ: Nairobi, Kenya • Created in Rio+20 in 2012

• 1973 - International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)
• Administered by International Maritime organisation (IMO)
• Prevention of Pollution & Oil Spills
• 1973 - Adoption of CITES by UN member states - Banning/regulating Wildlife Trade
• 1984 - becomes UNEP administered Multilateral Environmental agreement
• 1974 - Regional Seas Programme - To reduce Ocean pollution & protect marine life
• Region specific action plans + Stakeholder Approach
• 1975 - Mediterranean Action Plan - 1st UNEP initiative under Regional Seas Programme

• 1976 - Barcelona Convention - Convention for Protection of the Mediterranean Sea

against Pollution
• 1979 - Bonn Convention - Convention on Migratory Species(CMS) - protection of
migratory species & their habitats

• 1979 - Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution - world’s first legally

binding instrument to address regional air quality
• 1982 - Montevideo Programme - Setting priorities for Environmental lawmaking
• Basis for - Basel, Stockholm and Rotterdam Convention
• 1985 - Vienna Convention for Protection of Ozone Layer
• Only convention to be ratified by every country

• 1987 - Vienna Convention operationalised through Montreal Protocol

• 1988 - IPCC - UNEP + WMO
• Provide governments with scientific information to develop climate policies
• 1989 - Basel Convention - Movement & Disposal of Hazardous Waste
• 1976 - Barcelona Convention - Convention for Protection of the Mediterranean Sea
against Pollution

• 1991 - Global Environment Facility - Funding mechanism for Significant conventions

• 1991 - Espoo Convention - Convention on Environment Impact Assessment in a transboundary context

• 1992 - Convention on Biological Diversity - Conservation of BD
• 1992 - Rio Earth Summit - UNFCCC, UNCCD

• 1998 - Rotterdam Convention - Import of hazardous chemicals and pesticides

• 2001 - Stockholm Convention - Persistent Organic Pollutants

• 2003 - Carpathian Convention - 7 countries - protect Europe’s Carpathian Mountains

• 2005 - Champions of Earth - UN’s highest honour recognising leaders of Govt, civil society etc

• 2008 - UN-REDD Programme - Reducing Emissions from Deforestation & Forest Degradation

• 2009 - UN Climate Change Conference - Copenhagen Accord - Limiting global

avg. Temperature to less than 2 degree celsius

• 2012 - Rio+20
• 2013 - Minamata Convention - Adverse effects of mercury on Environment

• 2019 - UN Climate Action Summit - towards attaining Paris agreement

• 2020 to 2030 - UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration - UNFCCC, UNCCD

• 2022 - Stockholm + 50
 Emissions Gap Report 2022

▪ Top 7 + Transport = 55% of GHG

emitters emissions
in 2020
▪ G20 members - 75% global GHG
Emissions
▪ No Credible pathway to achieve Paris Goals

▪ Suggestions:
▪ Drastic reduction of CO2 in next 8 yrs
▪ Alternative technologies & Decarbonisation
 OTHER REPORTS
Global Environmental
Adaptation Gap Report Frontiers Outlook
OTHER REPORTS
 Intiatives in news
• Breathlife Campaign: WHO + UNEP + CCAC - Mobilising cities & individuals bringing air pollution to
safe levels by 2030

• Puneet Sagar Abhiyan: UNEP + NCC - MoU to tackle issue of Plastic Pollution
• LOTUS initiative: Low Carbon Transport for Urban Sustainability - UNEP + Boston Consulting Group

• MARS - Methane Alert Response System - COP28 - Hosted by IMEO of UNEP

• Green Fins Hub - UNEP + Reef world foundation - first-ever global marine tourism industry platform with
focus on sustainable marine tourism

• Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint - UNEP + WHO

• Spreading like Wildfire Report - by UNEP
• Beat Pollution - UNEP - end goal to eradicate all forms of pollution by 2030
 • Set up under - International Convention for the
Regulation of Whaling - signed in Washington DC - in
1946

• Inter-governmental Organisation
• Purpose - Conservation of whales and the
management of whaling

• 88 member countries - India is a member

• Introduced a prohibition on commercial
whaling in 1986

• Withdrawal by Iceland and Norway

• Recent withdrawal by Japan in 2018

HQ: Impington, England

• 1937 - as International Wildfowl Inquiry and most diverse environmental network
• Independent, Global not-for-profit organisation
• HQ: Ede, Netherlands
• Vision: Conservation and restoration of marshlands
• Collaboration of Governments + NGO’s - India is a Member
• It coordinates International Waterbird Census
• Member of Global Mangrove Alliance and partners with Global Mangrove Watch
 Global Mangrove Alliance

▪ Collaboration between NGOs,

governments, scientists, industry and local
communities
▪ Launched at World Ocean summit 2018
▪ Coordinated by IUCN +
Wetlands International +
Conservation International
+ WWF + The Nature Conservancy
▪ Goal - Restoration of Half of Mangrove
Area by 2030
▪ 147,000km2 of mangroves
remaining worldwide

▪ 5,245km2 of mangrove forest has been

lost since 1996

▪ Average loss of Mangroves 0.04%

▪ Mangrove Loss is declining

Institutions - Wildlife
Trade
Trade Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in Commerce

HQ: Cambridge,United Kingdom

• Estd in 1976 - Joint Programme of IUCN + WWF
• 2017 - Independent non-profit organisation
• Aim: Trade in Wild Plant & Animals is not a threat to
Conservation of Nature

• Governed by TRAFFIC Committee - works in close

cooperation with CITES Secretariat

• Key role in formation of SAWEN - South Asia Wildlife

Enforcement Network

• Important Initiatives - Reducing Trade Threats to Africa

(ReTTA), Wildlife Trafficking Response, Assessment,
and Priority Setting (Wildlife-TRAPS), The Global Shark and
Ray Initiative
Awareness Campaigns:

• Don’t Buy Trouble - caution while

purchasing souvenirs when traveling

• Wanted Alive - focuses on the four Asian great cats

—the Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Clouded Leopard
- illegal trade of their body parts
 HQ: Kathmandu, Nepal

• South Asian countries - The primary transit points

• Estd in 2011 - @ an intergovernmental gathering in Bhutan - support of

TRAFFIC

• Aim: Promotes regional cooperation to combat wildlife crime in South Asia

• A regional inter-governmental wildlife law enforcement support body of

South Asian countries

• General Assembly - Apex body for policy making

• Recently - MoU between SAWEN & GTF for collaboration

• Estd in 2005 - A US led coalition
• Special voluntary public-private coalition of groups
and organizations

• India - is a Member
• Partners - Conservation International, TRAFFIC etc
• Predominantly efforts focused on Asia.
International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime
• Collaborative effort of Five inter-governmental organizations

• CITES Secretariat
• INTERPOL
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World
• Bank
• World Customs Organization (WCO)

• Strength criminal justice systems and provide coordinated support at

national, regional and international level to combat wildlife and
forest crime

• Vision 2030: Towards a world free of Wildlife Crime

• A Statutory multi-disciplinary body under
MOEFCC
• Estd. under Wil Protection
dAmendment
life Act 2006 - Sec 38(z)

• HQ: New Delhi

• Aim: To combat Organized wildlife crime
• Designated nodal agency for CITES related
enforcement

• Intelligence, Wildlife crime prevention, Law

enforcement, Assisting State governments

• Also assists Customs authorities

• Operation Save Kurma - Poaching, transportation and illegal trade of live turtles and tortoises.
• Operation Turtshield-II - Tackle the illegal trade of live turtles
• Operation Lesknow - To gain attention of enforcement agencies towards the illegal wildlife
trade in lesser-known species of wildlife.

• Operation Clean Art - Illegal wildlife trade in Mongoose hair brushes.

• Operation Softgold - To tackle Shahtoosh Shawl (made from Chiru wool) illegal trade Operation
• Birbil - To curb illegal trade in wild cat and wild bird species.
• Operation Wildnet-IV - Increasing illegal wildlife trade over internet using social media
platforms.

• Operation Freefly - On illegal trade of live birds

• Operation Wetmark - To ensure prohibition of sale of meat of wild animals in wet markets
AWARDS
Important
Bodies In India
 • Estd in 1962 - Statutory advisory body on Animal Welfare
Laws and promotes animal welfare

• Section 4 - Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Act, 1960

Ballabgarh, Haryana • Mandate: To prevent the infliction of unnecessary pain or

suffering on animals, in terms of the provision of the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960.

• Under Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and

Dairying

• 28 Members - 6 from Parliament - Term for 3 Years

• Important Functions:
• Grants recognition to new Animal Welfare
Organisations(AWO’s) in the country
• Funding assistance to AWO’s
• Advise on Design & maintenance of
slaughterhouses
 NATIONAL BOARD FOR WILDLIFE
• Advisory Role - only advise the Government
on policy making for conservation of wildlife

• Apex body for review of all wildlife related matters

• NBWL approval mandatory —
• Alteration of boundaries of NP/WLS De-
• 1952 - Indian Board for Wildlife - an • notification of NP/WLS
advisory body • Alteration of boundaries or de-notification of
Tiger Reserves
• 2002 Amendment to WPA 1972 -
Section 5A - NBWL replaced IBWL • Sec 5B - Standing Committee of NBWL
• 47 members — • Chaired by Minister of Environment
• Chairperson - Prime Minister
• Approves all the projects falling within protected wildlife
• Vice- Chair - Minister of areas or within 10 km of them
Environment
• Established in 1982 - Dehradun • Founded in 1998 - New Delhi
• Autonomous institution under MoEFCC • Non-profit conservation organisation
• Training program, academic courses and • Mapping of 101 Asian Elephant corridors in
advisory in wildlife research and India
management
 Environmental Jurisprudence in India
• 1976 - 42nd Amendment Act - Introduction of Article 48A & Article 51A(g)

• 1986 - MC Mehta vs Union of India Case - Post Bhopal gas Tragedy in 1984
• SC direction - Set up regional Environmental courts to discuss on Environmental issues
• A new Principle of Liability - Led to - Public Liability Insurance Act 1991

• 1996 - MC Mehta vs Kamalnath Case - Evolution of Public Trust Doctrine

• The air, the water, and the sea are all common to the public and is entitled to be used by anyone due to the
law of nature”
• A new Principle of Liability - Led to - Public Liability Insurance Act 1991

• 1999 - A.P. Pollution Control Board vs Prof.M.V.Nayudu

• Importance of a court made up of judges and technical specialists

• 2010 - National Green Tribunal Act 2010

 NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
• 3rd country in the World to setup Specialised
Environmental Tribunal
• Expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection
and conservation of forests and other natural resources

• Dispose Applications/Appeals - within 6

months of filing

• Composition:
• Chairperson + Judicial & Expert members
• At least 10 & not more than 20 full-time members
• Qualification:
• Chairperson - should be a retired SC Judge or Chief Justice of
HC
• Judicial members - should be atleast retired
HC Judge
Principal Bench: New Delhi • Expert members - at least 15 years experience
in Environmental conservation
 NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
• Appointment:
• Chairperson - by Central Govt. in consultation with
CJI
• Members - Central Govt. appoints a Selection
Committee which appoints the members

• 5 year Term or Age - whichever is earlier

• Age 70 - Judge of SC appointed as Chairman
or Judicial member
• Age 67 - CJ of HC appointed as Chairman or
Judicial member
• Age 67 - Judge of HC appointed as
Judicial member
• Age 65 - Expert members
• Not eligible for Reappointment
 NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
• Powers & Functions:
• Jurisdiction: All civil cases involving substantial question relating to environment
• Includes enforcement of any legal right relating to environment
• Suo motu powers to take up environmental issues
• Not bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure 1908, but shall be
guided by principles of 'natural justice’
• Principles of sustainable development, the precautionary principle
and the polluter pays principle

• An order/decision/award of Tribunal is executable as a decree of a civil court

• Appeal against Order lies with Supreme Court - within ninety days from the date of communication
The NGT Act also provides a procedure for a penalty for non compliance
•
 The 7 Laws
• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution)
Act, 1974,

• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution)

Cess Act, 1977,

• The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980,

• The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,
1981,

• The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, The Public

• Liability Insurance Act, 1991 and The Biological
• Diversity Act, 2002

Any violation pertaining to these laws or any decision taken by the Government
under these laws can be challenged before the NGT
 Issues Way Forward
• Restricted Jurisdiction - WPA 1972 and • Inclusion of WPA 1972 and Forest Rights Act
Forest Rights Act not covered under Jurisdiction

• Prevailing Vacancies and delay in • Expediting Appointment Process

Appointment process • A m e n d i n g t h e a c t fo r p ro v i d i n g
Enforcement powers
• Lack of Enforcement powers
• Appeal through Judicial Review - Delay • Only Rare decisions with Economic
repercussions to be challenged on Rare cases
in proceedings
Experts from NGO’s, Conservationists to be
• Experts are Predominantly IFS officers • included
• Absence of Compensation formula Limited
• no. of Regional benches • Deriving Compensation formula on
specific issues
• Expansion of Regional benches