INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT / TREATY:

A treaty is an agreement under international law, a treaty may also be known as an (international)
agreement, protocol, covenant, convention, pact, or exchange of letters, among other terms.
Regardless of terminology, all of these forms of agreements are, under international law, equally
considered treaties and the rules are the same.

LAW OF THE SEA:

The Law of the Sea Convention defines the rights and responsibilities of nations with respect to
their use of the world's oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the
management of marine natural resources.
For this, Pakistan has signed United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Signed - 10
December 1982, Ratified - 26 February 1997.

SHIP POLLUTION:
The environmental impact of shipping includes greenhouse gas emissions, acoustic, and oil
pollution. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimates that Carbon dioxide
emissions from shipping were equal to 3.3% of the global human-made emissions in 2007 and
expects them to rise by as much as 72 percent by 2020 if no action is taken.

MARPOL 73/78:
Marpol 73/78 is the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 as
modified by the Protocol of 1978. ("Marpol" is short for marine pollution and 73/78 short for the
years 1973 and 1978.)
Marpol 73/78 is one of the most important international marine environmental conventions. It
was designed to minimize pollution of the seas, including dumping, oil and exhaust pollution. Its
stated object is 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.

ATMOSPHERE:
An atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding a planet or other material body of sufficient mass
that is held in place by the gravity of the body.

Climate:
Climate is a measure of the average pattern of variation in temperature, humidity, atmospheric
pressure, wind, precipitation, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological variables in a
given region over long periods of time.

BIODIVERSITY:
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life. This can refer to genetic variation, species
variation, or ecosystem variation within an area, biome, or planet.
For biodiversity Pakistan has signed Convention on Biological Diversity, signed: June05,
1992; ratified: July26, 1994.

ENVIRONMENT:
The surroundings of a physical system that may interact with the system by exchanging mass,
energy, or other properties

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT:
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on
Earth.
For natural environment Pakistan has signed The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety Signed
June04, 2001.

FOREST:
Forests are communities of living organisms characterized by the presence of trees that have
symbiotic relationships with each other and the physical environment.

WASTES:
Waste and wastes are terms for unwanted materials. Examples include municipal solid waste
(household trash/refuse), hazardous waste, wastewater (such as sewage, which contains bodily
wastes or surface runoff), radioactive waste, and others.

RIVER:
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or
another river. Small rivers may be called by several other names, including stream, creek, brook,
rivulet, and rill.

CLIMATE CHANGE:
Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change
lasts for an extended period of time.
For this, Pakistan has signed United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) Signed - 13 June 1992, Ratified - 01 June 1994, Entry into force - 30 August 1994.

OZONE LAYER PROTECTION:

Certain chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and
halons can damage the ozone layer and Chemicals that damage the ozone layer are known as
ozone-depleting substances.
In order to protect the ozone layer, we must prevent the release of ozone-depleting substances to
the atmosphere. If possible, we must also replace them with safer alternatives.
Thus for ozone protection Pakistan has signed 2 treaties.
1. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer;
2. The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer; Accession: December 18,
1992.

NUCLEAR TEST BAN:

Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, formally Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in
Outer Space, and Under Water, treaty signed in Moscow on Aug. 5, 1963, by the United States,
the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom that banned all tests of nuclear weapons except those
conducted underground.
For Nuclear test ban Pakistan has signed Male Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air
Pollution and its Likely Transboundary Effects for South Asia Endorsed - April 1998

DESERTIFICATION:
Desertification is a type of land degradation in which a relatively dry land region becomes
increasingly arid, typically losing its bodies of water as well as vegetation and wildlife. It is
caused by a variety of factors, such as climate change and human activities.
For desertification Pakistan has signed Convention to Combat Desertification in those
Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa
1994 Signed - 15 October 1994, Ratified - 24 February 1997, Entry into force - 25 May 1997.

ENDANGERED SPECIES:
An endangered (EN) species is one which has been categorized by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as likely to become extinct.

For endangered species Pakistan has signed Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Accession: April 20, 1976; Entry
into force: July 19, 1976.

ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATION:
The Environmental Modification Convention (ENMOD), formally the Convention on the
Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques is
an international treaty prohibiting the military or other hostile use of environmental modification
techniques having widespread, long-lasting or severe effects.

WETLANDS:
A wetland is a land area that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, such that it
takes on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem. Primarily, the factor that distinguishes
wetlands from other land forms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation that is adapted to
its unique soil conditions. Wetlands consist primarily of hydric soil, which supports aquatic
plants.
For this, Pakistan has signed Convention on Wetlands of International Importance
especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention) Entry into force - 23 November 1976.

MARINE LIFE CONSERVATION:

Marine conservation, also known as marine resources conservation, is the protection and
preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas. Marine conservation focuses on limiting humancaused damage to marine ecosystems, and on restoring damaged marine ecosystems. Marine
conservation also focuses on preserving vulnerable marine species.

HAZPRDOUS WASTE:
Hazardous waste is waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful to our health or the
environment. Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, gases, or sludges. They can be discarded
commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides, or the by-products of manufacturing
processes.
For this, Pakistan has signed Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of
Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (Basel Convention) 1992 Accession - 26 July 1994.

INDUS WATER TREATY:

The Indus Waters Treaty is a water-sharing treaty between India and Pakistan, brokered by the
World Bank. The treaty was a result of Pakistani fear that since the Source Rivers of the Indus
basin were in India, it could potentially create droughts and famines in Pakistan, especially at
times of war.

SPECIFIC REGIONS AND SEAS:

In geography, regions are areas broadly divided by physical characteristics, human-impact
characteristics, and the interaction of humanity and the environment. Thus a region with its
unique characteristics is known as a specific region.
Regional Seas Conventions is a framework for regional coordination and cooperation to protect
shared marine and coastal resources.
The 18 areas covered by the Regional Seas Programme are: Black Sea, Wider Caribbean,
East Africa, East Asia, ROPME Sea Area, Mediterranean, North-East Pacific, Northwest Pacific,
Pacific, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, South Asia, West and Central Africa, Antarctic, Arctic,
Baltic Sea, Caspian Sea, South-East Pacific, and North- East Atlantic regions.