Envirmental Studies notes | Essay Envirmental notes pdf and important date Evaluation

24th January International Day

of Education

Education gives us knowledge of the world around us and

changes it into something better. Its aim is to highlight the

importance of literacy to individuals, communities and

societies.

2nd Feb. World Wetland

Day

Students may be called for discussion on What is wetlands,

Importance of wetland, Ramsar Convention, Managing

wetlands and Biodiversity in wetland.

28th Feb. National Science

Day

It is necessary to highlight the role of science in the

protection of the environment. This day should be taken as

a platform to put forward the message.

3rd March World Wildlife

Day

The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the dangers

that threaten the survival of many animals around the

world. Students may explore and list endangered animals.

20th March World Sparrow

Day

This day is observed to protect these little birds and

conserve their houses. Students may arrange for the

availability of food grains and water for sparrows.

21st March World Forestry

Day

Celebrate World Forestry Day by doing activities such as

the planting of trees and highlighting the urgency to

increase the green cover.

22nd March World Water Day The decision to celebrate this day has been taken recently

as drinking water sources are fast depleting. The world

must wake up to the problem and begin conserving it.

23rd March World

Meteorological

Day

Everyone has to be reminded that weather is an integral

part of the environment.

7th April World Health Day This day is celebrated with the objective of raising global

awareness on current health issues around the world.

Students may explore the main facts about health care

systems.

18th April World Heritage

Day

Environment includes not just the natural surroundings but

also the manmade ones.

22nd April Earth Day Discover Earth Day activities for students including games,

art projects, crafts and other Earth Day ideas. Let them find

Earth Day information, activities and events to remind

them of the importance of green living and sustainable

lifestyles.

22nd May International Day

for Biological

Diversity

It focuses on to spread knowledge and awareness about the

dependency of food system, nutrition, health on

biodiversity and on healthy ecosystems.

31st May Anti-Tobacco day The world is now aware of the problems faced by not only

the smokers but also the people who inhale the smoke. You

can take up an anti smoking campaign in your family or the

neighbourhood.

5th June World

Environment Day

This day is celebrated to spread awareness, to encourage

people to take action and to protect the environment. You

can make a difference – individual actions, when

multiplied, can make an exponential difference to the

planet !

8th June World Oceans Day World Oceans Day is celebrated to remind everyone about

the major role that oceans play in everyday life. They are

the lungs of our planet, providing most of the oxygen we

breathe.

17th June World Day to

Combat

Desertification &

Drought

This Day is observed to promote public awareness of

international efforts to combat desertification. Discuss on

drought and desertification, its implications on society and

ways to minimize the problem among the students.

1 – 7th of

July

Vanamohatsav Students may be encouraged to share on importance of this

vanamohatsav week, its history and let them do some

exercise on biodiversity & plant as many as tree.

11th July World Population

Day

World Population Day aims to increase people’s awareness

on various population issues such as the importance of

family planning, including gender equality, poverty,

maternal health and human rights. Let the students share

their information through competitions.

26th July International

Mangrove Day

This Day is observed to raise awareness of the importance

of mangrove ecosystems as a unique, special and

vulnerable ecosystem and to promote solutions for their

sustainable management, conservation and uses.

16th

September

World Ozone Day This day is observed to spread awareness among people

about the depletion of Ozone Layer and search possible

solutions to preserve it.Share information about

atmosphere, ozone, CFC, acid rain among students. Let

them invite for participation in competition.They can go for

awareness campaign on eco-friendly products.

28th

September

Green Consumer

Day

The problems of consumerism and its impact on the

environment is an area of major concern in today’s world.

Awareness building on the importance of recyclingreusing-

reducing should be taken up seriously.

3rd October World Habitat The earth is the habitat of not only human beings but also

all living creatures. Increasing human activities is

Day threatening the habitat of other living things.

1 – 7th of

October

Wildlife week Let us share information about types animals, habitat,

extinct, endangered species, food web, food chain, natural

cycles among students and importance of each species in

ecological balance. Students can go to local nearby park

and help visitors as guide.

4th October Animal Welfare

Day

We can discuss on importance of animals. Activities like

giving unused foods, put a bin of water in the campus,

make artificial nest in trees etc.

13th October International Day

for Natural

Disaster Reduction

Due to a change in the environment there has been an

increase in the number of natural disasters. Efforts have to

be taken to reduce these disasters.

2nd

December

National Pollution

Prevention Day

Share information about types of pollution, about

reduction, laws, local issues and finding solution from

students. Promote ecofriendly practices like ban of

polythene, use of cycle or by walk, plantation, water

conservation practices.

5th

December

World Soil Day This day is observed to highlight soil's importance on

Earth.We need soil for basic survival - food and energy.

This day is for to bring the attention on the importance of

healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management

of soil resources.

14th

December

National Energy

Conservation Day

This day is celebrated to highlight the importance of energy

consumption and its use in our day-to-day life, its scarcity

and its impact on sustainability of global eco systems.

19th

December

Bhopal Tragedy

Day

Mark this occasion by taking a pledge to put in your best

efforts to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again.

Environmental Years

Name Year

International Polar Year 1932-1933

International Year of the Child 1979

World Population Year 1974

International Year of the Ocean (IYO) 1998

International Year of Mountains (IYM) 2002

International Year of Ecotourism (IYE) 2002

International Year of Freshwater 2003

International Year of Deserts and

Desertification

2006

International Year of the Dolphin 2007–2008

International Year of Planet Earth 2008

International Year of Sanitation 2008

International Year of Natural Fibres 2009

International Year of the Gorilla 2009

International Year of Biodiversity 2010

International Year of Forests I 2011

International Year of Soils 2015

International Year of Pulses 2016

International Year of Sustainable tourism for

all

2017

International Year of Indigenous languages 2019

Decades

Name Year

International Drinking Water Decade, 1981-1990 1980s

International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction 1990s

United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable

Development

2005-2014

Water for Life Decade 2005-2015

United Nations Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020

United Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight against

Desertification

2010-2020

Environmental Conventions and Protocols

Ramsar Convention(1971)

A Ramsar Site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar

Convention. The Convention on Wetlands, known as the Ramsar Convention, is an

intergovernmental environmental treaty established in 1971 by UNESCO, which came into force

in 1975. It provides for national action and international cooperation regarding the conservation

of wetlands, and wise sustainable use of their resources. Ramsar identifies wetlands of

international importance, especially those providing waterfowl habitat.

Stockholm Conference

The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (UNCHE), held in Stockholm,

Sweden, in 1972, was the first major international conference on the environment. The United

Nations General Assembly convened the UNCHE at the request of the Swedish government.

Representatives from 113 nations and over 400 non-governmental organizations (NGOs)

attended the Stockholm Conference.

The gathering produced the Declaration of the Conference on the Human Environment and an

action plan. The declaration noted that many factors harm the environment, including population

growth, developing economies, and technological and industrial advancements. Despite the

pressure placed on the environment, the declaration proffered 26 principles “to inspire and guide

the peoples of the world in the preservation and enhancement of the human environment.”

The Declaration of the Conference stated that every human has the right to enjoy a clean and

healthy environment. With this right, however, comes the responsibility to preserve the

environment for future generations. The document noted that humans must properly manage

wildlife and their ecosystems to ensure their continued survival, and it sought an end to the

discharge of pollution into the environment. The declaration also called on industrialized nations

to provide financial and technological assistance to developing nations to enable them to develop

their economies in an environmentally responsible manner.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered species of Wild flora and

fauna (CITES)1973

CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora,

also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants

and animals. It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of

the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The convention was opened for

signature in 1973 and CITES entered into force on 1 July 1975.

Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not

threaten the survival of the species in the wild, and it accords varying degrees of protection to

more than 35,000 species of animals and plants. In order to ensure that the General Agreement

on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was not violated, the Secretariat of GATT was consulted during

the drafting process.

As of 2018, Secretary-General of the CITES Secretariat is Ivonne Higuero

Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)1979

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as the

Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) or the Bonn Convention, is an international agreement

that aims to conserve migratory species within their migratory ranges. The Agreement was

signed under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme and is concerned with

the conservation of wildlife and habitats on a global scale.

Signed in 1979 in Bonn, Germany, the Convention entered into force in 1983. As of September

2019, there were 129 Member States to the Convention. The depositary is the government of the

Federal Republic of Germany.

The CMS is the only global, and United Nations-based, an intergovernmental organization

established exclusively for the conservation and management of terrestrial, aquatic and avian

migratory species. The CMS, and its daughter Agreements, determine policy and provide further

guidance on specific issues through their Strategic Plans, Action Plans, resolutions, decisions,

and guidelines.

Nairobi Conventions

The Nairobi Convention, which was first signed in 1985 and entered into force in 1996, is part of

the UN Environment’s Regional Seas Programme. The program aims to address the accelerating

degradation of the world’s oceans and coastal areas through the sustainable management and use

of the marine and coastal environment. It does this by engaging countries that share the western

Indian Ocean in actions to protect their shared marine environment. The Contracting Parties

(Comoros, France, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania

and the Republic of South Africa) to the Convention are part of more than 143 countries that

participate in 18 Regional Seas initiatives.

The Nairobi Convention Secretariat held the Conference of Plenipotentiaries and the Sixth

Conference of Parties (COP6) to the Nairobi Convention at the United Nations Environment

Programme (UNEP) Headquarters at Gigiri in Nairobi Kenya, from 29 March to 1 April 2010,

which considered and adopted the Amended Nairobi Convention for the Protection,

Management, and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Western Indian

Ocean.

Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1985)

The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer is a multilateral environmental

agreement signed in 1985 that provided frameworks for international reductions in the

production of chlorofluorocarbons due to their contribution to the destruction of the ozone layer,

resulting in an increased threat of skin cancer.

During the 1970s, research indicated that man-made chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) reduce and

convert ozone molecules in the atmosphere. CFCs are stable molecules composed of carbon,

fluorine, and chlorine that was used prominently in products such as refrigerators. The threats

associated with reduced ozone pushed the issue to the forefront of global climate issues and

gained promotion through organizations such as the World Meteorological Organization and the

United Nations. The Vienna Convention was agreed upon at the Vienna Conference of 1985 and

entered into force in 1988. The Vienna Convention provided the framework necessary to create

regulatory measures in the form of the Montreal Protocol.

In terms of universality, it is one of the most successful treaties of all time, having been ratified

by 197 states (all United Nations members as well as the Holy See, Niue and the Cook Islands)

as well as the European Union. While not a binding agreement, it acts as a framework for the

international efforts to protect the ozone layer; however, it does not include legally binding

reduction goals for the use of CFCs, the main chemical agents causing ozone depletion.

Montreal Protocol 1987

The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing

out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. It was

agreed on 16th September 1987 and entered into force on 1st January 1989. The Montreal

Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is the landmark multilateral environmental

agreement that regulates the production and consumption of nearly 100 man-made chemicals

referred to as ozone-depleting substances (ODS). When released to the atmosphere, those

chemicals damage the stratospheric ozone layer, Earth’s protective shield that protects humans

and the environment from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

Since then, it has undergone nine revisions, in 1990 (London), 1991 (Nairobi), 1992

(Copenhagen), 1993 (Bangkok), 1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), 1998 (Australia), 1999

(Beijing) and 2016 (Kigali).

The two ozone treaties have been ratified by 197 parties (196 states and the European Union),

making them the first universally ratified treaties in United Nations history

Brundtland Report (1987)

Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland Report in recognition of former Norwegian

Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland's role as Chair of the World Commission on

Environment and Development (WCED), was published in 1987 by the United Nations through

the Oxford University Press.

Its targets were multilateralism and interdependence of nations in the search for a sustainable

development path. The report sought to recapture the spirit of the Stockholm Conference which

had introduced environmental concerns to the formal political development sphere. Our

Common Future placed environmental issues firmly on the political agenda; it aimed to discuss

the environment and development as one single issue.

The document was the culmination of a “900-day” international-exercise which cataloged,

analyzed, and synthesized: written submissions and expert testimony from “senior government

representatives, scientists and experts, research institutes, industrialists, representatives of nongovernmental

organizations, and the general public” held at public hearings throughout the

world.

The Brundtland Commission Report recognized that human resource development in the form of

poverty reduction, gender equity, and wealth redistribution was crucial to formulating strategies

for environmental conservation, and it also recognized that environmental-limits to economic

growth in industrialized and industrializing societies existed. The Brundtland Report claimed that

poverty reduces sustainability and accelerates environmental pressures – creating a need for the

balancing between economy and ecology.

Earth Summit/ United Nations Conference on Environment and Development

(UNCED)/ Rio Declaration (1992)

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the

Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, the Rio Summit, the Rio Conference, and the Earth Summit was a

major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June in 1992.

In June 1992 representatives from 172 nations convened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the United

Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), commonly called the Earth

Summit. The Earth Summit was an unprecedented meeting of representatives, including 108

heads of state, 2,400 representatives from various non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and

nearly 10,000 journalists. An additional 17,000 NGO representatives attended a parallel NGO

forum that provided recommendations to the Earth Summit

The massive interest and participation of nations and NGOs in the Earth Summit indicated a shift

in global attitudes toward the environment. Scientific evidence gathered in the second half of the

twentieth century indicated that human activity was taking a toll on the environment. The

scientific evidence also indicated that pollution and depletion of natural resources that occurred

in one country could have a profound effect on the environment of other nations or the entire

planet. At the Earth Summit, world leaders devised plans and policies to protect the environment

by involving national and local governments and NGOs

Impacts-

Earth Summit 1992 produced several long-range reports and implementation plans that continue

to serve as blueprints for international action on environmental issues, including the World

Summit on Sustainable Development (Earth Summit 2002) and the Kyoto Protocol. Earth

Summit 1992 produced the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the Statement of

Forest Principles, and Agenda 21. The Earth Summit also led to the establishment of the

Convention on Biological Diversity, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change (UNFCCC).

The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development is a set of principles that defines the

rights and responsibilities of nations in the areas of environmental protection and sustainable

development. The Rio Declaration states that nations have the right to exploit natural resources

within their borders if their actions do not affect the environment in other nations. It also calls on

all national and local governments to develop and implement plans that preserve the environment

and natural resources for future generations.The Statement of Forest Principles called for

sustainable management of forests worldwide. It is a non binding document produced through

compromise after developed nations refused to pay for the setting aside of national forests by

developing nations.

Agenda 21(1992)

Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by

organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in

which human impacts on the environment.

Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Statement of

principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests were adopted by more than 178

Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)

held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992.

The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was created in December 1992 to ensure

effective follow-up of UNCED, to monitor and report on the implementation of the agreements

at the local, national, regional and international levels. It was agreed that a five-year review of

Earth Summit progress would be made in 1997 by the United Nations General Assembly

meeting in special session.

The full implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for Further Implementation of Agenda 21

and the Commitments to the Rio principles, were strongly reaffirmed at the World Summit on

Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 26 August to 4

September 2002.

Impacts---

Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan for intergovernmental agencies, national governments, local

governments, and NGOs to work together to protect the environment through sustainable

development. It contains four categories: Social and Economic Dimensions, Conservation and

Management of Resources for Development, Strengthening the Role of Major Groups, and

Means of Implementation. The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development is

primarily responsible for the implementation of Agenda 21.

Agenda 21 recognized that developing nations and developed nations both contribute to

environmental degradation. Poorer nations often have less restrictive environmental regulations

and focus on economic development. Despite stronger environmental regulations, developed

nations have patterns of production and consumption that pollute the environment.

Agenda 21, therefore, addressed environmental issues through detailed social and economic

proposals. Agenda 21 proposed addressing environmental issues through combating poverty,

conserving and managing natural resources, preventing deforestation, promoting sustainable

agriculture, addressing production and consumption patterns, and protecting the atmospheres and

oceans.

UNFCCC (1992)

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international

environmental treaty adopted on 9 May 1992 and opened for signature at the Earth Summit in

Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992. It then entered into force on 21 March 1994, after a

sufficient number of countries had ratified it. The UNFCCC objective is to "stabilize greenhouse

gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic

interference with the climate system". The framework sets non-binding limits on greenhouse gas

emissions for individual countries and contains no enforcement mechanisms. Instead, the

framework outlines how specific international treaties (called "protocols" or "Agreements") may

be negotiated to specify further action towards the objective of the UNFCCC.

The stated purpose of the UNFCCC is to allow governments to perform the following acts:

gather and share information on greenhouse-gas emissions, national policies, and effective

practices; launch national strategies for addressing greenhouse-gas emissions; and cooperate in

preparing for adaptation to the impacts of global climate change. The UNFCCC includes a

provision whereby developed countries provide financial and technological support for

developing nations to address global climate change.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)1992

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was opened for signature at the Earth Summit in

Rio de Janeiro on 5 June 1992 and entered into force on 29 December 1993.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international legally-binding treaty with

three main goals: conservation of biodiversity; sustainable use of biodiversity; fair and equitable

sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. Its overall objective is to

encourage actions, which will lead to a sustainable future.

The conservation of biodiversity is a common concern of humankind. The Convention on

Biological Diversity covers biodiversity at all levels: ecosystems, species and genetic resources.

It also covers biotechnology, including through the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. In fact, it

covers all possible domains that are directly or indirectly related to biodiversity and its role in

development, ranging from science, politics and education to agriculture, business, culture and

much more.

The convention recognized for the first time in international law that the conservation of

biodiversity is "a common concern of humankind" and is an integral part of the development

process. The agreement covers all ecosystems, species, and genetic resources. It links traditional

conservation efforts to the economic goal of using biological resources sustainably. It sets

principles for the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic

resources, notably those destined for commercial use. It also covers the rapidly expanding field

of biotechnology through its Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, addressing technology

development and transfer, benefit-sharing and biosafety issues. Importantly, the Convention is

legally binding; countries that join it ('Parties') are obliged to implement its provisions.

UNCCD(1994)

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing

Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (UNCCD) is a Convention to

combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that

incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership

arrangements.

The Convention, the only convention stemming from a direct recommendation of the Rio

Conference's Agenda 21, was adopted in Paris, France on 17 June 1994 and entered into force in

December 1996. It is the only internationally legally binding framework set up to address the

problem of desertification. The Convention is based on the principles of participation,

partnership and decentralization—the backbone of Good Governance and Sustainable

Development. It has 197 parties, making it near universal in reach.

To help publicise the Convention, 2006 was declared "International Year of Deserts and

Desertification" but debates have ensued regarding how effective the International Year was in

practice.

The UNCCD has been ratified by 197 states: all 193 UN Member States, the Cook Islands, Niue,

the State of Palestine and the European Union.

On 28 March 2013, Canada became the first country to withdraw from the convention. However,

three years later, Canada reversed its withdrawal by re-acceding to the convention on 21

December 2016, which resulted in Canada becoming party to the convention again on 21 March

2017

Kyoto Protocols (1997)

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted on 11 December 1997. Owing to a complex ratification process,

it entered into force on 16 February 2005. Currently, there are 192 Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.

In short, the Kyoto Protocol operationalizes the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change by committing industrialized countries to limit and reduce greenhouse gases

(GHG) emissions in accordance with agreed individual targets. The Convention itself only asks

those countries to adopt policies and measures on mitigation and to report periodically.

The Kyoto Protocol is based on the principles and provisions of the Convention and follows its

annex-based structure. It only binds developed countries, and places a heavier burden on them

under the principle of “common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities”,

because it recognizes that they are largely responsible for the current high levels of GHG

emissions in the atmosphere.

The Kyoto Protocol sets binding emission reduction targets for 36 industrialized countries and

the European Union. Overall, these targets add up to an average 5 per cent emission reduction

compared to 1990 levels over the five year period 2008–2012 (the first commitment period).

Rotterdam Convention(1998)

The Rotterdam Convention (formally, the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent

Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade) is a

multilateral treaty to promote shared responsibilities in relation to the importation of hazardous

chemicals. The convention promotes the open exchange of information and calls on exporters of

hazardous chemicals to use proper labeling, include directions on safe handling, and inform

purchasers of any known restrictions or bans. Signatory nations can decide whether to allow or

ban the importation of chemicals listed in the treaty, and exporting countries are obliged to make

sure that producers within their jurisdiction comply.

As of October 2018, the convention has 161 parties, which includes 158 UN member states, the

Cook Islands, the State of Palestine, and the European Union. Non-member states include the

United States.

The ninth meeting of the Rotterdam Conference was held from 29 April to 10 May 2019 in

Geneva, Switzerland.

Cartagena Protocol (2000)

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an

international treaty governing the movements of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting

from modern biotechnology from one country to another. It was adopted on 29 January 2000 as a

supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity and entered into force on 11

September 2003.

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an

international agreement on biosafety as a supplement to the Convention on Biological Diversity

effective since 2003. The Biosafety Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity from the

potential risks posed by genetically modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.

The Biosafety Protocol makes clear that products from new technologies must be based on the

precautionary principle and allow developing nations to balance public health against economic

benefits. It will, for example, let countries ban imports of genetically modified organisms if they

feel there is not enough scientific evidence that the product is safe and requires exporters to label

shipments containing genetically altered commodities such as corn or cotton.

The required number of 50 instruments of ratification/accession/approval/acceptance by

countries was reached in May 2003. In accordance with the provisions of its Article 37, the

Protocol entered into force on 11 September 2003. As of December 2019, the Protocol had 172

parties, which includes 168 United Nations member states, the State of Palestine, Niue, the

European Union, and now Uzbekistan signed on October 25, 2019.

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)2001

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is an international treaty to

protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of POPs. The Convention

was adopted on 22 May 2001 in Stockholm, Sweden and entered into force on 17 May 2004.

More than 170 countries have ratified the Convention up to date. The Convention requires that

Parties to the convention take measures to eliminate or restrict the production and use of certain

hazardous chemicals on the List of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the Convention. The

table below gives you an overview of the Convention.

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are organic chemical substances that persist in the

environment, bioaccumulate through the food chain, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to

human health and the environment.

POPs concentrate in living organisms through a process called bioaccumulation. Fish, predatory

birds, mammals, and humans are high up the food chain and so absorb the greatest

concentrations.

Specific effects of POPs can include cancer, allergies and hypersensitivity, damage to the central

and peripheral nervous systems, reproductive disorders, and disruption of the immune system.

Some POPs are also considered to be endocrine disrupters, which, by altering the hormonal

system, can damage the reproductive and immune systems of exposed individuals as well as their

offspring.

REDD & REDD+ (2008)

The United Nations Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest

Degradation (or UN-REDD Programme) is a collaborative programme of the Food and

Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development

Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), created in 2008

in response to the UNFCCC decisions on the Bali Action Plan and REDD at COP-13. It should

not be confused with REDD+, a voluntary climate change mitigation approach that has been

developed by Parties to the UNFCCC

The overall development goal of the Programme is "to reduce forest emissions and enhance

carbon stocks in forests while contributing to national sustainable development".The UN-REDD

Programme supports nationally led REDD+ processes and promotes the informed and

meaningful involvement of all stakeholders, including indigenous peoples and other forestdependent

communities, in national and international REDD+ implementation.

The Programme has expanded steadily since its establishment and now has over 60 official

Partner Countries spanning Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America-Caribbean.

In addition to the UN-REDD Programme, other initiatives assisting countries that are engaged in

REDD+ include the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, Norway’s International

Climate and Forest Initiative, the Global Environment Facility, Australia’s International Forest

Carbon Initiative, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, and the Green Climate Fund.

The UN-REDD Programme publicly releases each year an Annual Programme Progress Report

and a Semi-Annual Report.

Nagoya Protocol(2010)

The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of

Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity, also known as

the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is a 2010 supplementary agreement

to the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Its aim is the implementation of one of

the three objectives of the CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the

utilization of genetic resources, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of

biodiversity. However, there are concerns that the added bureaucracy and legislation will,

overall, be damaging to the monitoring and collection of biodiversity, to conservation, to the

international response to infectious diseases, and to research.

The protocol was adopted on 29 October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan, and entered into force on 12

October 2014. It has been ratified by 123 parties, which includes 122 UN member states and the

European Union. Another supplementary protocol to the CBD is the Cartagena Protocol on

Biosafety.

The Nagoya Protocol applies to genetic resources that are covered by the CBD, and to the

benefits arising from their utilization. The protocol also covers traditional knowledge associated

with genetic resources that are covered by the CBD and the benefits arising from its utilization

Rio+20 (2012)

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development - or Rio+20 - took place in Rio de

Janeiro, Brazil on 20-22 June 2012. It resulted in a focused political outcome document which

contains clear and practical measures for implementing sustainable development.

In Rio, Member States decided to launch a process to develop a set of Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs), which will build upon the Millennium Development Goals and converge with the

post-2015 development agenda.

The Conference also adopted ground-breaking guidelines on green economy policies.

Governments also decided to establish an intergovernmental process under the General

Assembly to prepare options on a strategy for sustainable development financing.

Governments also agreed to strengthen the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on

several fronts with action to be taken during the 67th session of the General Assembly.

They also agreed to establish a high-level political forum for sustainable development. Decisions

on its detailed form are expected to be taken during the upcoming session of the General

Assembly, with the aim of having the first session of the forum at the beginning of the 68th

session of the Assembly.

Governments also requested the United Nations Statistical Commission, in consultation with

relevant United Nations system entities and other relevant organizations, to launch a programme

of work in the area of measures of progress to complement gross domestic product in order to

better inform policy decisions.

The Conference also took forward-looking decisions on a number of thematic areas, including

energy, food security, oceans, cities, and decided to convene a Third International Conference on

SIDS in 2014.

The Rio +20 Conference also galvanized the attention of thousands of representatives of the UN

system and major groups. It resulted in over 700 voluntary commitments and witnessed the

formation of new partnerships to advance sustainable development.

Paris Agreement (COP 21)-2015

Paris Agreement, in full Paris Agreement Under the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change, also called Paris Climate Agreement or COP21, international treaty, named for

the city of Paris, France, in which it was adopted in December 2015, which aimed to reduce the

emission of gases that contribute to global warming. The Paris Agreement set out to improve

upon and replace the Kyoto Protocol, an earlier international treaty designed to curb the release

of greenhouse gases. It entered into force on November 4, 2016, and has been signed by 197

countries and ratified by 187 as of November 2019.

From November 30 to December 11, 2015, France hosted representatives from 196 countries at

the United Nations (UN) climate change conference, one of the most important and most

ambitious global climate meetings ever assembled. The objective was no less than a binding and

universal agreement designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions to levels that would prevent

global temperatures from increasing more than 2 °C (3.6 °F) above the temperature benchmark

set before the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

Background

The meeting was part of a process dating back to the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro,

Brazil, when countries initially joined the international treaty called the United Nations

Framework Convention on Climate Change. Seeing the need to strengthen emission reductions,

in 1997, countries adopted the Kyoto Protocol. That protocol legally bound developed countries

to emission reduction targets. However, the agreement was widely believed to be ineffective

because the world’s two top carbon dioxide-emitting countries, China and the United States,

chose not to participate. China, a developing country, was not bound by the Kyoto Protocol, and

many U.S. government officials used this fact to justify U.S. non-participation.

At the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP18), held in Doha, Qatar, in 2012, delegates agreed to

extend the Kyoto Protocol until 2020. They also reaffirmed their pledge from COP17, which had

been held in Durban, South Africa, in 2011, to create a new, comprehensive, legally binding

climate treaty by 2015 that would require all countries—including major carbon emitters not

abiding by the Kyoto Protocol—to limit and reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and other

greenhouse gases.

In the lead-up to the Paris meeting, the UN tasked countries to submit plans detailing how they

intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Those plans were technically referred to as

intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs). By December 10, 2015, 185 countries

had submitted measures to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 or 2030. The

U.S. announced in 2014 its intention to reduce its emissions 26–28 percent below 2005 levels by

2025. To help accomplish that goal, the country’s Clean Power Plan was to set limits on existing

and planned power plant emissions. China, the country with the largest total greenhouse gas

emissions, set its target for the peaking of its carbon dioxide emissions “around 2030 and making

best efforts to peak early.” Chinese officials also endeavored to lower carbon dioxide emissions

per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 60–65 percent from the 2005 level.

India’s INDC noted the challenges of eradicating poverty while reducing greenhouse gas

emissions. About 24 percent of the global population without access to electricity (304 million)

resided in India. Nevertheless, the country planned to “reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP

by 33 to 35 percent by 2030” versus the 2005 levels. The country also sought to derive about 40

percent of its electric power from renewable energy sources rather than from fossil fuels by

2030. The INDC noted that the implementation plans would not be affordable from domestic

resources: it estimated that at least $2.5 trillion would be needed to accomplish climate-change

actions through 2030. India would achieve that goal with the help of technology transfer (the

movement of skills and equipment from more-developed countries to less-developed countries

[LDCs]) and international finance, including assistance from the Green Climate Fund (a program

designed to assist, through investments in low-emission technologies and climate-resilient

development, populations vulnerable to the effects of climate change).

Negotiations And Agreement

One of the main sticking points of the negotiations was the issue of transferring funds from

developed countries to LDCs, because developed countries did not want to be the only ones

paying the costs. Moreover, even if the commitments of the countries were fulfilled, it was

unlikely that temperatures would be limited to an increase of 2 °C (3.6 °F). Many countries,

especially the island states threatened by rising sea levels, wanted to restrict warming to 1.5 °C

(2.7 °F).

After nearly two weeks of difficult negotiations that sometimes lasted through the night, French

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who presided over the talks, announced on December 12 the

adoption of the Paris Agreement. He noted that the accord aimed to hold the increase of global

temperatures “to well below 2 °C above preindustrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the

temperature increase to 1.5 °C.” To achieve this objective, he announced that the parties should

“aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible…and to undertake

rapid reductions thereafter.” The goal was to achieve a balance after 2050 between atmospheric

inputs of greenhouse gases by emission sources (such as electrical power plants and engines that

burn fossil fuels for energy) and removal into sinks (forests, oceans, and soil, which could be

combined with technologies to extract and sequester carbon dioxide from power plants). The

agreement also recognized the need of LDCs to improve their economies and reduce poverty,

which made immediate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions difficult. As a result, it called on

developing countries to enhance their mitigation efforts and move toward emission reduction or

limitation targets, while it underscored the need for developed countries to continue to meet their

emission reduction targets.

The Paris Agreement specified no new funding targets but noted that developed countries should

provide financial resources to help LDCs “in continuation of their existing obligations under the

Convention,” such as the COP16 commitment of $100 billion per year from developed countries

by 2020. (Approximately $10.3 billion had been raised by May 2018.) That funding was to

support both mitigation and adaptation efforts. Funding from developed countries would come

from a number of different mechanisms, presumably to include grants, equipment, and technical

expertise.

The text of the Paris Agreement emphasized cooperation, transparency, flexibility, and regular

reporting of progress in achieving the INDCs. There was no mechanism to enforce compliance

with the accord’s provisions, but there was to be one to “promote compliance.” That aspect

would be achieved via a committee that would function so as to be “transparent, non-adversarial

and non-punitive.” The committee would report annually to the COP, and each party was asked

to update its INDC every five years. The Paris Agreement was open for signature at United

Nations headquarters in New York City from April 22, 2016, to April 21, 2017, and entered into

force on November 4, 2016, when 55 parties accounting for at least 55 percent of global

greenhouse gas emissions had ratified it.

After Ratification..

By early 2017 the only sovereign countries that had not signed were Nicaragua and Syria.

However, the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as U.S. president in January 2017 heralded a new

era in U.S. climate policy, and on June 1, 2017, he signaled his intention to pull the U.S. out of

the climate agreement after the formal exiting process concluded, which could happen as early as

November 4, 2020. In spite of the pending exit by the U.S., 187 countries had both signed and

ratified the agreement by November 2019.

Since the agreement entered into force, progress toward emission targets has been mixed.

Chinese authorities announced that they were making great strides in reducing greenhouse gas

emissions, noting that China had met its 2020 commitments in 2017. In contrast, European

Union officials announced in 2018 that all member states had fallen behind on reaching their

targets; Sweden, Portugal, and France had made the most progress, reaching 77 percent, 66

percent, and 65 percent of their 2020 targets by 2018, respectively. U.S. progress was less clear.

Some reports noted that changes in U.S. climate policy were keeping the country from meeting

its climate goals, whereas others argued that many individual U.S. cities and states had enacted

more stringent greenhouse gas regulations that allowed the country as a whole to remain on

track.

Despite such reports, a number of international research organizations noted that carbon

emissions continued to increase. The Rhodium Group noted that U.S. emissions had increased

3.4 percent in 2018, whereas the Global Carbon Project reported that carbon emissions

worldwide, which were largely flat from 2014 to 2016, had increased by 1.6 percent and by 2.7

percent in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Kigali Amendment..

Aiming at protecting the climate and the ozone layer, in October of 2016, during the 28th

Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in

Kigali/Rwanda, more than 170 countries agreed to amend the Protocol. The Kigali Amendment

aims for the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by cutting their production and

consumption. Given their zero impact on the depletion of the ozone layer, HFCs are currently

used as replacements of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),

however, they are powerful greenhouse gases. With the Kigali Amendment, the Montreal

Protocol will be an even more powerful instrument against global warming. The amendment will

enter into force on 1 January 2019, provided it has been ratified by at least 20 parties. The goal is

to achieve over 80% reduction in HFC consumption by 2047. The impact of the amendment will

avoid up to 0.5 °C increase in global temperature by the end of the century.

UNIDO(United Nation industrial development organization) is perfectly positioned to assist

developing countries and countries with economy in transition to shift from HFCs to ozone- and

climate-friendly alternatives and to improve energy efficiency. UNIDO specializes in the transfer

to substances with low or zeroes global warming potential, as well as the safe management of

flammable substances. We are experienced in promoting energy efficiency and introducing lowcarbon

and low-emission technologies and practices.

International Solar Alliance (ISA)

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an initiative proposed by our Prime Minister

Narendra Modi and was launched by him at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris

along with the President of France. It is an alliance of the “sunshine countries” i.e., the

countries lying in between the two tropics- Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn with

an objective of efficient utilization of the solar energy.

This treaty-based intergovernmental organization is an alliance of 121 solar resource-rich

sunshine countries lying fully or partially between tropic of cancer and tropic of Capricorn

as prospective members. The ISA is now perceived as a key towards achieving 2030

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and objectives of the Paris Agreement on Climate

Change.

The alliance was formed with the intent to reduce the dependence on non-renewable

sources of energy like fossil fuels. Modi referred to the sun-rich countries as “Suryaputras”

and spoke about the huge potential of these countries to make use of the abundant natural

resource, solar energy.

Originally member countries are to be those that enjoy 300 or more days in a year of bright

sunlight. But now membership is thrown open to all countries that want to join the

grouping. There will be no restrictions on duration of sunlight or geographical location.

The ISA Framework Agreement entered into force in December 2017 making ISA treaty

based International Intergovernmental Organization with headquarters at Gurugram,

India.

Objectives: ISA aims to lower the cost of energy, increase investment in renewable

energy, as well as train and share knowledge and technological know-how among the

member countries. ISA’s the overarching objective is to collectively address key common

challenges to scaling up of solar energy in ISA member countries.

• Undertake joint efforts required to reduce the cost of finance and the cost of

technology;

• Mobilize more than US $1000 billion of investments needed by 2030 for massive

deployment of solar energy;

• Pave way for future technologies adapted to needs of solar rich 121 countries lying

fully or partially between Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn.

• ISA’s 4 ongoing programmes

• Scaling Solar Mini Grids;

• Affordable Finance at Scale.

• Scaling Solar Applications for Agricultural Use.

• Scaling Solar Rooftop catering to the needs of solar energy in specific areas.

• India and France have launched a programme with $1 trillion Potential Solar

Programme under the International Solar Alliance (ISA). It is a solar finance

programme that aims at helping developing countries to fully harness their solar

resources for a clean energy future. The solar finance programme aims at lowering

the cost of finance and facilitates the flow of more than 1 trillion dollars investment

to members of the ISA.

ISA Assembly: I

t is the supreme decision-making body of ISA. It gives directions on various administrative,

financial and program-related issues.

The second ISA Assembly was hosted by Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

(MNRE), and presided by MNRE Minister R K Singh who is also the President of ISA. Brune

Poirson, the French Minister for Ecological and Inclusive Transition is the current copresident

of ISA. The ISA Assembly was held in October 2018

India to host second assembly of International Solar Alliance

The second assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) is to be hosted by India. The

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is hosting the event. It is to be held in New Delhi

between October 30 and 31, 2019.The ISA brings together 81 nations. It offers concrete

solutions to reduce the cost of solar installations in developing countries.

Highlights

• Coordination and Consultation meetings on different aspects of the ISA

programmes are conducted.

• The Assembly will be co-chaired by French Deputy Minister Brune Porison along

with Union Minister of State for New and Renewable energy Raj Kumar Singh

• Over 400 delegates are expected to attend the event from member states and

observer states.

ISA

• The ISA assembly is the highest decision-making body. It gives directions on

financial and administrative issues

• So far, 81 countries of 121 members have signed the Framework Agreement of the

ISA. OF these, 58 have ratified the agreement.

ISA First Assembly

• The first Assembly of ISA was attended by 78 countries. They recognized that ISA

has major role in achieving SDG (Sustainable Development Goal).

• Since its inception, 1000 MW of solar power and 300,000 solar water pumps have

been aggregated from the member countries.

ISA operations

• ISA sent country missions to 8 countries-Togo, Uganda, Niger, Mali, Malawi, Guinea,

Congo and Benin to understand the challenges and issues in the path of ISA

programs

• India has been providing full support to the alliance since its inception. GoI has

allotted 5 acres of land to ISA. It has released a sum of Rs 160 crore for building

infrastructure

World Environment Day

World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated on 5 June every year and is the United Nations'

principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of our environment.

First held in 1974, it has been a flagship campaign for raising awareness on emerging from

environmental issues to marine pollution, human overpopulation, and global warming, to

sustainable consumption and wildlife crime. World Environment Day has grown to become a

global platform for public outreach, with participation from over 143 countries annually. Each

year, WED has a new theme that major corporations, NGOs, communities, governments, and all

celebrities worldwide adopt to advocate environmental causes.

History

World Environment Day [WED] was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972[1] on

the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, resulting from

discussions on the integration of human interactions and the environment. Two years later,

in 1974 the first WED was held with the theme "Only One Earth". Even though WED

celebration have been held annually since 1974, in 1987 the idea for rotating the center of

these activities through selecting different host countries began.

WORLD Environment Day Anthem

An Earth Anthem penned by poet Abhay K is sung to celebrate World Environment Day.

Year Host Nation Theme

2020 Columbia Biodiversity

2019 China Beat Air pollution

2018 India Beat plastic Pollution

2017 Canada Connecting to Nature

2016 Paris Go wild for life

2015 Rome Italy Seven Billion Dream. One planet.consume with Care

2014 Barbados Raise your voice not the sea level

2013 Magnolia Think. Eat. Save

2012 Brazil Green Economy

2011 India Forest -Nature At Your Service

2010 Rangpur

Bangladesh

Many Species. One Planet. One Future

2009 Mexico Your Planet Needs You-Unite to Combat Climate

Change

2008 New Zealand CO2, Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy

2007 Tromso Norway Melting Ice-a Hot Topic?

2006 Algeria Don't desert Dry land

2005 San Francisco

USA

Planet for the Planet...

United Nations Climate Change conference

The United Nations Climate Change Conferences are yearly conferences held in the framework

of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They serve as the

formal meeting of the UNFCCC Parties (Conference of the Parties, COP) to assess progress in

dealing with climate change, and beginning in the mid-1990s, to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol to

establish legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas

emissions. From 2005 the Conferences have also served as the "Conference of the Parties

Serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol" (CMP); also parties to the Convention

that are not parties to the Protocol can participate in Protocol-related meetings as observers.

From 2011 the meetings have also been used to negotiate the Paris Agreement as part of the

Durban platform activities until its conclusion in 2015, which created a general path towards

climate action.

The first UN Climate Change Conference was held in 1995 in Berlin.

• 1 1995: COP 1, Berlin, Germany

• 2 1996: COP 2, Geneva, Switzerland

• 3 1997: COP 3, Kyoto, Japan

• 4 1998: COP 4, Buenos Aires, Argentina

• 5 1999: COP 5, Bonn, Germany

• 6 2000: COP 6, The Hague, Netherlands

• 7 2001: COP 6, Bonn, Germany

• 8 2001: COP 7, Marrakech, Morocco

• 9 2002: COP 8, New Delhi, India

• 10 2003: COP 9, Milan, Italy

• 11 2004: COP 10, Buenos Aires, Argentina

• 12 2005: COP 11/CMP 1, Montreal, Canada

• 13 2006: COP 12/CMP 2, Nairobi, Kenya

• 14 2007: COP 13/CMP 3, Bali, Indonesia

• 15 2008: COP 14/CMP 4, Poznań, Poland

• 16 2009: COP 15/CMP 5, Copenhagen, Denmark

• 17 2010: COP 16/CMP 6, Cancún, Mexico

• 18 2011: COP 17/CMP 7, Durban, South Africa

• 19 2012: COP 18/CMP 8, Doha, Qatar

• 20 2013: COP 19/CMP 9, Warsaw, Poland

• 21 2014: COP 20/CMP 10, Lima, Peru

• 22 2015: COP 21/CMP 11, Paris, France

• 23 2016: COP 22/CMP 12/CMA 1, Marrakech, Morocco

• 24 2017: COP 23/CMP 13/CMA 1-2, Bonn, Germany

• 25 2018: COP 24/CMP 14/CMA 1-3, Katowice, Poland

• 26 2019: SB50, Bonn, Germany

• 27 2019: COP 25/CMP 15/CMA 2, Madrid, Spain

• 28 2020 COP 26 will take place from 9 to 19 November 2020, in Glasgow, UK

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification ...

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing

Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (UNCCD) is a Convention to

combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that

incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership

arrangements.

The Convention, the only convention stemming from a direct recommendation of the Rio

Conference's Agenda 21, was adopted in Paris, France on 17 June 1994 and entered into force in

December 1996. It is the only internationally legally binding framework set up to address the

problem of desertification. The Convention is based on the principles of participation,

partnership, and decentralization—the backbone of Good Governance and Sustainable

Development. It has 197 parties, making it near-universal in reach.

To help publicize the Convention, 2006 was declared "International Year of Deserts and

Desertification" but debates have ensued regarding how effective the International Year was in

practice

COP Date City

COP 1 29 September to 10 October 1997 Rome (Italy)

COP 2 30 November to 11 December 1998 Dakar (Senegal)

COP 3 15 to 26 November 1999 Recife (Brazil)

COP 4 11 to 22 December 2000 Bonn (Germany)

COP 5 1 to 12 October 2001 Geneva (Switzerland)

COP 6 25 August to 5 September 2003 Havana (Cuba)

COP 7 17 to 28 October 2005 Nairobi (Kenya)

COP 8 3 to 14 September 2007 Madrid (Spain)

COP 9 21 September to 2 October 2009 Buenos Aires (Argentine)

COP 10 10 to 20 October 2011 Changwon (South Korea)

COP 11 16 to 27 September 2013 Windhoek (Namibia)

COP 12 12 to 23 October 2015 Ankara (Turkey)

COP 13 6 to 16 September 2017 Ordos City (China)

COP 14 2 to 13 September 2019 New Delhi (India)