With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES is an international agreement between governments. 2. IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments. 3. CITES is legally binding on the States that have joined it, but this Convention does not take the place of national laws. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
A
1 only
B
2 and 3 only
Correct Answer
C
1 and 3 only
D
1, 2 and 3
Explanation
Option (b) is correct because IUCN is an independent membership union of government and civil society organizations, not a UN organ, while CITES is a legally binding treaty that provides a framework for domestic legislation. Statement 1 is the primary distractor because although IUCN has observer status at the UN, it is not an official organ like the ICJ or ECOSOC. The core concept tested is the organizational structure and legal mandate of international environmental bodies.
International Environmental Conventions & OrganizationsIUCN & CITESIUCNCITESUnited Nationsinternational agreementfield projectslegally bindingnational lawsendangered species