| Year |
Title |
Summary |
| 2001 |
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture |
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture aims at guaranteeing food security through the conservation, exchange and sustainable use of the world's plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, as well as the fair and equitable benefit sharing arising from its use. It also recognises Farmers' Rights: to freely access genetic resources, unrestricted by intellectual property rights; to be involved in relevant policy discussions and decision making; and to use, save, sell and exchange seeds, subject to national laws. The Treaty has implemented a Multilateral System (MLS) of access and benefit sharing, among those countries that ratify the treaty, for a list of 64 of the most important food and forage crops essential for food security and interdependence. The Treaty includes, as one of its funding mechanisms, mandatory sharing of benefits arising from the commercial utilization of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture covered by the MLS. |
| 1995 |
The World Trade Organisation |
The World Trade Organization deals with the rules of trade between nations at a near-global level; it is responsible for negotiating and implementing new trade agreements, and is in charge of policing member countries' adherence to all the WTO agreements, signed by the majority of the world's trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. |
| 1994 |
International Seabed Authority |
The International Seabed Authority is an autonomous international organization established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Authority is the organization through which States Parties to the Convention organise and control activities in the seabed and ocean floor and subsoil thereof beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, particularly with a view to administering the resources of this area. |
| 1992 |
The Convention on Biological Diversity |
The Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty to sustain the diversity of life on Earth. The Convention has three main goals: 1. conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity); 2. sustainable use of its components; and 3. fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources. In other words, its objective is to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. It is often seen as the key document regarding sustainable development. |
| 1982 |
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea |
The Law of the Sea Convention defines the rights and responsibilities of nations in their use of the world's oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources. The Convention concluded in 1982 replaced four 1958 treaties. The UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs serves as its secretariat. |
| 1967 |
The World Intellectual Property Organization |
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property (IP) system, which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest. Its mandate is to promote the protection of IP throughout the world through cooperation among states and in collaboration with other international organizations. |
| 1961 |
The Antarctic Treaty |
The main purpose of the Antarctic Treaty, which was signed in Washington on December 1, 1959, is to ensure "in the interest of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue for ever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord." |
| 1958 |
Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research |
The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) is an inter-disciplinary committee of the International Council for Science (ICSU). SCAR is charged with the initiating, developing and coordinating high quality international scientific research in the Antarctic region, and on the role of the Antarctic region in the Earth system. The scientific business of SCAR is conducted by its Standing Scientific Groups which represent the scientific disciplines active in Antarctic research and report to SCAR. In addition to carrying out its primary scientific role, SCAR also provides objective and independent scientific advice to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings and other organizations on issues of science and conservation affecting the management of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. |
| 1945 |
The General Assembly of the United Nations |
Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly occupies a central position as the chief deliberative, policy-making and representative organ of the United Nations. Comprising all 192 Members of the United Nations, it provides a forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter. It also plays a significant role in the process of standard-setting and the codification of international law. |
