World Bank Group: includes International Bank for Reconstruction andDevelopment (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA),International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Multilateral InvestmentGuarantee Agency (MIGA)
World Confederation of Labor (WCL): established 19 June 1920 as theInternational Federation of Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4October 1968; aim was to promote the trade union movement; on 31October 2006 it merged with the International Confederation of FreeTrade Unions (ICFTU) to form the International Trade UnionConfederation (ITUC); members were (105 national organizations) Antiguaand Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize,Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada,Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic ofthe Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba,Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,El Salvador, France, French Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana,Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong,Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea,Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius,Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles,Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, SaintVincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia,Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago,Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
World Customs Organization (WCO): note - began as the CustomsCooperation Council (CCC)
established - 15 December 1950
aim - to promote international cooperation in customs matters
members - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of theCongo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, EC, Ecuador, Egypt, ElSalvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, TheGambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana,Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar,Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, SaintLucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU): established - 3 October 1945
aim - to promote the trade union movement
members - (174 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,Albania, Algeria, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan,Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, BritishVirgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central AfricanRepublic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic ofthe Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Coted'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,French Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau,Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldovo, Monaco,Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,Saint Barthelemy, Saint Eustatius, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis,Saint Lucia, Saint Martaan, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, SanMarino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia,Somaliland, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tahiti, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania,Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, US Virgin Islands,Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna,Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine LiberationOrganization
World Food Program (WFP): established - 24 November 1961
aim - to provide food aid in support of economic development or disaster relief; an ECOSOC organization
members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions
World Health Organization (WHO): established - 22 July 1946; effective - 7 April 1948
aim - to deal with health matters worldwide; a UN specialized agency
members - (193) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein (191 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): established - 14 July 1967; effective - 26 April 1970
aim - to furnish protection for literary, artistic, and scientific works; a UN specialized agency
members - (184) includes all UN member countries except Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Vanuatu (183 total); plus Holy See
World Meteorological Organization (WMO): established - 11 October 1947; effective - 4 April 1951
aim - to sponsor meteorological cooperation; a UN specialized agency
members - (188) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Nauru,Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, SanMarino, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu (180 total); plus Aruba and the NetherlandsAntilles, British Caribbean Territories, Cook Islands, FrenchPolynesia, Hong Kong, Macau, New Caledonia, and Niue
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): established - 2 January 1975
aim - to promote tourism as a means of contributing to economic development, international understanding, and peace
members - (154) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia andHerzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi,Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic ofthe Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, CzechRepublic, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gabon, The Gambia,Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy,Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea,Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Lithuania,Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro,Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger,Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia,Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, SriLanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania,Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,Zimbabwe
associate members - (7) Aruba, Flanders, Hong Kong, Macau, Madeira Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico
observers - (1 plus Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See, Palestine Liberation Organization
World Trade Organization (WTO): note - succeeded General Agreement onTariff and Trade (GATT)
established - 15 April 1994; effective - 1 January 1995
aim - to provide a forum to resolve trade conflicts between members and to carry on negotiations with the goal of further lowering and/or eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers
members - (153) Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, BurkinaFaso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, CentralAfrican Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic ofthe Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, DominicanRepublic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, EC, Fiji, Finland,France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong,Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho,Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar,Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands,NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, PapuaNew Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent andthe Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore,Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand,Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine,UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
observers - (30) Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Montenegro, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Yemen; note - with the exception of the Holy See, an observer must start accession negotiations within five years of becoming observers
Zangger Committee (ZC): established - early 1970s
aim - to establish guidelines for the export control provisions of the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT)
members - (36) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea,Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,Ukraine, UK, US
observers - (1) European Commission
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements
Air Pollution
see Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution
Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30%
Air Pollution-Sulphur 94
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes
Antarctic - Environmental Protocol
see Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
Antarctic Treaty
opened for signature - 1 December 1959
entered into force - 23 June 1961
objective - to ensure that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes only (such as international cooperation in scientific research); to defer the question of territorial claims asserted by some nations and not recognized by others; to provide an international forum for management of the region; applies to land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees south latitude
parties - (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil,Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic,Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala,Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Netherlands,NZ, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US,Uruguay, Venezuela
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of HazardousWastes and Their Disposal
note - abbreviated as Hazardous Wastes
opened for signature - 22 March 1989
entered into force - 5 May 1992
objective - to reduce transboundary movements of wastes subject to the Convention to a minimum consistent with the environmentally sound and efficient management of such wastes; to minimize the amount and toxicity of wastes generated and ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation; and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate
parties - (167) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda,Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, CentralAfrican Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia,Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary,Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait,Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro,Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua,Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and theGrenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles,Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad andTobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK,Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Afghanistan, Haiti, US
Biodiversity
see Convention on Biological Diversity
Climate Change
see United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
see Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals
note - abbreviated as Antarctic Seals
opened for signature - 1 June 1972
entered into force - 11 March 1978
objective - to promote and achieve the protection, scientific study, and rational use of Antarctic seals, and to maintain a satisfactory balance within the ecological system of Antarctica
parties - (16) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Africa, UK, US
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) NZ
Convention on Biological Diversity
note - abbreviated as Biodiversity
opened for signature - 5 June 1992
entered into force - 29 December 1993
objective - to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity
parties - (186) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antiguaand Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, TheBahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of theCongo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, FederatedStates of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and theGrenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) US
Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the HighSeas
note - abbreviated as Marine Life Conservation
opened for signature - 29 April 1958
entered into force - 20 March 1966
objective - to solve through international cooperation the problems involved in the conservation of living resources of the high seas, considering that because of the development of modern technology some of these resources are in danger of being overexploited
parties - (38) Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, BurkinaFaso, Cambodia, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Finland,France, Haiti, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal,Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain,Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, US,Venezuela
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (20) Afghanistan,Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ghana, Iceland, Iran,Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Panama, SriLanka, Tunisia, Uruguay
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution
opened for signature - 13 November 1979
entered into force - 16 March 1983
objective - to protect the human environment against air pollution and to gradually reduce and prevent air pollution, including long-range transboundary air pollution
parties - (49) Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Holy See, San Marino
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially asWaterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)
note - abbreviated as Wetlands
opened for signature - 2 February 1971
entered into force - 21 December 1975
objective - to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value
parties - (153) Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosniaand Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi,Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France,Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea,Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau,Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome andPrincipe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia,Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden,Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad andTobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia
Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Marine Living Resources
opened for signature - 5 May 1980
entered into force - 7 April 1982
objective - to safeguard the environment and protect the integrity of the ecosystem of the seas surrounding Antarctica, and to conserve Antarctic marine living resources
parties - (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada,Chile, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, SouthKorea, Mauritius, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland,Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu
Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of WildFlora and Fauna (CITES)
note - abbreviated as Endangered Species
opened for signature - 3 March 1973
entered into force - 1 July 1975
objective - to protect certain endangered species from overexploitation by means of a system of import/export permits
parties - (168) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda,Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana,Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic ofthe Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras,Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy,Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos,Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts andNevis, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tomeand Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine,UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,Zambia, Zimbabwe
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes andOther Matter (London Convention)
note - abbreviated as Marine Dumping
opened for signature - 29 December 1972
entered into force - 30 August 1975
objective - to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the Convention; the London Convention came into force in 1996
parties - (88) Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,Australia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil,Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Democratic Republic of theCongo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark,Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Gabon,Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong (associatemember), Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Libya, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico,Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway,Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland,Portugal, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent andthe Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovenia, SolomonIslands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga,Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vanuatu
associate members to the London Convention - (2) Faroe Islands, Macau countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Chad, Kuwait, Uruguay
Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use ofEnvironmental Modification Techniques
note - abbreviated as Environmental Modification
opened for signature - 10 December 1976
entered into force - 5 October 1978
objective - to prohibit the military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace and trust among nations
parties - (68) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Brazil,Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana,Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, North Korea,South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malawi, Mauritius, Mongolia, Netherlands,NZ, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, Russia,Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe,Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland,Tajikistan, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam,Yemen
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Bolivia,Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iceland, Iran,Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal,Sierra Leone, Syria, Turkey, Uganda
Desertification
see United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa
Endangered Species
see Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)
Environmental Modification
see Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques
Hazardous Wastes
see Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
note - abbreviated as Whaling
opened for signature - 2 December 1946
entered into force - 10 November 1948
objective - to protect all species of whales from overhunting; to establish a system of international regulation for the whale fisheries to ensure proper conservation and development of whale stocks; and to safeguard for future generations the great natural resources represented by whale stocks
parties - (72) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,Belgium, Belize, Benin, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, China, CostaRica, Cote D'Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica,Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Grenada, Guatemala,Guinea, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya,Kiribati, South Korea, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico,Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Norway,Oman, Palau, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Saint Kittsand Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino,Senegal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain,Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Togo, Tuvalu, UK, US
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983
note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 83
opened for signature - 18 November 1983
entered into force - 1 April 1985; this agreement expired when the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, went into force
objective - to provide an effective framework for cooperation between tropical timber producers and consumers and to encourage the development of national policies aimed at sustainable utilization and conservation of tropical forests and their genetic resources
parties - (54) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo,Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU,Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras,India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia,Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua NewGuinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden,Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Venezuela
International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994
note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 94
opened for signature - 26 January 1994
entered into force - 1 January 1997
objective - to ensure that by the year 2000 exports of tropical timber originate from sustainably managed sources; to establish a fund to assist tropical timber producers in obtaining the resources necessary to reach this objective
parties - (58) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia,Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany,Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy,Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands,NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal,Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad andTobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela
Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on ClimateChange
note - abbreviated as Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
opened for signature - 16 March 1998
entered into force - 23 February 2005
objective - to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing the national programs of developed countries aimed at this goal and by establishing percentage reduction targets for the developed countries
parties - (181) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, BurkinaFaso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, CentalAfrican Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire,Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Island,Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, EquatorialGuinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon,The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, FederatedStates of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco,Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and theGrenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, SierraLeone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa,Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (4) Kazakhstan, US
Law of the Sea
see United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)
Marine Dumping
see Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention)
Marine Life Conservation
see Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas
Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
note - abbreviated as Ozone Layer Protection
opened for signature - 16 September 1987
entered into force - 1 January 1989
objective - to protect the ozone layer by controlling emissions of substances that deplete it
parties - (189) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua andBarbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, TheBahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, CookIslands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU,Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel,Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, NorthKorea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, SaintLucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe,Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, SriLanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,Zimbabwe
Nuclear Test Ban
see Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water
Ozone Layer Protection
see Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for thePrevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)
note - abbreviated as Ship Pollution
opened for signature - 17 February 1978
entered into force - 2 October 1983
objective - to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances
parties - (139) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados,Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France,Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea,Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea,South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Libya,Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands,Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro,Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland,Portugal, Qatar Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SaudiArabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden,Switzerland, Syria, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,Tuvalu, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam
Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty
note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
opened for signature - 4 October 1991
entered into force - 14 January 1998
objective - to provide for comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems; applies to the area covered by the Antarctic Treaty
consultative parties - (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil,Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland,France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ,Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay
non consultative parties - (12) Austria, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary AirPollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides orTheir Transboundary Fluxes
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides
opened for signature - 31 October 1988
entered into force - 14 February 1991
objective - to provide for the control or reduction of nitrogen oxides and their transboundary fluxes
parties - (31) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Poland
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary AirPollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile OrganicCompounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
opened for signature - 18 November 1991
entered into force - 29 September 1997
objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of volatile organic compounds in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects
parties - (21) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark,Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein,Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden,Switzerland, UK
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Canada, EU, Greece, Portugal, Ukraine, US
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary AirPollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 94
opened for signature - 14 June 1994
entered into force - 5 August 1998
objective - to provide for a further reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes
parties - (27) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway,Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Poland, Russia, Ukraine
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary AirPollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
opened for signature - 24 June 1998
entered into force - 23 October 2003
objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of persistent organic pollutants in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects
parties - (27) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary,Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova,Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (10) Armenia, Croatia, Greece, Ireland, Philippines Poland, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine, US
Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary AirPollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their TransboundaryFluxes by at Least 30%
note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 85
opened for signature - 8 July 1985
entered into force - 2 September 1987
objective - to provide for a 30% reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes by 1993
parties - (22) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy,Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia,Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine
Ship Pollution
see Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)
Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water
note - abbreviated as Nuclear Test Ban
opened for signature - 5 August 1963
entered into force - 10 October 1963
objective - to obtain an agreement on general and complete disarmament under strict international control in accordance with the objectives of the United Nations; to put an end to the armaments race and eliminate incentives for the production and testing of all kinds of weapons, including nuclear weapons
parties - (113) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia,Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan,Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma,Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, ElSalvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea,Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal,Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua NewGuinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, SanMarino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Zambia
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Algeria,Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, Ethiopia, Haiti, Libya, Mali,Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, Somalia, Tanzania, Uruguay, Vietnam,Yemen
Tropical Timber 83
see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983
Tropical Timber 94
see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)
note - abbreviated as Law of the Sea
opened for signature - 10 December 1982
entered into force - 16 November 1994
objective - to set up a comprehensive new legal regime for the sea and oceans; to include rules concerning environmental standards as well as enforcement provisions dealing with pollution of the marine environment
parties - (155) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain,Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosniaand Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Comoros, DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon,The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya,Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, FederatedStates of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco,Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria,Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, SaintKitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles,Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Tanzania,Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UK,Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (27) Afghanistan,Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad,Colombia, Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, El Salvador,Ethiopia, Iran, North Korea, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Niger, Rwanda, Swaziland, Switzerland,Thailand, UAE
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those CountriesExperiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly inAfrica
note - abbreviated as Desertification
opened for signature - 14 October 1994
entered into force - 26 December 1996
objective - 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
parties - (185) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antiguaand Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, TheBahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of theCongo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU,Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel,Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, SouthKorea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda,Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, SolomonIslands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,Tuvalu, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
note - abbreviated as Climate Change
opened for signature - 9 May 1992
entered into force - 21 March 1994
objective - to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a low enough level to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system
parties - (195) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua andBarbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, TheBahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of theCongo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,Iraq, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, FederatedStates of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco,Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and theGrenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,Zimbabwe
Wetlands
see Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)
Whaling
see International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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Appendix D - Cross-Reference list of Country Data Codes
FIPS 10: Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions (FIPS 10) is maintained by the Office of Targeting and Transnational Issues, National Geospatial- Intelligence Agency, and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Department of Commerce). FIPS 10 codes are intended for general use throughout the US Government, especially in activities associated with the mission of the Department of State and national defense programs.
ISO 3166:Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries (ISO 3166) is prepared by the International Organization for Standardization. ISO 3166 includes two- and three-character alphabetic codes and three-digit numeric codes that may be needed for activities involving exchange of data with international organizations that have adopted that standard. Except for the numeric codes, ISO 3166 codes have been adopted in the US as FIPS 104-1: American National Standard Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries, Dependencies, and Areas of Special Sovereignty for Information Interchange.
STANAG 1059: Letter Codes for Geographical Entities (8th edition, 2004) is a Standardization Agreement (STANAG) established and maintained by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO/OTAN) for the purpose of providing a common set of geo-spatial identifiers for countries, territories, and possessions. The 8th edition established trigraph codes for each country based upon the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 character sets. These codes are used throughout NATO.
Internet: The Internet country code is the two-letter digraph maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).
STANAG-Entity FIPS 10 | ISO 3166 | 1059 Internet Comment
Afghanistan AF AF AFG 004 AFG .afAlbania AL AL ALB 008 ALB .alAlgeria AG DZ DZA 012 DZA .dzAmerican Samoa AQ AS ASM 016 ASM .asAndorra AN AD AND 020 AND .adAngola AO AO AGO 024 AGO .aoAnguilla AV AI AIA 660 AIA .aiAntarctica AY AQ ATA 010 ATA .aqISO defines as the territory south of 60 degrees south latitude
Antigua and Barbuda AC AG ATG 028 ATG .agArgentina AR AR ARG 032 ARG .arArmenia AM AM ARM 051 ARM .amAruba AA AW ABW 533 ABW .awAshmore and CartierIslands AT - - - AUS -ISO includes with Australia
Australia AS AU AUS 036 AUS .auISO includes Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands
Austria AU AT AUT 040 AUT .atAzerbaijan AJ AZ AZE 031 AZE .azBahamas, The BF BS BHS 044 BHS .bsBahrain BA BH BHR 048 BHR .bhBaker Island FQ - - - UMI -ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands