Partners
WAZA represents its members in, and the members benefit from the various services and resources provided by, the following four international conventions and organisations with which WAZA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding:
Convention on Biological Diversity
Signed by 150 government leaders
at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the Convention on Biological Diversity is
dedicated to promoting sustainable development. Conceived as a practical tool
for translating the principles of Agenda 21 into reality, the Convention
recognises that biological diversity is about more than plants, animals and
micro organisms and their ecosystems – it is about people and our need for food
security, medicines, fresh air and water, shelter, and a clean and healthy
environment in which to live.
International Union for Conservation of Nature
The International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) helps the world find pragmatic
solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. It
supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world and
brings governments, non-government organisations, United Nations agencies,
companies and local communities together to develop and implement policy, laws
and best practice. IUCN is the world's oldest and largest global environmental
network – a democratic membership union with more than 1,000 government and non-governmental
member organisations, and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists in more than 160
countries.
Convention on Migratory Species
The Convention on the
Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (also known as CMS or Bonn
Convention) aims to conserve terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species
throughout their range. It is an intergovernmental treaty, concluded under the
aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme, concerned with the
conservation of wildlife and habitats on a global scale. Since the Convention's
entry into force, its membership has grown steadily to include more than 110
Parties from Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Europe and Oceania.
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
The
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, called the Ramsar
Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for
national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use
of wetlands and their resources. The Ramsar Convention is the only global environmental
treaty that deals with a particular ecosystem, and the Convention's member
countries cover all geographic regions of the planet, with more than 160
contracting Parties.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between governments.
Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild
animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Because the
trade in wild animals and plants crosses borders between countries,
the effort to regulate it requires international cooperation to
safeguard certain species from over-exploitation. CITES was conceived
in the spirit of such cooperation. Today, it accords varying degrees
of protection to more than 30,000 species of animals and plants.