Environmental organisations and NGOs

For those who are curious about knowing how come we have made this far if these environmental issues are a reality? Well, we all have our guardian angels working for us tirelessly without our knowledge.  There are some organisations and NGOs, who are determined to save our planet and its gifts and their efforts have made a great influence all over the world, that you should know. Hope it helps!

IUCN ( International Union for Conservation of Nature )

• what is it? : The union of both governments and civil societies organisations.
• Origin: established on 5 October 1948 on a recommendation from UNESCO ( especially from its first director-general Sir Julian Huxley)
• Focus area: nature and natural resources' conservation, biodiversity.
• Headquarter or secretariat: Gland, Switzerland.
• Members: over 1300 member ( includes NGOs, government agencies, States, regional organisations, etc )
• Important works and publications: IUCN publishes the famous 'Red Data Book' that lists all the rare and endangered species of flora and fauna of all over the world.

CITES ( Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in flora and fauna)

• what is it? : the multilateral agreement between parties.
• Origin: came into existence after a meeting of members of IUCN in 1963 and then came into force ( legally ) on 1 July 1975.
• Focus area: safeguarding wildlife through regulation of its international trade, wildlife conservation and its protection.
• Headquarter or secretariat: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Members: 183 parties ( including governments and regional organisations )
• Important works and publications: CITES prepares a list of all the species covered by it and divide them into three appendices ( according to the degree of protection they need ).

appendix 1 include species that are threatened with extinction and their trade is permitted only under special circumstances.

appendix 2 includes species that are not threatened but requires regulation for future survival.

appendix 3  includes species that are protected in at least in one country and has asked CITES for its regulation of trade in the international market.
For more details check this link

TRAFFIC ( wildlife trade monitoring network )

• what is it? : NGO
• Origin: created in 1976 (a joint program of WWF and IUCN )
• Focus area: monitor, expertise and awareness of wildlife trade and their sustainable management.
• Headquarter: Cambridge, United Kingdom
• Important works and publications : 

- Traffic Bulletin, the only journal dedicated to wildlife trade issues

- Wanted Alive series, the latest program by traffic to safeguard four Asiatic big cats (Tiger, Leopard, Snow leopard and Clouded leopard )

IPCC ( Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change )

• what is it? intergovernmental body.
• Origin: established in 1988 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
• Focus area: climate change and its impact, its research and assessment on a scientific basis.
• Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Members: 195 members ( any member of the UN or WMO can become its member)
• Important works and publications : 

- It prepares comprehensive Assessment Reports (AR) that includes all the scientific, technical and socio-economic knowledge about climate change and its human-induced effects. IPCC has published five ARs so far.  The sixth assessment report will be released in 2022.

- It also publishes some special reports on specific issues. The three special reports produced by IPCC are • Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5ºC (SR15) • Special Report: Climate Change and Land (SRCCL) • Special Report: The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC)

( links for these reports)