With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which of the following statements is/are correct?
- IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES is an international agreement between governments.
- IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments.
- CITES is legally binding on the States that have joined it, but this Convention does not take the place of national laws.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
- IUCN, which stands for the International Union for Conservation of Nature, was established as the International Union for the Protection of Nature in October 1948 in Fontainebleau, France, and is a global network of environmental organizations. Statement 1 is incorrect.
- CITES is an international agreement adopted in March 1973 to regulate worldwide commercial trade in wild animal and plant species to ensure that international trade does not threaten the survival of any species.
- Although CITES is legally binding on state parties to the convention but does not take the place of national laws, rather it provides a framework to be respected by each Party, which has to adopt its own domestic legislation to ensure that CITES is implemented at the national level to implement its goals.
- Hence, Statement 3 is correct.
