Environment & Ecology : International Environmental Conventions

Q 2 / 6

UPSC CSE Prelims 2021

With reference to the 'New York Declaration on Forests', which of the following statements are correct?

  1. It was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014.
  2. It endorses a global timeline to end the loss of forests.
  3. It is a legally binding international declaration.
  4. It is endorsed by governments, big companies and indigenous communities.
  5. India was one of the signatories at its inception.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.

EXPLANATION

Correct Option

The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate Summit in September 2014. It establishes a global timeline to halt and reverse forest loss, aiming to halve the rate of natural forest loss by 2020 and strive to end it by 2030. The declaration received endorsement from a diverse group of stakeholders, including national and sub-national governments, multinational corporations, civil society organizations, and indigenous communities.

Incorrect Options

  • Statement 3 is incorrect. The New York Declaration on Forests is a voluntary political declaration, not a legally binding international instrument.
  • Statement 5 is incorrect. India was not among the original signatories of the New York Declaration on Forests at its inception in 2014.
  • Options (b), (c), and (d) are incorrect as they include statements 3 or 5, or both, which are factually inaccurate regarding the nature of the declaration and India's initial involvement.
SOURCEEnvironment by Shankar IAS, Chapter 10: International Environmental Conventions