No one can argue with the statement that environmental protection in relation to the environment today is one of the most acute problems of mankind. Work on the elimination of this problem and maintaining it at the proper level is carried out by international environmental organizations. Most of these organizations are created specifically for nature conservation, but many perform this function along with others.
The legal status of environmental organizations in the world can be divided into non-governmental and governmental.
The United Nations is making a very significant contribution to solving various environmental problems . The main bodies and institutions of the Organization (General Assembly, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UNESCO, etc.) are actively involved in environmental activities.
In 1972, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution entitled “Organizational and financial arrangements for international cooperation in the field of the environment”, on which a new environmental authority was established. It is called UNEP (abbreviation for United Nations Environment Program ) and annually provides detailed reports on its work.
The UNEP Governing Council consists of representatives from 58 countries, which in turn are elected by the General Assembly for a term of three years. Each year, the council meets to discuss the main issues of international cooperation in the environmental field. All of UNEP’s affairs are led by the Executive Director, while also preparing for the next session of the Council.
The UNEP also has an environmental fund that provides additional financial assistance to various international environmental activities.
In addition to government, there is such a thing as non-governmental international environmental organizations (INGOs). Their number is more than 200, and most of them specialize in environmental issues. Nevertheless, many organizations with a different field of activity are interested in environmental problems and help in solving them.
Non-governmental international environmental organizations that have special competence in environmental protection are addressing the protection of specific types of natural resources or natural sites. Such organizations include the International Council for the Protection of Birds or, for example, the European Federation for the Protection of Waters. Today there are very, very many of them.
The largest and most respected INGO is the International Union for the Protection of Natural Resources ( IUCN for short). It was created in France in 1948. This union promotes the cooperation of international, national and governmental organizations, as well as the conservation of natural resources. IUCN may include both state governments and various 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, whose members are public and state figures and scientists.
To date, IUCN has undertaken several important activities, including collecting information on endangered and rare species of animals. The result of the work is the "Red Book of Facts" published in 1996, where all rare animals were introduced . Here you can find out which animals disappear, which are rare, which species are reduced, and which managed to avoid the threat of extinction. The Union has also prepared a number of draft international conventions on the protection of swamps, on the restriction of trade in animals and plants that are threatened with extinction, etc.
Thus, modern international environmental organizations work in the environmental field very fruitfully and intensively. Each of them can provide a detailed report on their work and goals achieved.