International environmental organizations

No one will argue with the assertion that environmental protection in relation to the environment today is one of the most acute problems of mankind. International environmental organizations are working to remove this problem and maintain it at the proper level. Most of these organizations are created specifically for nature protection, but many perform this function along with others.

By legal status, environmental organizations of the world can be divided into non-governmental and governmental organizations.

A very significant contribution to the solution of various environmental problems is made by the United Nations. The main bodies and agencies of the Organization (the General Assembly, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UNESCO, etc.) are actively involved in environmental protection.

In 1972, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution entitled "Organizational and financial arrangements for international cooperation in the field of the environment", at which a new environmental authority was established. It is called UNEP (an abbreviation of the United Nations Environment Program ) and provides detailed reports on its work every year.

The UNEP Management Board is composed of representatives of 58 countries, which in turn are elected by the General Assembly for a period of three years. Each year the council meets to discuss the main issues of international cooperation in the environmental field. In all cases, UNEP is managed by the executive director, while at the same time preparing for the next session of the Council.

The UNEP structure also provides an environmental fund that provides additional financial assistance to various international environmental activities.

In addition to government, there is still such a thing as non-governmental international environmental organizations (INGOs). Their number is more than 200, and most of them specialize in conservation issues. Nevertheless, many organizations with a different field of activity are interested in environmental problems and help in their solution.

Non-governmental international environmental organizations that have special competence for nature protection, decide on the protection of specific types of natural resources or natural objects. Such organizations include the International Council for the Protection of Birds or, for example, the European Federation for the Protection of Water. Today there are very, very many of them.

The largest and most authoritative INGO is the International Union for the Conservation of Natural Resources (abbreviated as IUCN ). It was established in France in 1948. This union promotes cooperation of international, national and governmental organizations, as well as conservation of natural resources. IUCN can include both governments of states, as well as different state bodies, public institutions and organizations, collectives.

Like other international environmental organizations, IUCN works in certain areas. Each of them is headed by a commission of which public and state figures and scientists are members.

At the moment, IUCN has conducted several important activities, including the collection of information on endangered and rare species of animals. The result of this work was the "Red Data Book", published in 1996, where all rare animals were brought in . Here you can find out which animals are disappearing, which are rare, what species are being cut, and how to avoid the threat of extinction. The Union also prepared a number of drafts of international conventions on the protection of wetlands, the restriction of trade in animals and plants that are endangered, etc.

Thus, modern international environmental organizations work in the nature protection field very fruitfully and richly. Each of them can provide a detailed account of their work and the goals they have achieved.