World Nature Organization
Abbreviation | WNO, OMN |
---|---|
Formation |
Formed in 2010 Established in 2014 | ;
Type | Intergovernmental organization (IGO) |
Legal status | Treaty-based IGO |
Purpose | Environmental and climate protection |
Headquarters | To be determined |
Location |
|
Region served | Worldwide |
Official language | English, German, French |
Main organ |
The Assembly[2] Secretariat[2] |
Website |
www |
The World Nature Organization (WNO, French: Organisation mondiale de la nature, OMN) is an intergovernmental organization which promotes global environmental protection. The organization is focused on promoting activities, technologies, economies, and renewable energies which are regarded to be environment friendly; and reducing the impact of climate change.[3][4]
The foundation of the World Nature Organization is one of the key outcomes of multilateral environmental protection negotiations.[5] The role of the Organization is to turn declarations into implementable actions and to support the protection of the environment and climate at an international level.
The organization was established by the intergovernmental WNO-Treaty, which enters into force on 1 May 2014.[6] Most of the signatory states are yet to ratify the treaty on their respective legislative bodies. The organization is governed by the WNO Secretariat and the assembly of the members.
Overview
The initiative behind the organization started back in 2010. The initiative was started by countries surrounding the Pacific ocean, the Caribbean, and by emerging African countries, which are the primary nations threatened by climate change through increasing droughts and rising sea levels. The Preparatory Commission for the World Nature Organization was then set up the following year and released a draft for the WNO-Treaty in June 2012. The set-up of organizational structures, preparatory measures for the founding conference, and preparing the process for choosing the host country was done in 2012.[7][8] The agency shall become the very first intergovernmental organization on a global scale dedicated to global environmental protection.
The organization commenced its operations contemporaneous with the Earth Summit, a United Nations conference, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from June 20 to 22, 2012.[9]
History
The WNO initiative dates back to the year 2010,[10] when emerging and developing countries, which are already threatened by rising sea levels and increasing droughts, decided to mandate the Preparatory Commission. The mandate was to set up the structure for the operationalization of the World Nature Organization – the very first intergovernmental organization dedicated on a global scale to worldwide environmental protection. The Preparatory Commission for the World Nature Organization opened the WNO-Treaty for signature on November 1, 2013.The WNO-Treaty officially entered into force on May 1, 2014.
Aims
The purpose of the WNO is to preserve nature and to prevent detriment and destruction of the natural conditions for existence of human beings, animals and plants, in the water, on land and in the air; guided by the wish that all human beings have secure access to natural resources, especially clean water and air.[11] The organization shall promote sustainable development in a constructive way, as well as information and knowledge transfer among states, organizations and the economic sector, as regards preserving the natural environment, environment-friendly technologies, green economies, renewable energies, protection of resources, protection of water, forest, air, oceans and climate.
Constitution and legal status
The organization has an international legal personality. The WNO was established by the entry into force of the WNO-Treaty. In accordance with Article XVIII of the WNO-Treaty, the Treaty shall be registered in the United Nations Treaty Collection (UNTC) in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.[12]
Members and membership
Flag | Member |
Joined |
Population |
Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|
Burkina Faso | 31 December 2013 | 16.751.455 | Signature | |
Benin | 17 April 2014 | 8.971.944 | Signature | |
CAFRAD (IGO, UNTS: #9221)[13] | 4 April 2014 | N/A | Signature | |
EUCLID (university) (IGO, UNTS: #61353)[14] | 27 July 2014 | N/A | Signature | |
Chad | 19 December 2014 | 10.329.208 | Signature | |
Members States of CAFRAD (African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development):[15]
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroun, Cap Vert, Congo, Côté d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Equatorial, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Africa, Tchad, Togo, Tunisia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Members States of EUCLID University: [16] Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Vanuatu, Timor-Leste, Comoros, Benin, Burundi, Eritrea, Gambia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Central African Republic.
In addition an overwhelming majority of states support the concept of founding an intergovernmental organization for environmental protection and nature conservancy and states also pledged their support and prospective membership.[12]
The membership is open for all governments and intergovernmental organizations (IGO).
References
- ↑ "WNO opens office in Geneva (Switzerland)". World Nature Organization. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- 1 2 "Organs of the World Nature Organization". World Nature Organization. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ↑ "About the World Nature Organization". World Nature Organization. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ↑ "World Nature Organization: Global Environmental Problems Demand Global Action". Yahoo! News. July 26, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ↑ "Who will host the World Nature Organization?". Globe-Net. September 7, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
- ↑ "WNO Treaty enters into force". World Nature Organization. May 1, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
- ↑ "The Commission of the World Nature Organization". World Nature Organization. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ↑ "World Nature Organization: Commission lays foundations for the selection of the host country". Environmental News Network. September 7, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ↑ "World Nature Organization: Vorbereitungskommission nimmt Tätigkeit auf" (in German). Informationsdienst Umwelt und Natur. July 22, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ↑ "WNO History". World Nature Organization. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- ↑ "WNO-Treaty". World Nature Organization. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- 1 2 "World Nature Organization Treaty". World Nature Organization. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ↑ "UNTS" (PDF). United Nations. July 30, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- ↑ "UNTS" (PDF). United Nations. July 30, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- ↑ "Membership". CAFRAD. 1 May 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
- ↑ "Official Notices of EUCLID". EUCLID. July 30, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.